7th September 2019
Top Stories
This week we’d like to highlight the debate surrounding the increasing mainstreaming of ESG investing, green finance, and green bonds. Forbes has four articles presenting a range of points of views on the topic (one, two, three, four). Importantly these are not all uniformly pro ESG and green finance, demonstrating some of the challenges and issues which need to be addressed. The CFA Institute also has published two blogs on the topic of ESG investing (one, two), providing some good background info on the topic.
Investment Analysis
BlackRock is ‘world’s largest investor in deforestation’, report finds – Tom Eckett – ETF Stream
Leading from behind – Germany seeks to spark green finance to drive climate policy – Benjamin Wehrmann – Clean Energy Wire
U.S.-China Green Fund wants to help China go green – Yale Climate Connections
Green Bonds Can Solve Our Climate Crisis – Miriam Tuerk – Forbes
The Seven Asset Owner Approaches to ESG – Thomas Brigandi, Paul Kovarsky, and Paul McCaffrey – CFA Institute
ESG Investing: Can You Have Your Cake and Eat It Too? – Gautam Dhingra and Christopher J. Olson – CFA Institute
Nearly half of alts investors have turned down a strategy over ESG – Sam Benstead – City Wire
Retirees, Earn Higher Yields While Doing Good with Impact Investments – Eleanor Laise – Kiplinger
Is the era of ESG reporting standards over? – Donato Calace – Datamaran
Investment News
Exxon Dumped From S&P 500 Top 10 For First Time In 90 Years – Steve Hanley – Clean Technica
Scotland launches £3bn green project portfolio – renews.biz
Lagarde promises to paint the ECB green – Bjarke Smith-Meyer – Politico.eu
European Central Bank should ‘gradually eliminate’ carbon assets: Lagarde – Chloe Farand
Amundi unveils multi-asset sustainable fund – Ridhima Sharma – Investment Europe
Shell Leads Big Oil in the Race to Invest in Clean Energy – Timothy Abington and Kelly Gilblom – Bloomberg
Pattern cuts 220MW New Mexico ribbon – Renews.biz
RES wins TRIG solar service gig – Renews.biz
Comment
We Want To Invest In ESG Funds, But Don’t. Here’s Why That’s Okay (Based On Common FIRE Investing Strategies) – Ryan Derousseau – Forbes
Corporations pile pressure on Brazil over Amazon fires – Dom Phillips – The Guardian
Why The Future Of Your Company Depends On Its ESG Rating – Paul Polizzotto – Forbes
As others look inward, the City is keeping its eye on the world – Peter Estlin – City AM
Green bond market fights to save its reputation – Joe McGrath – Portfolio Adviser
Sustainable Investing Turns Out Not To Be As Popular As The Hype – Ollie Williams – Forbes
Top CEOs must act on commitment to transparency and sustainability – Bruno Sarda – The Hill
For investors, climate risk has no one-size-fits-all solution – Gail Glazerman – Green Biz
Why ESG investing isn’t as painful as you think – Leo Almazora – Wealth Professionals Canada
Why We Need Finance to Fight Climate Change – Jeffrey Schub – Yale Insights