EU to Review Regulatory Framework for Crypto
(Bloomberg) A European parliamentary committee will vote Monday on a new regulatory framework for crypto assets, which could accelerate passage of a measure that industry executives say could practically ban key digital currencies including Bitcoin and Ethereum in Europe. Crypto-assets issued and/or traded in the EU “shall be subject to minimum environmental sustainability standards and…
Read MoreSustainable Investing and the Russian Invasion of Ukraine
(Morningstar) Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has provoked a lot of discussion about sustainable investing, highlighting the growing influence of sustainability concepts on investing in general. But clarity about the terms of the discussion is sorely needed. For the most part, the discussion has centered around values-based exclusions. But there is much more to sustainable investing…
Read MoreMicrosoft’s Pursuit of Climate Goals Runs Into Headwinds
(The New York Times) Microsoft has an ambitious plan to cut its carbon emissions. But on Thursday, the company reported a big increase in the greenhouse gases emanating from its operations and its products, a reminder of the challenges that companies face as they try to clean up their businesses. Microsoft’s carbon emissions were up…
Read MoreHow Climate Change Is Disrupting the Global Supply Chain
(Yale Environment) The Covid pandemic has rightly received most of the blame for global supply chain upheavals in the last two years. But the less publicized threat to supply chains from climate change poses a far more serious threat and is already being felt, scholars and experts say. The pandemic is “a temporary problem,” while…
Read MoreWorking with the military is lucrative. For enterprise AI companies, it’s also a minefield.
(Protocol) Enterprise tech companies often post customer logos on their websites as signals of their sales prowess, like service medals on a military uniform. But when AI tech vendors spotlight their work with defense industry customers, it’s not always considered a badge of honor. As talk of war and national security intensifies in the wake…
Read MoreHow Air Pollution Across America Reflects Racist Policy From the 1930s
(The New York Times) Urban neighborhoods that were redlined by federal officials in the 1930s tended to have higher levels of harmful air pollution eight decades later, a new study has found, adding to a body of evidence that reveals how racist policies in the past have contributed to inequalities across the United States today.…
Read MoreCarbon Capture Takes Center Stage, But Is Its Promise an Illusion?
(Inside Climate News) With his climate agenda stalled in Congress, President Joe Biden has managed to win billions in federal spending for one pillar of his platform that is gaining increased attention globally: carbon capture. In a major win for oil, coal, utilities and other industries, the federal government is poised to make its largest…
Read MoreLPs to GPs: Report GHG and scenario data or risk relationship
(Venture Capital Journal) “We need attributable greenhouse gas data. That’s my big ask to GPs in the room.” So said an executive at an influential US-based investor at PEI Media’s Responsible Investment Forum in New York. The event was conducted under Chatham House rules, which means comments cannot be attributed to the speakers. The same…
Read MoreStripe is paying companies to pull carbon out of the atmosphere. What’s your company doing to fight climate change?
(Fast Company) There may be no better signal that a corporate initiative has potential than when customers reach out and beg: “Take my money.” After Stripe, the online payments company, committed to spending at least $1 million on carbon-removal technologies a few years ago, two things happened. One, “we got a surprisingly positive reaction from…
Read MoreThe ESG bar is high this proxy season: Is your board prepared?
(GreenBiz) Last year saw a record number of ESG and climate-focused shareholder proposals winning majority support in 2021. Therefore, we can only expect the same for 2022 as shareholders’ and stakeholders’ expectations continue to rise. The success of hedge fund Engine No. 1 in securing board seats at Exxon Mobil in 2021 was a major…
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