ESG Today

01/11/2024

IPSASB releases proposed climate-related reporting standard for public sector

https://www.esgtoday.com/ipsasb-releases-proposed-climate-related-reporting-standard-for-public-sector/

The International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board (IPSASB) announced the release of SRS ED 1, a new draft climate-related disclosure standard for governments and other private sector entities, which would be the first sustainability reporting standard for the public sector. The new standard...

01/11/2024

The EU cut greenhouse gas emissions by more than 8% in 2023, according to a new report by the European Commission. Among the key drivers of the decline was a 24% reduction in emissions from electricity production and heating, with renewable energy becoming the top source of electricity, and fossil fuel-driven electricity generation dropping by nearly 20% in the year.

https://www.esgtoday.com/eu-cuts-greenhouse-gas-emissions-by-more-than-8-in-2023/

Net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across the EU fell by 8.3% in 2023, according to a new report released by the European Commission, marking one of the largest declines in decades, with the exception of a 9.8% COVID-19-driven drop in 2020 (which was followed by a 4.8% increase the following year),....

01/11/2024

Microsoft replacing steel, concrete in new datacenters with wood to cut carbon emissions

https://www.esgtoday.com/microsoft-replacing-steel-concrete-in-new-datacenters-with-wood-to-cut-carbon-emissions/

31/10/2024

Nuveen, Leon Capital invest in real estate sustainability consultancy Longevity Partners

https://www.esgtoday.com/nuveen-leon-capital-invest-in-real-estate-sustainability-consultancy-longevity-partners/

Real estate-focused climate and sustainability consulting firm Longevity Partners announced a new strategi investment from Nuveen and Leon Capital. Founded in 2015 Longevity Partners works with real estate and infrastructure firms to achieve green building certifications, and assists them on energy....

31/10/2024

Maersk signs long-term green methanol deal with LONGi to reduce fleet emissions

https://www.esgtoday.com/maersk-signs-long-term-green-methanol-deal-with-longi-to-reduce-fleet-emissions/

Shipping giant A.P. Moller – Maersk (Maersk) announced that it has signed a long-term bio-methanol supply agreement with China-based LONGi Green Energy Technology, aimed at contributing to reducing GHG emissions from Maersk’s growing fleet of dual-fuel methanol container vessels. The agreement f...

31/10/2024

Andium raises $22 million for IoT platform to cut energy sector emissions

https://www.esgtoday.com/andium-raises-22-million-for-iot-platform-to-cut-energy-sector-emissions/

Industrial Internet of Things (IoT) platform provider Andium, announced that it raised $21.7 million in a Series B financing round, with proceeds aimed at supporting the expansion of its remote field monitoring platform enabling energy companies to cut greenhouse gas emissions and reduce operating c...

31/10/2024

Germany hires Deutsche Bank, DZ BANK for update of Green Bond Framework

https://www.esgtoday.com/germany-hires-deutsche-bank-dz-bank-for-update-of-green-bond-framework/

Deutsche Bank and DZ Bank announced that they have been mandated by the Federal Republic of Germany as joint ESG coordinators for the planned update of the government’s Green Bond Framework. Germany released its initial Green Bond Framework in 2020, which sets out its environmental and sustainable...

31/10/2024

GSK, Kering, Holcim first companies to set validated nature goals targeting freshwater, land sustainability

https://www.esgtoday.com/gsk-kering-holcim-first-companies-to-set-validated-nature-goals-targeting-freshwater-land-sustainability/

The Science Based Targets Network (SBTN) announced the release of the first-ever set of validated science-based targets for nature, with new freshwater and land-focused goals announced by global biopharma company GSK, global luxury group Kering and building materials company Holcim. Launched in 2019...

31/10/2024

Law firms, legal departments upskilling lawyers to meet growing demand for ESG expertise: Wolters Kluwer survey

https://www.esgtoday.com/law-firms-legal-departments-upskilling-lawyers-to-meet-growing-demand-for-esg-expertise-wolters-kluwer-survey/

Law firms and corporate legal department are increasingly providing specialized ESG-related training for lawyers, as a significant majority report a rise in demand for legal expertise, yet less than half feel prepared to meet this demand, according to a new survey released by professional services a...

30/10/2024

Verdane raises €700 million for decarbonization-focused growth fund

https://www.esgtoday.com/verdane-raises-e700-million-for-decarbonization-focused-growth-fund/

European specialist growth investor Verdane announced today that it has raised €700 million (USD$758 million at the final close of its Verdane Idun II fund, targeting investments in businesses within the structural growth trend of decarbonization. The total is more than double its previous Idun I ...

30/10/2024

Rio Tinto transitions U.S. copper mine operations to renewable diesel

https://www.esgtoday.com/rio-tinto-transitions-u-s-copper-mine-operations-to-renewable-diesel/

30/10/2024

Brookfield acquires $2.3 billion stake in UK offshore wind farms from Ørsted

https://www.esgtoday.com/brookfield-acquires-2-3-billion-stake-in-uk-offshore-wind-farms-from-orsted/

Brookfield Asset Management announced today that it has signed a deal with Danish multinational energy company Ørsted to acquire a 12.45% minority stake in four of Ørsted’s U.K. offshore wind farms for approximately $2.3 billion. The four wind farms – Hornsea 1, Hornsea 2, Walney Extension, an...

30/10/2024

Bain Capital acquires majority stake in green data center developer AQ Compute

https://www.esgtoday.com/bain-capital-acquires-majority-stake-in-green-data-center-developer-aq-compute/

30/10/2024

KKR, ECP launch $50 billion data center and power generation investment partnership

https://www.esgtoday.com/kkr-ecp-launch-50-billion-data-center-and-power-generation-investment-partnership/

Alternative asset and private equity investor KKR and energy transition infrastructure investment firm Energy Capital Partners (ECP) announced today the launch of a new strategic partnership targeting $50 billion of investment aimed at accelerating the deployment of data center and power generation....

30/10/2024

Guest Post – Materiality Assessments: Expectations and Best Practices

By: Jessica Lobo, Sustainability Advisor, and Kosmas Papadopoulos, Head of Sustainability Advisory, Americas, ISS-Corporate

https://www.esgtoday.com/guest-post-materiality-assessments-expectations-and-best-practices/

By: Jessica Lobo, Sustainability Advisor, and Kosmas Papadopoulos, Head of Sustainability Advisory, Americas, ISS-Corporate Materiality Assessments Evolve as Key Tool for Corporate Sustainability Management Over the past decade, the business world has made significant strides in establishing standar...

30/10/2024

Over half of CFOs fear greenwashing risk as sustainability data problems persist: EY survey

https://www.esgtoday.com/over-half-of-cfos-fear-greenwashing-risk-as-sustainability-data-problems-persist-ey-survey/

A majority of company finance leaders globally say that they are concerned about perceived greenwashing risks from sustainability reporting in their industries, and most do not believe that their organizations will hit their major sustainability ambitions, as nearly all report problems with the inte...

29/10/2024

Sustainable heating startup Vamo raises €7 million

https://www.esgtoday.com/sustainable-heating-startup-vamo-raises-e7-million/

Sustainable heating startup Vamo announced that it has raised €7 million in new capital, expanding its seed round to over €10 million (USD $10.8), after having raised €3 million in 2023, with proceeds aimed at advancing its solution enabling households to deploy heat pumps. Heat pumps are rapi...

29/10/2024

LRQA acquires human rights advisory Ergon Associates to strengthen ESG capabilities

https://www.esgtoday.com/lrqa-acquires-human-rights-advisory-ergon-associates-to-strengthen-esg-capabilities/

London-based assurance services provider LRQA announced that it has acquired Ergon Associates, which provides organizations with consulting services on ensuring compliance with issues surrounding labor standards, human rights and gender equality, in a move described by LRQA as enabling the delivery....

29/10/2024

RIFT raises €11 million for decarbonized industrial heat solution

https://www.esgtoday.com/rift-raises-e11-million-for-decarbonized-industrial-heat-solution/

Netherlands-based cleantech startup RIFT announced that it had raised €11 million (USD $11.9 million) in Series A funding aimed at advancing its technology to decarbonize industrial heat. Industrial heating uses high amounts of energy, often from fossil fuel-based sources, in order to transform ma...

29/10/2024

Southwest Airlines eliminates 1.5 million pounds of single-use plastic from flights

https://www.esgtoday.com/southwest-airlines-eliminates-1-5-million-pounds-of-single-use-plastic-from-flights/

Southwest Airlines announced today the introduction of new items to replace single-use plastic from its flights, including a new bamboo cup for inflight cold beverages and a wood stir stick. According to the airline, the new items are anticipated to reduce its inflight single-use plastics by more th...

29/10/2024

Bureau Veritas Group acquires Aligned Incentives to bolster Scope 3, product carbon footprint capabilities

https://www.esgtoday.com/bureau-veritas-acquires-aligned-incentives-to-bolster-scope-3-product-carbon-footprint-capabilities/

France-based testing, inspection and certification services provider Bureau Veritas announced the acquisition of AI-powered sustainability planning solutions provider Aligned Incentives, with the move aimed at enhancing its sustainability metrics capabilities in areas including Scope 3 emissions ana...

29/10/2024

ESMA to focus enforcement actions on CSRD’s double materiality, sustainability statement compliance

https://www.esgtoday.com/esma-to-focus-enforcement-actions-on-csrds-double-materiality-sustainability-statement-compliance/

EU markets regulator the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) announced the release of its annual European Common Enforcement Priorities (ECEP) Statement for corporate reporting, setting out key issues relating to the EU’s new Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) as area...

28/10/2024

IntegrityNext launches new supply chain sustainability compliance and visibility solutions

https://www.esgtoday.com/integritynext-launches-new-supply-chain-sustainability-compliance-and-visibility-solutions/

Sustainability software provider IntegrityNext announced the launch of two new solutions, Multi-Tier Supply Chain Visibility and EUDR Compliance, aimed at enabling companies to address complex supply chain sustainability challenges and regulatory compliance requirements. Launched in 2016, Munich-bas...

28/10/2024

Over 500 companies commit to report on nature, biodiversity risk using TNFD framework

https://www.esgtoday.com/over-500-companies-commit-to-report-on-nature-biodiversity-risk-using-tnfd-framework/

The Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) announced that more than 500 companies and financial institutions have committed to begin nature-related corporate reporting, based on the TNFD recommendations. The announcement, made at the COP16 Biodiversity Conference, marks a significa...

28/10/2024

Guest Post – Avoided Emissions: Unlikely Heroes

By: Ian Stannard, ICE Sustainable Finance

https://www.esgtoday.com/guest-post-avoided-emissions-unlikely-heroes/

By: Ian Stannard, ICE Sustainable Finance ICE’s research on identifying and quantifying potential Avoided Emissions has highlighted how climate opportunities can be found in unlikely sectors and companies outside of the obvious candidates. Our approach, highlighted in a Whitepaper by ICE and EcoFi...