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ESG Today: Week in Review

ESG Today: Week in Review

This week in ESG news: EU regulator calls for sustainability disclosure requirements for all financial products; UK to require SAF on flights from 2025; KLM plans hydrogen-powered flight; Airbus and partners launch $200 million sustainable aviation fuel fund; U.S. invests $4 billion to reduce GHG emissions in key industries; UK launches $10 billion renewable energy investment platform; BCG, CDP report…

Climate Action Coalition Aims to Reinvigorate Push to 1.5°C

The freshly launched initiative wants to link business and finance, NGOs, academics and governments to accelerate climate action. The world’s 2030 climate goals are still within reach, but time is running out and solutions must be sought with renewed vigour over the next five years. That was the central message from Britain’s former Conservative energy minister, Chris Skidmore, during the…

FRC Streamlines Stewardship Code

Industry experts underscore the need for change to ease practical challenges, as signatories approach 300 and AUM crosses the £50 trillion mark. The UK’s Financial Reporting Council (FRC) has moved to reduce reporting burdens and streamline processes for signatories through a revamp of its Stewardship Code. Following the culmination of phase one of the review, the council unveiled five focus…

Investors Fail to Engage on Israel Arms Exports

Amundi, NBIM and Union Investment are among the few to have taken heed of a UN call to cease weapon transfers to the country.  Only a fifth of investors and companies have responded to an engagement by the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre on their response to a UN demand to stop exporting arms to Israel.  This, the BHRRC…

Almost 50% of NZAM Assets Net Zero-aligned

Despite progress, signatories will need to demonstrate flexibility on their individual journeys to zero carbon emissions. The Net Zero Asset Managers initiative (NZAM) has published its latest target-setting progress report, noting a positive trend toward net zero alignment, but a wide gap remains between leaders and laggards.   The report said that, as of 31 January, 42% of total AUM managed by…

Masdar Acquires $887 Million Stake in 2.5 GW Spanish Renewables Portfolio from Enel

Masdar Acquires $887 Million Stake in 2.5 GW Spanish Renewables Portfolio from Enel

Abu Dhabi-based clean energy-focused developer Masdar announced an agreement with Italy-based European utility giant Enel to partner on 2.5 GW of renewable energy in Spain, including the acquisition of a 49.99% stake in EGPE Solar, encompassing Enel’s Spanish subsidiary Endesa’s portfolio of operational solar plants for €817 million (USD$887 million). The deal aims to support Masdar’s ambitious clean energy growth…

Electric Aviation Company H55 Raises $74 Million

Electric Aviation Company H55 Raises $74 Million

Electric aviation company H55 announced the closing of its CHF 65 million (USD$74 million) Series C funding round, with a new investment from the Government of Quebec, adding to an initial phase last year. Launched in 2015, Swiss-based H55 was founded by André Borschberg, Sebastien Demont and Gregory Blatt, the former management team of Solar Impulse, the first electric airplane…

KLM, ZeroAvia Plan Hydrogen-Powered Test Flight

KLM, ZeroAvia Plan Hydrogen-Powered Test Flight

KLM and electric aviation solutions startup ZeroAvia announced plans for a zero-emissions demonstration flight using hydrogen-electric engines powered by liquid hydrogen. The test flight plans come as a series of initiatives are underway to target rapid aviation sector decarbonization, such as electrified propulsion or sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Hydrogen, however, is viewed by some in the industry as a more…

A Nature-positive Economy

Karen Ellis, Chief Economist at WWF-UK, talks about the convergence of climate and nature and the emergence of industry sector transition pathways. At COP26 in Glasgow, the then-Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak announced plans for the UK to become the world’s first net zero-aligned financial centre. Sunak applauded “historic” climate commitments from private companies, representing US$130 trillion in financial…

US ‘Project 2025’ Threatens Green Investments

With the potential of Trump 2.0 looming, many fear an arch-conservative climate-denying manifesto could become official policy. Green investors are increasingly worried about what a second Donald Trump presidency might mean for US energy and climate policy. Central to their fears is a manifesto called ‘Project 2025’. The 900+-page document, produced by right-wing think tank the Heritage Foundation, sets out…