This week in ESG news: EU lawmakers approve target to reduce emissions 90% by 2040; BNP Paribas significantly beats sustainable finance target; Trump repeals key ruling underlying major climate regulations; Survey – vast majority of companies advancing sustainability initiatives, communication; Deutsche Bank issues its first EuGB Green Bond; U.S. SEC puts ESG fund naming rule under review; TotalEnergies signs major…

Fusion energy startup Inertia Enterprises announced that it has raised $450 million in a Series A funding round, with proceeds aimed at commercializing its technology to “bring limitless clean energy to the world.” Fusion, the process of combining two atoms to form a single atom to release energy, has been long referred to as the “Holy Grail” of clean and…

Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) provider SkyNRG announced that it has secured financing, including debt and equity capital, reaching final close on a project to build the Netherland’s first large-scale SAF production plant, with KLM – Royal Dutch Airlines positioned as the primary off-taker for the new facility. Founded in 2009, Amsterdam-based SkyNRG aims to build up SAF capacity to help…

Renewable fuels company HAMR announced that it has raised $AUD10 million ($USD7.1 million) in a Series A funding round, with backing from aviation and industrial companies Qantas, Airbus and thyssenkrupp. Founded in 2020, Melbourne-based HAMR is developing a pipeline of low carbon liquid fuel projects that will convert plantation forestry residues into fuel to help decarbonize hard-to-abate transport sectors, such…

President Trump and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced today the repeal of the Greenhouse Gas Endangerment Finding, the landmark 2009 finding underlying the U.S. government’s ability to regulate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from carbon-intensive industries including the automotive and energy sectors. In a social media post teasing the announcement, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin called the move the “Single….

Sustainable real assets investor Vision Ridge announced that it has raised $2.4 billion at the final close of its Sustainable Asset Fund, with the capital aimed at supporting climate solutions while delivering strong financial returns. The total is nearly double the firm’s previous Sustainable Asset Fund III, which raised $1.25 billion in 2021. Founded in 2008, Colorado-based Vision Ridge invests…

BNP Paribas and energy storage company Eclipse announced a new partnership aimed at accelerating the deployment of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) and strengthening Europe’s energy resilience, including a strategic equity investment in Eclipse by BNP Paribas. Large-scale BESS systems are designed to store excess renewable power and release it during periods of peak demand, helping to improve grid reliability…

Steelmaking and mining company ArcelorMittal announced plans to construct a €1.3 billion (USD$1.5 billion) electric arc furnace (EAF) in Dunkirk, France, marking a major step in the decarbonization of its European steel production. Steelmaking is one of the biggest emitters of CO2 globally, and one of the more challenging sectors to abate, with total greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) from the…

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has placed anti-greenwashing rules put in place by the Commission during the Biden administration setting criteria for ESG and sustainability-labelled investment funds under review, according to comments by SEC Chair Paul Atkins. Testifying at a hearing by the U.S. House Financial Services Committee, when asked about finalized rules passed by the SEC under…

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen defended the EU’s carbon pricing mechanism at an industry conference on Wednesday, noting the system’s progress on decarbonizing industry, and calling on member stated to dramatically increase their reinvestment of revenues from the system back into industrial innovation, to help address concerns from emissions intensive sectors over the impact of the program. Von…