Rising recognition of the vulnerabilities of EMDEs to climate change is increasing focus on scaling blended finance opportunities. COP28 in Dubai will explore climate adaptation investment opportunities for public-private partnerships in emerging markets and developing economies (EMDEs), according to COP27’s UN Climate Change High-Level Champion. “COP26 highlighted the importance of businesses and the private sector to [international climate progress]…
Danske Bank AM Appoints Mads Steinmüller as Head of New Climate and Nature Team
Danske Bank Asset Management announced the launch of a new team climate and nature team, advising and supporting the firm’s investment teams in making decisions based on the risks and opportunities related to nature and biodiversity. The team will be led by the firm’s chief ESG specialist, Mads Steinmüller, who has been appointed to the new position of Head of…
Nuveen Appoints Nick Moss as Head of Nature Based Solutions
Investment manager Nuveen announced today the appointment of Nick Moss as Head of Nature Based Solutions within its land-focused asset management platform, Nuveen Natural Capital (NNC). Based in London, Moss will be responsible for driving NNC’s nature based solutions investment strategy across farmland, forestry and ecological restoration, with a focus on reducing the environmental impact and carbon footprint of commercial…
Moody’s Launches Assessments of Corporate Decarbonization Plans
Credit ratings, research, and risk analysis provider Moody’s Investors Service announced today the launch of a framework for Net Zero Assessments (NZAs), a new scoring system aimed at enabling investors to evaluate and compare companies’ decarbonization plans and actions. According to Brian Cahill, Global Head of ESG at Moody’s Investors Service, the new NZAs aim to address the challenges facing…
GRI, IFRS Announce Initiative to Help Companies Build Sustainability Reporting Capacity
The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) announced today plans to launch a new Sustainability Innovation Lab (SIL), alongside the IFRS Foundation as its Convening Partner, a new initiative aimed at helping to enable companies to meet evolving sustainability disclosure requirements. According to GRI CEO Eelco van der Enden, the new initiative comes as companies face a “sustainability capacity and expertise gap”…
High Cost of Decarbonization, ‘Green on Green’ Conflicts Holding Back Progress on Global Net Zero Goals: KPMG Report
Despite progress on scaling up low carbon energy production and industrial technologies, significant barriers remain in the way of the global ambition to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 and to limit temperature rise 1.5°C, with current initiatives insufficient to meet these climate goals, according to a new report by global professional services firm KPMG. Key challenges holding back progress…
LGIM Launches New Series of Government Bond ESG Funds
Legal & General Investment Management (LGIM), one of Europe’s largest asset managers, announced the launch of the L&G Future World ESG Emerging Markets Government Bond Local Currency Index Fund, the first in a series of new funds aimed at providing investors with exposure to an enhanced sovereign ESG framework, and the integration of ESG across sovereign debt. Additional funds to…
Finance & Sustainability Professional Education Platform xUnlocked Raises $6 Million
Professional education platform xUnlocked announced today that it has raised £5 million (USD$6.1 million) to support its growth, through a Series A investment by professional and vocational education company BPP Education Group. Founded in 2017, UK-based xUnlocked provides training for professionals through its platforms Finance Unlocked, focused on financial training and development for business professionals, and Sustainability Unlocked, launched by…
HubSpot Commits to Net Zero Across Value Chain by 2040
CRM solutions platform HubSpot announced today a new commitment to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) across its value chain by 2040. Alongside the new commitment, HubSpot also announced that it has achieved validation from the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) for its emissions reduction targets. Validated targets include the company’s near-term goals to reduce absolute scope 1 and 2…