After overcoming years of negotiation hurdles, the European Parliament has voted 374 to 235 to adopt the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), marking a significant step towards mandating companies to address their negative impacts on human rights and the environment. This decision follows the rejection of an earlier version by member states in the…

Total Energies and Vanguard Renewables, a BlackRock portfolio company, have unveiled plans for a new joint venture focused on converting food biowaste into renewable natural gas (RNG) across the U.S. Leveraging Vanguard Renewables' expertise in anaerobic digestion and TotalEnergies' global experience in renewable gas assets, the partnership aims to develop 10 RNG projects within the…

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in the UK has unveiled a consultation on extending its Sustainability Disclosure Requirements (SDR) to portfolio managers, aiming to ensure investors can accurately assess the sustainability attributes of investment products and mitigate greenwashing risks. This initiative follows the FCA's introduction of SDR requirements for asset managers in November 2023, which…

Apple has made significant strides towards its goal of becoming carbon neutral across its entire business by 2030, announcing that over 320 suppliers, representing 95% of its direct manufacturing spend, have committed to using 100% renewable energy for Apple production by 2030. This commitment is critical as nearly two-thirds of Apple's carbon footprint comes from…

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has committed S$35 million (USD$26 million) over the next three years to initiatives aimed at upskilling and reskilling professionals in the financial services sector, focusing on developing sustainable finance specialists. This funding aligns with the release of the Sustainable Finance Jobs Transformation Map (JTM) by MAS and the Institute…

The Bezos Earth Fund has launched the AI for Climate and Nature Grand Challenge, committing up to $100 million to foster AI-driven solutions that tackle climate change and nature loss. Established in 2020 with a $10 billion pledge from Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, the fund aims to support a wide range of environmental efforts and…

Germany-based power producer RWE has successfully completed its first U.S. green bond issuance, raising $2 billion to finance renewable energy projects. The issuance was divided into two tranches: $1 billion for a 10-year term and $1 billion for a 30-year term, marking RWE's inaugural green bond offering outside of Europe. According to RWE’s Green Financing…

EdgeConneX, a global data center provider, has successfully secured $1.9 billion in sustainability-linked financing to support its expansion across the EMEA region, with interest rates tied to its environmental sustainability achievements. This marks a significant shift from project-based funding to a more comprehensive structured corporate debt package following its initial $2.9 billion sustainability-linked financing in…

The European Council has formally adopted the revised Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), setting forth stringent new regulations to reduce energy use and emissions across EU buildings. Mandating that all new buildings achieve zero emissions by 2030 and phasing out fossil fuel use in heating systems by 2040, the directive aligns with the EU's…

The European Parliament has voted to adopt a new law establishing a certification system for carbon removals, aiming to monitor, quantify, and verify the effectiveness of such initiatives while addressing the issue of greenwashing. The law, passed by a significant majority, is a key component of the EU's broader strategy under the European Green Deal…

Toyota Ventures, the venture capital arm of automotive giant Toyota, has announced the launch of the Toyota Ventures Climate Fund II (TVCF II), aimed at advancing startups that focus on climate and environmental sustainability solutions. This new fund follows the successful inaugural Toyota Ventures Climate Fund launched in 2021, which saw investments in 18 companies…

Public companies globally are making strides in disclosing their greenhouse gas emissions, with approximately 60% reporting direct Scope 1 and 2 emissions and over 40% disclosing some Scope 3 emissions, reveals the latest MSCI Net-Zero Tracker. This report assesses the climate progress of companies in the MSCI All Country World Investable Market Index using MSCI's…