Global mining and metals company Rio Tinto announced the launch of a new strategic collaboration with Amazon Web Services (AWS), which will include providing AWS with its new low-carbon, low-water “Nuton” copper, and Rio Tinto using AWS technology to advance its Nuton production. Rio’s Nuton is a bio-heap leaching technology that enables copper to be produced from resources that were…

By: Mike Hayes, Global Climate & Renewables Leader, KPMG International As global leaders gather in Davos for the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting, the spotlight will undoubtedly fall on the critical need to mobilize private capital for climate-driven growth. 2025 has been one of the hottest years on record, underscoring the urgency of addressing climate change, particularly in emerging markets…

This week in ESG news: Sustainability software provider osapiens raises $100 million at “unicorn” $1 billion valuation; investors say simplified EU CSRD sustainability reporting standards will reduce quality of information; Microsoft starts off year with series of major carbon removal deals; court rulings allow work to resume on building clean energy projects after Trump orders halt; L’Oreal’s €100 million sustainability…

Clean energy developer and operator Clearway announced a series of new long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs) with Google, providing the tech giant with nearly 1.2 GW of carbon-free energy to power its data centers from new projects across three U.S. states. According to Clearway, the new Missouri, Texas, and West Virginia-based projects will deliver carbon-free energy to local grids to…

A U.S. district court judge has issued a preliminary injunction against an order by the Trump administration halting Empire Wind, enabling the company to resume construction on the massive $5 billion offshore wind project off the coast of New York. In the ruling, U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols said that the order could cause the company to “suffer irreparable harm,”…

Specialist impact investor Blue Earth Capital announced the launch of its first dedicated impact strategy, raising commitments of more than US$100 million from institutional investors in Europe and the U.S. Founded in 2021, Switzerland-based Blue Earth Capital targets investments addressing the world’s most pressing social and environmental challenges while aiming for attractive and market-rate financial returns, through dedicated private equity,…

UK-based industrial technology company Rolls-Royce has appointed former bp Chief Sustainability Officer Ivanka Mamic to the newly created role of Global Head of Government Relations and Chief Sustainability Officer. Mamic joins Rolls-Royce after 5 years at bp, where she led the development of the energy giant’s global sustainability strategy and oversaw its execution across the company. Her departure from the…

Canada-based financial services firm Canaccord Genuity announced the acquisition of energy transition-focused investment banking firm Carbon Reduction Capital, LLC (CRC-IB), which will form the basis of a new Energy Transformation group within Canaccord’s U.S. Sustainability practice. Founded in 2008, New York-based CRC-IB provides services including M&A, project finance and capital raising in the U.S. across the renewable energy spectrum, in areas…

Microsoft announced 2 new multi-year carbon credit purchase deals, representing nearly 3 million tonnes of carbon removal, with the new agreements expanding the tech giant’s already substantial lead as the largest corporate purchaser of carbon removal. The new agreements follow another deal announced on Wednesday by Microsoft to purchase 2 million tonnes of Afforestation, Reforestation, and Revegetation (ARR) carbon removal…

Global beauty company L’Oréal announced the first cohort of companies for its flagship €100 million sustainable innovation program, L’AcceleratOR, selecting 13 climate, nature, and circularity-focused startups, following a review of nearly 1,000 applications. Launched by L’Oreal last year, L’AcceleratOR was established to invest €100 million over five years to find, develop, pilot and scale technologies that address sustainability-focused challenges for…