ESG This Week & ESG News Week In Review

This week in ESG news:

• ING ends financing for companies developing new oil and gas projects.
• Deloitte launches new academies for upskilling in sustainability and AI.
• MSCI introduces carbon credit ratings to enhance transparency in carbon markets.
• Companies are quietly accelerating climate action, according to a new report.
• Apple reduces the carbon footprint of its new iPhone.
• Investor coalition calls for mandatory climate reporting policies.
• Google, Microsoft, and Meta announce carbon removal purchase deals.
• BlackRock and Microsoft team up to raise $30 billion for AI infrastructure and energy investments.
• BCG survey shows companies benefiting from AI for decarbonization.
• ERM launches a carbon credit sourcing platform.
• Morgan Stanley invests in an ESG risk management software provider.

These updates reflect significant movements in climate action, sustainable finance, and the growing intersection of AI with ESG.

ESG News Week In Review: 16 September – 22 September

Sustainability Goals, Initiatives and Achievements

Microsoft Signs Multi-Year Carbon Removal Deal Based on Rocket Science Tech

Google Signs Brazil Reforestation-Based Carbon Removal Purchase Deal

The Home Depot Eliminates Hard to Recycle Packaging Materials from Private Label Products

Meta Signs Deal for up to 3.9 Million Tons of Nature-Based Carbon Removal Credits with BTG Pactual

BlackRock, Microsoft Partnership to Raise $30 Billion to Invest in AI Infrastructure and Energy

New $400 Million Japan Low Carbon Hydrogen Development Fund Backed by Toyota, SMBC, TotalEnergies, Others

Apple Reduces Carbon Footprint of New iPhone by 30%

Travalyst Scales Sustainable Travel Efforts with Emissions Data for 65 Billion Flight Searches

San Francisco 49ers Become First NFL Team to Purchase Sustainable Aviation Fuel for Game-Related Travel

EU Greenlights €1.2 Billion Polish Aid to Boost Net-Zero Transition

Report Shows U.S. Solar Jobs Surge in 2023, Setting Industry Milestones

ESG Reporting

$29 Trillion Investor Coalition Urges Government Policies Including Mandatory Climate Reporting, Sectoral Transition Strategies

Apple Reduces New iPhone 16’s Carbon Footprint by 30%

ERM Launches Carbon Credit Portal in Partnership with CEEZER to Support Corporate Decarbonization

Shopify Launches Carbon Commerce, A New CO2 Credits Platform

Deloitte Launches Deloitte Academies to Upskill Workforces in AI, Sustainability, and Innovation

SBTi Enhances Corporate Net-Zero Standard to Refine Emission Neutralization

Government & Regulators

UK Regulator Warns 17 Fashion Brands Over Green Claims

ESG Services and Tools

ERM Launches Carbon Credit Sourcing Platform

MSCI Launches New Carbon Credit Project Ratings

Construction Sustainability Software Provider One Click LCA Acquires ENVI-Met to Expand Climate Resilience Solutions Offerings

Deloitte Launches New Academies Platform to Upskill Workforces in Sustainability, AI

Shopify Launches Carbon Commerce, A New CO2 Credits Platform

IBM and UNDP Launch New Tools to Forecast Energy Access and Model Energy Equity

ERM Launches Carbon Credit Portal in Partnership with CEEZER to Support Corporate Decarbonization

Sustainable Finance

Standard Chartered, SEB to Offer Clients Carbon Credits from Early-Stage Carbon Removal Projects

ING Stops Financing for Companies Developing New Oil and Gas Projects

ING Launches Climate Transition Assessment Tool, May End Financing for Clients Not Progressing

Carlyle Commits to Provide up to $1 Billion in C-PACE Financing

Guest Post – Investing in Resilience: The Insurance Industry’s Role in the Net-Zero Transition

Reliance, Adani, and Financial Firms Pledge $386 Billion to Help India Achieve 500 GW of Clean Energy by 2030

Standard Chartered and SEB Boost Carbon Removal Market with Puro.earth Partnership

BlackRock, Microsoft and GIP Form Group To Raise $100 Billion to Invest in AI Energy Infrastructure and Sustainability

U.S. DOE Awards $500M to 1PointFive for Direct Air Capture Hub in Texas

Amex GBT Secures Net-Zero Climate Target Validation by SBTi

Hong Kong, Dubai Strengthen Collaboration on Sustainable Finance as Climate Risks Mount

Woodland Biofuels Invests $1.35B in Port of Louisiana for RNG and Green Hydrogen

Private Equity & Venture Capital

Twelve Raises Over $600 Million to Turn CO2 into Clean Jet Fuel

Morgan Stanley Invests $33 Million in ESG Risk Management Software Provider Datamaran

Air Company Raises $69 Million to Turn CO2 into Sustainable Aviation Fuel

Phlair Raises €14.5 Million to Advance Low Cost, Scalable Carbon Removal Technology

Smalt Raises €8 Million to Train Skilled Workforce for Energy Transition

Carbon Accounting Startup Zevero Raises $7 Million to Drive Global Expansion

Ara Partners Launches New Energy Value Chain Decarbonization Fund

Sustainable Investing

Vanguard: 24% of Investors in Proxy Choice Program Chose ESG Policy for Votes

Robeco Launches High Income Green Bond Strategy

Global Investors Push for Stronger Climate Policies Ahead of COP29, Urging Governments to Unlock $29 Trillion for Net-Zero Transition

Kenya Partners with S&P Global to Build Africa’s First Deforestation-Reduction Carbon Credit Registry

Goldman Sachs Stock-Picking Model Challenges Conventional ESG Views with Circularity Focus

Confidence in ESG Data Grows as Concerns Drop from 50% to 22% in FTSE Russell’s 2024 Asset Owner Survey

Reports, Studies & Surveys

Study Finds Largest Global Companies are Accelerating Climate Commitments… Quietly

Companies Already Seeing Major Impact, Financial Benefits from Use of AI in Decarbonization Efforts: BCG Survey

Accenture and UN Highlight Gen AI’s Role in Accelerating SDG Progress Amid Global Crises

Report Shows U.S. Solar Jobs Surge in 2023, Setting Industry Milestones

AI-Driven Climate Leaders Achieve Significant Financial Gains, Averaging $200M in Annual Decarbonization Benefits: BCG Study

Confidence in ESG Data Grows as Concerns Drop from 50% to 22% in FTSE Russell’s 2024 Asset Owner Survey

CARBON MARKETS

• Google Joins Microsoft in Pioneering Carbon Removal Deals in Brazil
• Standard Chartered and SEB Boost Carbon Removal Market with Puro.earth Partnership
• MSCI Launches Groundbreaking Carbon Project Ratings
• ERM Launches Carbon Credit Portal in Partnership with CEEZER to Support Corporate Decarbonization
• Kenya Partners with S&P Global to Build Africa’s First Deforestation-Reduction Carbon Credit Registry
• Shopify Launches Carbon Commerce, A New CO2 Credits Platform
• Meta Signs Long-Term Deal with BTG Pactual for Up to 3.9 Million Carbon Offset Credits to Support Net Zero Goals by 2030
• U.S. DOE Awards $500M to 1PointFive for Direct Air Capture Hub in Texas
• ?rsted and Equinor Sign Deal for 330,000 Tonnes of Carbon Removal Credits

CLIMATE & ENERGY TRANSITION

• IBM and UNDP Launch New Tools to Forecast Energy Access and Model Energy Equity
• GHG Emissions have Decreased by 32.55% Since 1990 despite the Economy Growing by 67%: EU Energy Report
• Ursula von der Leyen Names New EU Commission Team Focused on Climate Action, Security, Competitiveness
• India’s Tata Power to Invest up to $9 billion to Expand Renewable Energy Capacity
• EIB Approves €5.3 Billion for Climate Resilience and Business Innovation
• Hero Future Energies to Invest $20 Billion in Renewable Expansion by 2030

Sources ESG Today & ESG News