Sustainability

Empire State forces U.S. climate progress

21 Jun 2019

New York is mandating net-zero emissions by 2050. That means laggard companies will have to move faster towards renewable energy. More intense investor activism should follow, especially if like-minded states generating more than half America’s $20 trillion GDP join the push.

Climate risk makes 2008 crisis look like a breeze

12 Jun 2019

A lone U.S. regulator says finance-sector losses from global warming could rival last decade’s meltdown. It’s one way to get the attention of Washington’s skeptics. A new report suggests profitable opportunities outweigh the risks two-to-one. That’s a more appealing argument.

The Exchange: Dustin Yellin

3 Jun 2019

Is there a better way to signal the hydrocarbon era’s end than by flipping a 1,000-foot oil tanker vertically from the sea to create the world’s largest sculpture? Not according to the artist behind “The Bridge,” who discussed his project with Rob Cox at his Brooklyn studio.

As impact investing grows, its purpose strays

30 May 2019

Investing for social or environmental good, once a niche for foundations and development banks, now attracts the likes of Blackstone and KKR. There’s plenty of demand for the sector’s $500 bln of capital. For the biggest players, though, it’s still all about market-rate returns.

Viewsroom: A new game of carmaker matchmaker

30 May 2019

Fiat Chrysler spurned Peugeot by offering to merge with France’s Renault, which is itself joined to Nissan. How will the pairings play out, and what does it mean for the automotive sector? Plus: Why fossil-fuel giants like BP are painting themselves a pale shade of green.

Breakdown: ESG investing faces sustainability test

28 May 2019

Assessing environmental, social and governance risks is the hot topic in asset management. Support from politicians, millennials and fund houses, along with high-profile votes like those at Amazon and BP, should boost the $1 trln asset class. But success could create problems.

Water can flow around U.S. infrastructure blockage

24 May 2019

The $1 trln needed to fix the nation’s aging pipes and other H2O infrastructure isn’t coming any time soon – as a new delay to a U.S. funding plan makes clear. The industry still has room for improvement, though, starting with better use of technology, data and capital.

BP vote pours gas on Exxon’s climate fire

21 May 2019

Owners of at least a quarter of the U.S. oil major’s shares backed the overwhelming vote for more emissions pledges from its UK rival. BP’s support helped, but the result also shows the growing power of climate activists. Exxon’s decision to fight them now looks even more risky.

BP investors take the slow road to climate action

21 May 2019

Shareholders endorsed greater disclosure of the oil major’s compatibility with Paris climate goals, but rejected binding targets. It’s a start, but hardly matches the scale of the problem. Both BP and its owners appear unsurprisingly happy to wait for greater political urgency.

Cox: Imagine the end of the oil supertanker era

16 May 2019

By pitching one of the 1,000-foot vessels vertically from the sea, Brooklyn artist Dustin Yellin wants to use epic sculpture to remind humanity of the urgent need to ditch hydrocarbons. As a big tourist attraction “The Bridge” would also be a metaphor for economic sustainability.

Miners have a shot at earning green halo

16 May 2019

Vale’s dam disaster was a reminder of the industry’s social and environmental pitfalls. At the same time, the likes of BHP and Glencore can tout their ability to supply future low-carbon economies. ESG activists punished coal, but they’re in position to reward diggers, too.

Aviation is acid test for UK climate credibility

7 May 2019

Britain’s proposal for zero net carbon emissions by 2050 is laudable. But given it’s already struggling to hit a less ambitious goal, success implies tough state action. One way to tell if the UK is serious is if it ramps up taxes that curb customer demand for air travel.

Nature is capitalism’s biggest loser

6 May 2019

Hedge-fund boss Ray Dalio and others rightly fret about the gap between rich and poor. Global poverty is on average declining, at least. But a new report shows land, water and species pay an unsustainable price. Changing that means properly valuing what underpins human gains.

Exxon becomes test of investors’ carbon capture

6 May 2019

New York State and the Church of England want to split the chair and CEO roles and oust the board after the $328 bln U.S. oil giant squashed their emissions-reduction push. They have won peers over in other climate fights, but taking on Exxon’s top brass may be too much for many.

Beyond Meat IPO flips into FOMO territory

2 May 2019

The plant-based burger firm’s stock almost tripled on its market debut. The desire for food that’s tasty, green and ethical is real, and investors are clamoring for a bite. But such big first-day pops are often driven by a fear of missing out that longer-term returns cannot sate.

Finance’s green activists see path to climate hope

1 May 2019

An annual Wall Street-heavy confab on environmental risks is offering plenty to worry about. But a group of 340 investors like CalPERS and AXA is notching up wins, including against Equinor, Shell and other polluters. More concerted pressure can help slow global warming.

Beyond Meat’s green IPO could still burn buyers

30 Apr 2019

The plant-based burger maker is seeking a $1.5 bln valuation after raising its IPO target price by 20 pct. The eco-friendly business has developed a following among consumers. But with former investor Tyson entering the alternative-meat space, investors may have tastier options.

Shell has cover to take the high ground in Brunei

26 Apr 2019

A shareholder group wants the $260 bln energy giant to use its clout in the tiny Asian state to press for gay rights. Shell will be cautious of fallout elsewhere, but talks are possible. It has the leverage to open meaningful dialogue too. A fix, though, won’t be quick.

Climate risk gets the right kind of oversight

18 Apr 2019

Central banks presiding over almost half the planet’s GDP plan to treat global warming as a threat to financial stability. It’ll add heft to existing pressure from investors and make it harder for companies and their lenders to ignore the longer-term impacts of climate change.

U.S. garbage deal is non-toxic bet on growth

15 Apr 2019

The $43 bln Waste Management is buying smaller rival Advanced Disposal for $3 bln. Financially the purchase looks like neither trash nor treasure. But steadily rising demand, bolstered by China’s rejection of many U.S. recyclables, makes bulking up a low-risk option.