European Climate Foundation explains the bewildering different approaches to taxonomies

ECF Strategic Communications Manager/Sustainable Finance, Alba Málaga Homs, provides a helpful communication to sort through national approaches to what counts as green finance. While the European Union considers adopting a sustainable finance taxonomy that classifies fossil gas as a green investment, Russia and China have stepped forward and recently adopted more ambitious initiatives that exclude all … Continue reading European Climate Foundation explains the bewildering different approaches to taxonomies →

Five key elements to watch over the coming year as countries move forward on their climate promises

Rachel Kyte, Dean of the Fletcher School at Tufts University writes on The Conversation website about what it will take to make commitments at the Glasgow climate talks achievable. What are your views? After COP26, the hard work begins on making climate promises real: 5 things to watch in 2022 How much the world … Continue reading Five key elements to watch over the coming year as countries move forward on their climate promises →

Blog from Peter Sweatman: And how much of the $100 trillion is earmarked for energy efficiency, Mark?

On November 3rd, during the first week of COP26, Mark Carney, the UN Special Envoy on Climate Action and Finance, announced that 450 financial organisations from 45 countries pledged to deliver the estimated $100 trillion of finance needed for net zero over the next three decades. This is the Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero … Continue reading Blog from Peter Sweatman: And how much of the $100 trillion is earmarked for energy efficiency, Mark? →

COP26: while it’s very encouraging to see many of the world’s leading banks committing to sustainable lending, it’s hard not to feel apprehensive

“The core message today is that the money is there, the money is there for the transition, and it’s not blah blah blah”, Mr. Carney told delegates during a COP26 climate finance event. Yes, banks around the world signed up to be part of the solution. Paul David Richard Griffiths, Professor of Finance; Academic Director … Continue reading COP26: while it’s very encouraging to see many of the world’s leading banks committing to sustainable lending, it’s hard not to feel apprehensive →

Industry and Europe’s “Fit for 55” package

In July the European Commission adopted a package of proposals – called the Fit for 55 package – to make the EU’s climate, energy, land use, transport and taxation policies fit for reducing net GHG emissions by at least 55% by 2030, compared to 1990 levels. As the Commission states, achieving these emission reductions in … Continue reading Industry and Europe’s “Fit for 55” package →

Incoming OECD Secretary-General presented with opportunity to change his record on climate change

If former Australian finance minister Mathias Cormann is to match the climate ambition of the OECD’s biggest member states, his future behaviour will have to be very different to that of his past behaviour. Christian Downie, Associate professor at the Australian National University discusses how Cormann can change in an article on The Conversation website. … Continue reading Incoming OECD Secretary-General presented with opportunity to change his record on climate change →

Is Wall Street duping the public that its green investing is only PR spin?

Tariq Fancy, who served as chief investment officer of sustainable investing at the world’s largest asset manager, Blackrock, tells Louise Boyle in an article on The Independent website the practice has little impact on reducing GHG emissions. ‘It’s moving deckchairs on the Titanic’: Former BlackRock sustainability executive says Wall Street’s green investing is ‘PR … Continue reading Is Wall Street duping the public that its green investing is only PR spin? →

Climate change had the potential to have a bigger impact on credit ratings than the Covid-19 pandemic

Larry Elliott writes on The Guardian website about a new study that used artificial intelligence to simulate the economic effects of climate change on Standard and Poor’s ratings for 108 countries over the next ten, 30 and 50 years, and by the end of the century. UK, US and others face credit rating fall … Continue reading Climate change had the potential to have a bigger impact on credit ratings than the Covid-19 pandemic →

Australia’s Mathias Cormann elected OECD chief despite climate record

The surprise result is a diplomatic triumph for Australia, whose prime minister, Scott Morrison, had promoted Cormann’s OECD credentials in calls with international counterparts in recent months. Cormann narrowly defeated the Swedish former EU trade commissioner Cecilia Malmström in the election to lead the 37-member Paris-based organisation, which gives advice to member governments on economic … Continue reading Australia’s Mathias Cormann elected OECD chief despite climate record →

Our global Covid recovery plans are still not giving enough attention to sustainability

Madeleine Cuff writes on the inews website that less than a fifth of the Covid recovery spending announced by governments around the world has been earmarked for green projects. How do we get that to change? Less than 20 per cent of global Covid recovery spending is green, report says Despite promises to “build … Continue reading Our global Covid recovery plans are still not giving enough attention to sustainability →