Environmental Finance

WCI Carbon Market Update, 1 June 2020

Mon, 01 Jun 2020 13:57:00 GMT

In light of many allowances remaining unsold in the May auction, new supply-side mechanisms could be introduced which could be bullish for prices, says Nicolas Girod*.

Australian impact investments set to grow five-fold by 2025 - RIAA

Mon, 01 Jun 2020 13:54:59 GMT

Exponential growth in Australian investments targeting positive social and environmental impact as well as financial returns could propel the overall size of the market to more than AUD100 billion ($67.3 billion) by 2025, according to the Responsible Investment Association Australasia (RIAA).

Sustainalytics CEO defends pure-play green bond

Mon, 01 Jun 2020 13:45:00 GMT

Sustainalytics has defended its decision to give a second party opinion to a green bond for general corporate purposes, reigniting the debate about whether so-called pure-play companies should be able to access the market.

Largest private pension scheme in UK announces first divestments

Mon, 01 Jun 2020 12:15:11 GMT

The Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) has announced it will not invest in tobacco, coal, and controversial weaponry firms under its exclusions policy, though campaigners are pressing for the £68 billion ($84 billion) fund to divest from other fossil fuel firms.

Glennmont fully divests from Clean Energy Fund 1

Mon, 01 Jun 2020 11:56:26 GMT

Glennmont Partners has completed the sale of its Sleaford Renewable Energy Plant to Greencoat Capital, divesting the last remaining asset of its €437 million ($485 million) Clean Energy Fund I.

Renewables insurers win new backing

Mon, 01 Jun 2020 11:37:00 GMT

US-based Tokio Marine HCC has completed its acquisition of GCube, a specialist underwriter of renewable energy risks. The price paid was not disclosed.

Total becomes next oil major to feel shareholder climate pressure

Fri, 29 May 2020 16:08:09 GMT

French supermajor Total has become the latest oil firm to face rising pressure from shareholders at its annual general meeting (AGM) over it environmental ambitions.

People Moves, 29 May: Candriam; Yes Bank; Sean Kidney; IIRC; Element Markets; The Path; DCO ...

Fri, 29 May 2020 13:49:00 GMT

BBVA issues €1bn Covid-19 bond

Fri, 29 May 2020 11:40:20 GMT

Spanish financial services company BBVA has priced a €1 billion ($1.1 billion) Covid-19 social bond, making it the first private financial institution in Europe to do so.

Chinese regulators to exclude 'clean' fossil fuels from green bond standard

Fri, 29 May 2020 11:36:00 GMT

Chinese regulators propose to exclude controversial 'clean' fossil fuel projects from their list of eligible green bonds.

Scor joins Net-Zero Asset Owner Alliance

Fri, 29 May 2020 10:25:28 GMT

Advances disinvestment from coal, total withdrawal by 2040

€6trn investor group backs call for biodiversity impact framework

Fri, 29 May 2020 08:51:00 GMT

Investors with a combined €6 trillion ($6.6 trillion) in assets have backed a call for the development of a methodology to assess physical impacts on biodiversity of investments and corporate behaviour.

EU's €750bn recovery plan to use green taxonomy

Thu, 28 May 2020 13:58:00 GMT

The European Commission's €750 billion ($825 billion) Covid-19 recovery fund will be geared around climate action, including an expansion of the EU emissions trading scheme.

Investor climate pressure builds on US oil majors as BlackRock steps-up

Thu, 28 May 2020 13:45:20 GMT

US oil supermajors ExxonMobil and Chevron experienced significant investor pressure over their climate policies at their annual general meetings, with major investor BlackRock stepping up support for some proposals.

Economic rebound will be 'final test' for ESG funds, says Candriam

Thu, 28 May 2020 09:09:00 GMT

After delivering relative outperformance before and during the coronavirus (Covid-19) crisis, the "final test" for environmental, social and governance (ESG) funds will be how they perform during the ongoing rebound, says Candriam.

Energy storage and agriculture are most attractive Q2 climate plays - HSBC

Wed, 27 May 2020 13:39:00 GMT

Energy storage technologies that support the deployment of renewable energy currently offer the most attractive investment opportunities within the climate change theme, according to HSBC analysts.

Cicero's equity assessment service combats 'imperfect' ESG ratings

Wed, 27 May 2020 13:34:00 GMT

Cicero Shades of Green said its recently-launched equity assessment service looks to address "imperfect" ESG ratings of climate risk, as well as departing from the use of proceeds model typically used in the green bond market.

DWS launches 'smart' ESG investment approach

Wed, 27 May 2020 13:29:33 GMT

Asset manager DWS has announced stricter environmental, social and governance (ESG) investment criteria, focused on identifying and engaging with firms with high climate transition risk and violators of international sustainability standards.

ESG reporting key to ride 'wave' of social housing investment

Wed, 27 May 2020 13:25:00 GMT

M&G and Insight Investment are among organisations that have drawn up draft criteria for social housing sustainability reporting, as they suggest "we are at the early stages of what may be a wave of equity investment in affordable housing".

Bond round-up: RBS, Credit Suisse, NADB, Southern California ... and more

Wed, 27 May 2020 13:15:46 GMT