In this series, ESG Clarity takes a deep dive into an investment firm’s stewardship activities, discovering their key focuses and processes, and what’s in their engagement toolkit. Here, Bruce Duguid, head of stewardship at Federated Hermes, shares how clients have contributed to the evolution of the firm’s engagement plan and why they are embracing the opportunities within artificial intelligence while being mindful of…
France-based energy giant TotalEnergies announced today an agreement to acquire Kyon Energy, one of Germany’s leading developers of battery storage system, from its three founders. The consideration consists of a €90 million upfront payment, plus some earn out payments linked to the achievement of development targets. Founded in 2021, Munich-based Kyon Energy develops and operates grid-connected battery storage systems. To…
Canada-based cleantech-focused VC investor ArcTern Ventures, announced today that it has raised $335 million in commitments for its global decarbonization venture fund, ArcTern Fund III. ArcTern’s Fund III aims to invest in technology companies that develop and innovate solutions in renewable energy, clean mobility, circular economy, sustainable food, and agriculture and industrial decarbonization. The fund will target early stage growth…
Carbon capture startup Captura announced it has raised an additional $21.5 million, expanding its Series A funding round, with proceeds aimed at commercializing its Direct Ocean Capture (DOC) technology that extracts CO2 directly from seawater to be permanently stored or reused. Founded in 2021 at California Institute of Technology, Captura provides a solution to capture CO2 from the ocean, amplifying…
Japan’s Sumitomo Corporation announced today an investment in CO2 removal startup Inherit Carbon Solutions, and a partnership with the company aimed at enabling the removal of millions of tons of CO2 from the atmosphere over the next decade. Founded in 2021, Oslo, Norway-based Inherit captures and permanently stores CO2 released from production of renewable natural gas (RNG), which is produced…
The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) announced a significant increase in its planned emissions reduction investments, growing its allocation to decarbonization projects and technologies and lower-carbon solutions to $23 billion, compared to its prior target of $15 billion by 2030. The increased allocation, mandated at the annual meeting of the ADNOC Board of Directors, follows the company’s announcement last…
Over half of business leaders globally plan to increase investments in sustainability in 2024, up significantly from only a third who reported plans to do so last year, as business optimism increases, and as executives increasingly recognize the potential impact of climate disruptions to their businesses, while new government incentives help to mobilize investments in climate tech, according to a…
Investments in healthcare – particularly in vaccine development – and the gender health gap were key themes for investors that emerged from the discussions at this year’s World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting. The 54th meeting – also known as Davos and held in the Swiss Alps – also urged investors to address how to improve DEI initiatives and explore…