There are many schools of thought about how we transition from our present economic system to one that is no longer fuelled by hydrocarbons and hence damaging to the planet. Many of these transition pathways put the emphasis on existing and developing technologies such as electric vehicles, battery storage, or the greater rollout of proven … Read more

The Elvis movie was one of the big cinematic hits of 2022 – and one of the King’s song titles, A little less conversation, a little more action, please, provides an apt summary of the progress many asset managers need to make in their sustainable investment journeys. This gap between word and deed was one … Read more

A landmark rule recently finalized by the Department of Labor gives retirement plans the green light to use ESG-themed target date funds – at least if they are ok with one of two products on the market. That rule, published in November, overturns a DOL rule from the Trump administration that specifically forbade ESG considerations … Read more

Level 2 of the EU’s Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR), which boosts transparency requirements for asset managers, was introduced this week following months of groups struggling to prepare for the new disclosures. The introduction of Level 2’s regulatory technical standards (RTS) on 1 January 2023 means fund providers will need to supply detailed sustainability-related disclosure … Read more

New Year 2022 for Ecology concept with green city on earth, World environment and sustainable development concept, vector illustration Readers seek out regulatory updates and interviews with ESG figureheads

There’s a considerable gap between how often people invest in sustainability and how highly people rate the importance of investing in sustainability — which begs the question, are advisers asking the wrong questions? Recent research from Morningstar suggests there are plenty more sustainable investors out there waiting to be brought into the fold. In our research … Read more

The increased sensitivity to climate risk principally penalises the world’s poorest countries that are climate vulnerable through no fault of their own. Making matters worse, sovereign risk pricing rarely rewards countries that invest in low carbon transitions and climate resilience. The integration of nature-related risks into financial decision-making is reinforcing this damaging asymmetry – those … Read more

ESG Clarity readers were most interested in regulation, awards, net zero and human rights in 2022 as revealed by our most read articles from the website for the year. It’s unsurprising to see so many regulatory pieces in the top 10 with fast-paced changes in legislation around the world, and as companies and funds get … Read more

The UK government’s announcement of a further ‘pause’ to delivering the green taxonomy has led to a vocal reaction from several industry groups and wider stakeholders. This is because of considerable delays we have seen already this year to the publication of the consultation on the taxonomy, and the suggestion too in the ministerial statement … Read more