Library | ESG issues
Climate Change
Climate change, driven by human-induced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, is increasing global temperatures and extreme weather events. Major GHGs like carbon dioxide and methane primarily come from burning fossil fuels, deforestation, and agriculture. Key sectors contributing to emissions include energy, industry, transport, buildings, and land use, making mitigation and adaptation essential for environmental and economic stability.
Refine
1046 results
REFINE
SHOW: 16
Annual snapshot series
This benchmark series provides annual snapshots of the Climate Leaders Coalition, tracking how New Zealand businesses are progressing on climate action. It outlines signatories’ commitments, emissions management, climate risk and resilience efforts, collaboration initiatives, and leadership activities supporting the transition to a low-emissions economy.
Navigating global risks in the Pacific 2026
A Pacific-focused commentary drawing on the World Economic Forum's Global Risks Report 2026, examining how geopolitical fragmentation, digital transformation, climate volatility and workforce pressures are reshaping operating environments across Australia, New Zealand and the broader Pacific region.
A guide to the New Zealand emissions trading scheme: 2026 update: Design, evolution, and current state
This guide outlines the design, evolution, and current state of the New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme as of March 2026. It covers sectoral coverage, unit supply, price controls, free allocation, forestry, and emissions trends, including recent legislative changes to agricultural obligations and the 2050 biogenic methane target.
State of the Sovereign Transition 2025
The State of the Sovereign Transition 2025 assesses 85 countries on climate targets, policies and finance using the ASCOR framework. Most have set net zero targets, but near-term ambition and transparency remain inadequate. Progress is concentrated in low- and middle-income countries, while the US has seen significant policy retreat.
Voice without influence? Global investor voting rationale disclosures in Korea
This study examines whether global institutional investors’ voting rationale disclosures influence Korean firms’ gender diversity and climate-related policies. It finds stronger investor focus on board gender diversity than climate risk, limited influence on large firms, greater impact on smaller firms’ emissions reductions, and evidence that voting rationales affect the credibility of sustainability reporting.
Beyond net zero: The rise of transition plans and what they tell investors
This Sustainable Fitch report examines the rise of corporate transition plans, driven by regulatory requirements and investor demand. It reviews six mainstream transition planning frameworks, finding alignment on core principles but variation in detail, and analyses around 40 entities, revealing strong Scope 1 and 2 targets but patchy Scope 3 commitments and limited transition revenue.
Sustainable finance and corporate law: Lessons from the US
This report analyses the trajectory of sustainable finance and corporate law in the US. It focuses on the SEC's proposed climate disclosure rule and California's state-level reporting mandates, examining the political and institutional challenges these initiatives face and the implications of a federalist approach for corporate compliance.
Making your city investable: A practical guide to green finance
This guide outlines how local governments can access green finance by shifting from ad hoc initiatives to embedded institutional strategies. Highlighting successful international examples, it emphasises the importance of transparent governance, predictable project pipelines, and standardised reporting to build investor confidence and secure long-term climate capital.
Beyond the illusion of innovative climate finance at scale in Africa: A market-informed blueprint for Kenya's just and resilient climate transition
This report examines why Kenya's climate finance gap persists despite strong institutions, renewable energy leadership and financial inclusion gains. It identifies seven flawed assumptions and recommends a nationally co-ordinated country investment platform to mobilise domestic capital, align incentives and deliver a just and resilient climate transition.
Built to adapt: Inclusive financial institutions in a changing climate
This report explores how inclusive financial institutions can build climate resilience for themselves and their clients. It outlines strategies for risk assessment, innovative risk financing, and adapting product offerings. By adopting a mutually beneficial approach, providers can maintain their social mission while navigating intensifying climate impacts.
Establishing risk-based resilience indicators for hard-to-abate industries
This report develops a Resilience Indicator for hard-to-abate sectors, evaluating transition and physical climate risks. It offers a transparent, risk-based tool for investment decisions, focusing on cash-flow stability and adaptive capacity, to provide more actionable insights than generic ESG scores.
Study on national climate litigation
This report analyses strategic climate litigation trends across Europe, examining cases against states and corporations. It highlights key legal strategies, including human rights claims and polluter-pays mechanisms, while assessing the challenges of enforcing damages and the evolving obligations of governments and high-emitting businesses.
2025 Water sector engagement report
Royal London Asset Management's 2025 report presents findings from a two-year engagement programme with 11 UK water utility companies across four pillars: climate change adaptation, biodiversity, affordability, and antimicrobial resistance. Nearly all companies showed improvement from baseline scores, with biodiversity recording the most notable progress.
DBSA: Financial instrument design for an effective carbon market in South Africa
The Development Bank of Southern Africa details two proposed financial instruments to support the domestic voluntary carbon market: a carbon credit-backed bond and a repurchase facility. These tools aim to mobilise private capital, address early-stage funding shortages, and improve liquidity for carbon reduction projects.
Advancing extreme event impact attribution: Attributing multi-hazard impacts of Hurricane Ida in south Louisiana to past, present, and future climates
This report examines the impacts of Hurricane Ida in south Louisiana, using a multi-hazard framework to attribute economic damages to historical and projected climate change. It finds that total damages were 19% higher in 2021 due to historical climate change and could be 76% higher by 2071.
Climate Shift Index: Humid Heat
Climate Shift Index: Humid Heat tracks and calculates the influence of human-caused climate change on daily humid heat conditions across the globe.
