In this roundup, Simon Rebbechi argues that the energy transition remains structurally on track: if clean energy keeps growing even modestly faster than total demand, fossil fuels are mathematically squeezed out over coming decades (à la Michael Liebreich’s “Pragmatic Climate Reset”). He spotlights water risk as a fast-materializing systemic issue, citing WMO/GRACE data and new research showing groundwater depletion now drives most terrestrial freshwater loss and is even outpacing glacier melt in sea-level rise—an urgent lens for physical-risk and biodiversity screens. Policy momentum also favours decarbonisation economics: CBAM “virality” is pushing wider carbon pricing (UK ETS expansion; World Bank’s 2025 tally and China’s planned scale-up), strengthening transition-risk pricing and revenue opportunities. For private markets, PRI’s framework is slated to add quantified performance links by 2028, raising the bar on evidence for ESG financial materiality amid tighter U.S. legal scrutiny. On the opportunity side, grid-scale storage is accelerating (New York’s 3 GW bid; Australia underwriting large new generation and storage), while agricultural productivity gains and biotech (AI-designed plant immunity) offer adaptation and growth theses. U.S. efficiency policy may get a reprieve (potentially saving Energy Star), which supports consumer savings, grid stability and federal procurement standards. Net-net: expect rising carbon and water-related risk premia, but also investable tailwinds in clean power, storage, efficiency, and climate-smart ag tech.

In this roundup, Simon Rebbechi argues that the energy transition remains structurally on track: if clean energy keeps growing even modestly faster than total demand, fossil fuels are mathematically squeezed out over coming decades (à la Michael Liebreich’s “Pragmatic Climate Reset”). He spotlights water risk as a fast-materializing systemic issue, citing WMO/GRACE data and new research showing groundwater depletion now drives most terrestrial freshwater loss and is even outpacing glacier melt in sea-level rise—an urgent lens for physical-risk and biodiversity screens. Policy momentum also favors decarbonisation economics: CBAM “virality” is pushing wider carbon pricing (UK ETS expansion; World Bank’s 2025 tally and China’s planned scale-up), strengthening transition-risk pricing and revenue opportunities. For private markets, PRI’s framework is slated to add quantified performance links by 2028, raising the bar on evidence for ESG financial materiality amid tighter U.S. legal scrutiny. On the opportunity side, grid-scale storage is accelerating (New York’s 3 GW bid; Australia underwriting large new generation and storage), while agricultural productivity gains and biotech (AI-designed plant immunity) offer adaptation and growth theses. U.S. efficiency policy may get a reprieve (potentially saving Energy Star), which supports consumer savings, grid stability and federal procurement standards. Net-net: expect rising carbon and water-related risk premia, but also investable tailwinds in clean power, storage, efficiency, and climate-smart ag tech.