After two years of Covid-19 outbreaks, lockdowns and market volatility, the investment industry started 2022 with a feeling of optimism that, in the words of D:Ream, “things can only get better”. But the optimism quickly faded as Russia invaded Ukraine and rising energy prices spiralled out of control into a crisis. As we move towards … Read more
The Investment Association (IA) has appointed Carol Thomas to a newly-created role of head of sustainability and responsible investment. Thomas will be responsible for leading the IA’s work and engagement on all issues related to sustainability and responsible investment, including the design and implementation of sustainable finance rules in the UK, and championing the industry’s … Read more
The turmoil of this year has been reflected in markets and many investment strategies have faced severe performance issues. Equity markets have witnessed extreme volatility while stubbornly high inflation has made bonds unappealing. Investors have responded with their feet, with outflows from funds mounting month-on-month according to figures from the Investment Association. One exception to … Read more
Agriculture is fundamental to the Brazilian economy yet climate change means crop yields are being reduced and the amount of suitable land for crops is shrnking Here, Peter Elwin, director of fixed income and head of food and land use programme at Planet Tracker answers ESG Clarity‘s questions. What impact is the world’s largest rainforest … Read more
Greenwashing is one of those terms that makes a lot more sense when discussing consumer goods than investment strategies. I recently saw a soft drinks company claim ‘water neutrality’ (making drinks commercially uses staggering quantities of water) but the small print showed it excluded most of the water used when manufacturing the drinks. This is … Read more
Erich Gerth, CEO of RBC BlueBay Asset Management, expects opportunities for women in investment to increase. ESG Clarity is delighted to support the City Hive campaign celebrating 50 years of women investing in the UK. What or who inspired you to work in investing? A former schoolmate of mine. What do you think the future looks like for women in investing? … Read more
We have seen a substantial surge in investment in net-zero tech, with investment reaching record highs in 2021 and remaining relatively resilient in 2022 despite a wider market downturn. Yet there are significant challenges to developing and scaling the net-zero technologies needed in time to enable net zero by 2050. The International Energy Agency estimates that … Read more
Anna Mercer, head of 3D research, Square Mile Investment Consulting and Research Reflecting on what has been a tumultuous year for ESG and markets in general, what has been your biggest challenge and how have you overcome it? The field of responsible investment continues to evolve and with it the regulatory oversight governing it to … Read more
Interest in sustainable investing is high and the investment industry must step up to meet this demand. Our Sustainable Banking Report 2022, developed in partnership with PwC, found more than 90% of 3,000 investors we surveyed want to allocate funds into sustainable investments. We calculated that in just 10 growth markets, this could translate into … Read more
There have been a number of ‘impact reports’ and ‘impact calculators’ launched over the past few years – many rich with information, both qualitative and quantitative. What there’s been less of is clear articulations of what the reported data covers and what it doesn’t – what it means (the context), and how it’s measured against … Read more