Altiorem Weekly - 6 September 2026
Altiorem has rebuilt its chatbot, Alma, indexing over 113,000 pages of research to allow professionals to commission automated briefing notes and analysis. This update accompanies new research on energy efficiency for data centres, human accountability for AI bias, and the CPA-Zicklin Index of corporate political accountability. Regional developments featured include Gabon’s $200 million biodiversity conservation programme and China’s 15th Five-Year Plan targeting 25.8% forest coverage by 2030, alongside analysis of record green bond issuance in 2026.
Dear friends and supporters of Altiorem,
Last week I mentioned some exciting new features on Altiorem and today we have the big reveal!
Over the last few months we have been rebuilding Altiorem’s chat bot Alma, from the ground up.
We did this because how data is chopped up (technical term) and indexed makes a huge difference to how a chatbot performs. The old garbage in, garbage out rule applies and the way our previous chatbot organised and retrieved information was not up to the task.
The real magic of the new Alma is that we have parsed and indexed 2,275 documents and 113,368 pages of sustainable finance research with Altiorem’s taxonomy and key information baked in (also technical).
This database not only makes a more comprehensive, accurate and faster chatbot possible but also makes other new features possible too.
On Altiorem you can now:
- Seamlessly switch between whole of library and document level chat. Go from broad to deep in one click. Start a chat from the home page.
- Have all you chats saved on the new My Library page, which also allows you to bookmark and search your favourite research.
In the most exciting new feature, you can commission Alma to write articles, briefing notes and other analysis. Give it a brief and in minutes you will have an MS Word document in your inbox which you can mark up and comment on and resubmit for as many rounds of revision as you need to get it right.
You can use these for your own purposes, like a director briefing on dual use technology or a process for integrating system risks into credit analysis for your fixed income team.
Best of all, you can also share what you have learned with the Altiorem community by publishing it as a blog on our website. It helps us to create a better library and also shows where there are gaps that we can fill.
No overconfident gap filling, sycophancy or hallucinations, just fully referenced with click to source (inc. page numbers) documents that you can review and refine. This is safe AI use for sustainable finance professionals.
And this is just the beginning, in the weeks and months ahead we will be releasing new features that leverage the incredible body of knowledge that has been liberated by the newly indexed database, the next being a quiz creator for your next dinner party. Ok maybe not, but it will help identify knowledge gaps and training needs for you and your teams.
If you have ideas for other features, please get in touch!
Lastly, we are very aware of the issues with AI from energy and water use to the concentration of control among a small group of not very nice men. But the technology is here and being used in both good and bad ways. Innovation and augmentation at one end and poorly governed unsafe uses at the other. Over the next few months, we will be exploring this in a new research project, with a particular focus on asset management. We need sponsors to make this as good as what it needs to be. If you this could be of interest to your organisation, please get in touch.
Until next week,
Pablo
PS: Last thing, really this time! Altiorem remains in jeopardy and we will likely run out of money in March 2027. If you value what we do and can afford to, please switch to a paid subscription. We need 500 paid subscribers to break even. Please support a public good.
New in the library
Pablo’s handpicked highlights from Altiorem last week:
Environmental
| Climate change mitigation and adaptation: What works for data centres? Part 3
This report explores sustainable strategies for data centres, focusing on energy efficiency and cooling technologies. It provides practical guidance for operators to reduce carbon footprints while adapting infrastructure to the increasing physical risks of a changing climate. Impact measurement and verificationIssue/sector focused research
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| Global Nature Watch
This platform provides real-time data and monitoring tools to track biodiversity loss and ecosystem health. It enables investors and policymakers to verify nature-related impacts, supporting more informed decisions for conservation and sustainable land management globally. Impact measurement and verificationIssue/sector focused research
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Governance
| Seeing the goal, missing the truth: Human accountability for AI bias
University of Maryland, College Park, Emory University, Goizueta Business School and NBER, Lancaster University
This research examines the critical role of human oversight in addressing algorithmic bias. It argues that technical fixes are insufficient without clear frameworks for human accountability and ethical decision-making in the deployment of artificial intelligence. Effective communication and greenwashESG Integration and analysisImpact measurement and verification
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| Disaster resilience scorecard for cities: Addendum for extreme heat risk management
This addendum provides a structured framework for urban planners to assess and manage extreme heat risks. It offers specific indicators to help cities build resilience against rising temperatures, protecting vulnerable populations and critical infrastructure through better governance. Industry standards and guidanceIssue/sector focused research
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| The Barbara and Morris Pearl 527 Interactive Database
This tool offers transparency into the political spending of 527 organisations in the United States. It allows users to track corporate and individual contributions, highlighting the influence of dark money on policy and its implications for corporate governance. ESG Integration and analysisGovernance and directors’ dutiesIssue/sector focused research
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| CPA-Zicklin Index of Corporate Political Disclosure and Accountability
This annual benchmark evaluates the transparency and accountability of corporate political spending among S&P 500 companies. It provides essential data for investors to assess governance risks related to political lobbying and alignment with stated corporate values. Active ownershipESG Integration and analysisGovernance and directors’ duties
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To see all of the resources added this week visit Altiorem’s website: Altiorem Articles: Insightful Reads & Expert Knowledge
This week in ESG trends
Africa & Middle East
| Gabon Infini Conservation Programme Launch
4 September 2026
The Gabonese government, in partnership with The Nature Conservancy and Enduring Earth, formally launched the "Gabon Infini" programme on September 1, 2026. This 10-year initiative is a Project Finance for Permanence model designed to mobilise up to $200 million to protect biodiversity and expand protected areas by an additional 3.7 million hectares. The programme also aims to improve the management of existing conservation landscapes. [Published: 01 Sep 2026] 📖 Global Nature Watch📖 Just Nature: How finance can support a just transition at the interface of action on climate and biodiversity |
Americas (North, Central & South America)
| 2026 U.S. Proxy Season Stewardship
3 September 2026
ISS STOXX reported on September 2, 2026, that the 2026 U.S. proxy season was characterized by a sharp decline in the volume of environmental and social shareholder proposals, while governance-related proposals remained resilient. Voting outcomes indicated that support for most E&S proposals has stabilized at levels well below their early 2020s peak, while median S&P 500 CEO pay reached a record high of $17.2 million. [Published: 02 Sep 2026] 📖 Portfolios on the ballot📖 Fragmentation of shareholder power |
Asia
| China 15th Five-Year Plan for Ecological Protection
31 August 2026
Six national government authorities jointly issued the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026–2030) for ecological protection on August 25, 2026. The plan sets specific 2030 targets such as increasing national forest coverage to 25.8% and ensuring terrestrial nature reserves account for no less than 18% of China’s territory. It also introduces a refined Ecological Quality Index to measure the success of restoration projects across key ecological barriers. [Published: 25 Aug 2026] 📖 ENCORE Insights: Country Dashboard📖 Gaining ground: State of private investment in nature 2026 |
Australia/NZ
| Native Title Compensation Appeal
1 September 2026
On August 26, 2026, the Yindjibarndi Ngurra Aboriginal Corporation lodged an appeal against a ruling ordering Fortescue to pay $150 million for cultural losses at its Solomon Hub iron ore mine. The corporation is seeking approximately $1.8 billion, arguing that compensation should be tied to royalty payments and the value of extracted ore. The Western Australian government also filed a separate appeal seeking clarity on legal principles for native title compensation. [Published: 26 Aug 2026] 📖 Community engagement, nature and financial materiality: An evidence review on the financial effects of engagement with indigenous peoples and local communities on nature-related issues📖 Transitions Mineral Tracker |
UK/Europe
| TNFD Environmental Crime Risk Guidance
2 September 2026
The Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) published a discussion paper and draft guidance on August 7, 2026, to help financial institutions incorporate environmental crime into nature-related risk assessments. The guidance uses the TNFD’s LEAP approach to help organisations identify financial, operational, and strategic risks stemming from illegal activities such as land conversion, mining, fishing, and wildlife trafficking embedded in global value chains. It urges asset managers to use stewardship and voting to mitigate risks that can otherwise obscure the legality and environmental impact of business activities. [Published: 11 Aug 2026] 📖 ENCORE Insights: Country Dashboard📖 Environmental crime: From blind spot to business risk |
| Supervisory Board Governance and Labour Dispute
2 September 2026
Volkswagen AG is facing a governance and labour dispute as management proposes closing four German factories and cutting up to 100,000 jobs globally. The executive board faces opposition from the IG Metall union and the state of Lower Saxony regarding the radical turnaround plan. A crucial supervisory board meeting is scheduled for September 4, 2026, to vote on the restructuring. [Published: 01 Sep 2026] 📖 Looking beyond greenhouse gas emissions: Interlinkages between the commercial vehicle industry and nature📖 Mainstreaming just transition finance: Lessons from emerging best practice |
To see all of the daily trends follow us on LinkedIn: Altiorem on LinkedIn
From the community
Environmental
| Green Bond Issuance Hits New Record in Q2 2026: Moody’s
ESG Today
Reporting on Moody’s data showing record levels of green bond issuance in the second quarter of 2026. Product development and trends
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| European banks fail to unleash potential of green bonds
Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis
Critiques the current state of green bond issuance by European banks and suggests they are not fully utilizing the potential of these sustainable finance instruments. ESG Integration and analysis
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| Systems-Level Stewardship: Investor Tools
InfluenceMap
An outline of policy influence tools that asset managers can utilize to advocate for science-aligned climate policy and energy transition. Active ownership
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Social
| Generic and biosimilar medicine manufacturers production and access
Access to Medicine Foundation
A discussion on the role of generic and biosimilar medicine manufacturers, who produce an estimated 80% of medicines by volume globally, in ensuring access to medicine. Issue/sector focused research
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| Impact Economy Index Announcement
GSG Impact
An announcement regarding the upcoming launch of the Impact Economy Index, a structured assessment of countries’ progress in building economic systems that deliver positive social and environmental outcomes. Impact measurement and verification
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Governance
| CalPERS ties pay to collaboration, total fund results under TPA
Top1000funds.com
CalPERS is integrating collaboration and total fund results as performance metrics for its investment team as part of its shift to a total portfolio approach. Strategy and Organisational change
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| The growing economic power of global benchmark indices
ODI Global
This article discusses the increasing influence of global benchmark indices on economic systems and market dynamics. Fixing financial and economic systems
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| SEC to cede control over shareholder resolutions to US states
Net Zero Investor
Discussion on the potential impact of the SEC rescinding 14a-8 rules and how it might shift authority over shareholder resolutions to state courts. Active ownership
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