ESG Today: Week in Review

This week in ESG news: SEC approves U.S.’ first sustainability-focused stock exchange; Microsoft signs record-breaking permanent carbon removal deals; Net-Zero Banking Alliance drops 1.5°C commitment; U.S. walks out on international shipping decarbonization agreement; GM’s new Chief Sustainability Officer; EU selects first industries for product ecodesign requirements; Trump halts work on massive New York renewable energy project; Oxy acquires another DAC carbon removal tech company; JPMorgan raises $1.5 for sustainable forestry fund; Apollo commits $400 million to new solar JV; EU eases compliance requirements for supply chain deforestation law; capital raises for clean energy fintech, carbon capture tech, and more.

See below for the highlights of the past week, and get all your ESG news at ESG Today:

Sustainability Goals, Initiatives and Achievements

Microsoft Signs Largest-Ever Permanent Carbon Removal Purchase Agreement

Oxy Acquires Carbon Removal Tech Startup Holocene

Guest Post: What the SBTi’s Draft Corporate Net-Zero Standard Version 2.0 Means for Businesses

Microsoft Signs Deal to Remove 3.7 Million Tons of CO2 from U.S. Pulp and Paper Mill

International Agreement Reached to Decarbonize Global Shipping, as U.S. Walks Out

Viking, Fincantieri to Launch First-Ever Hydrogen-Powered Cruise Ship

ESG Reporting

Guest Post: Omnibus Working Against Green Deal Goals

Government & Regulators

UK Releases Carbon Credit “Integrity Principles” to Advance Carbon Markets

Trump Admin Halts $5 Billion New York Offshore Wind Project

EU to Set Sustainable Design Requirements for Apparel, Steel, Furniture Products

EU Commission Unveils Series of Changes to Reduce Compliance Burden of New Supply Chain Deforestation Law

Sustainable Finance

Net Zero Banking Alliance Drops Requirement to Align Financing with 1.5°C

Private Equity & Venture Capital

NovoMOF Raises $5.4 Million to Scale Up Low-Cost Carbon Capture Materials

Fintech Startup Crux Raises $50 Million to Build Capital Market Platform for Clean Energy Developers

Apollo Commits up to $400 Million to Launch New Community Solar JV with Summit Ridge

Sustainable Investing

SEC Approves Launch of U.S.’ First Sustainability-Focused Stock Exchange

JPMorgan AM Raises $1.5 Billion for Forest & Climate Solutions Fund

Exec Moves

GM Appoints Dell’s Sustainability Head as New Chief Sustainability Officer

Impact Investor BlueOrchard Appoints Michael Wehrle as New CEO