Library | ESG issues

Environmental

The environmental pillar in ESG (environmental, social, and governance) assesses an organisation’s impact on the planet. It includes issues such as climate change, biodiversity, waste management and water management. Strong environmental practices help businesses reduce risks, comply with regulations, and drive long-term sustainability.

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The Three Horizons of Decarbonisation

This article presents the Three Horizons of Decarbonisation framework, helping companies distinguish between short-term efficiency measures, operational transformation, and fundamental business model shifts. It explains how clear horizon identification improves capital allocation, stakeholder engagement, and the likelihood that net zero plans translate into meaningful action.
Article
23 February 2026

One Earth: The risk of a hothouse Earth trajectory

This commentary assesses risks of a self-reinforcing “hothouse Earth” trajectory driven by accelerating warming, feedback loops and tipping points. It reviews evidence on climate sensitivity, overshoot scenarios and cascading tipping elements, warning that current emissions pathways heighten irreversible risks and require urgent mitigation and precautionary governance.
Research
4 February 2026

Hong Kong taxonomy for sustainable finance (phase 2A)

Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA)
Phase 2A of the Hong Kong Taxonomy for Sustainable Finance sets out detailed criteria for classifying environmentally sustainable activities, aligned with international taxonomies. It covers additional sectors, technical screening thresholds, and transition activities, aiming to enhance transparency, comparability and capital allocation towards climate mitigation and adaptation in Hong Kong.
Research
22 January 2026

The macroeconomic impact of climate change: Global vs. local temperature

This paper estimates that global temperature increases have far larger macroeconomic damages than local measures suggest. Using time-series evidence and a neoclassical growth model, it finds a 1°C rise reduces world GDP by over 20% long term, implying substantial welfare losses and a high social cost of carbon.
Research
14 January 2026

Methodological assessment of the impact and dependency of business on biodiversity and nature’s contributions to people (business and biodiversity assessment)

Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES)
The IPBES Business and Biodiversity assessment evaluates how businesses depend on and impact biodiversity and nature’s contributions to people, reviews measurement approaches, and outlines options for action to manage risks and align business practices with biodiversity outcomes, supporting Target 15 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
Research
8 February 2026

Developing survey methods for collecting individual policy narratives: A case study of climate change narratives using an engaged convenience sample

This study tests open-ended survey methods for eliciting individual climate policy narratives using the Narrative Policy Framework. In a small, liberal US sample (n=88), problem-focused questions generated more complete narratives. Narrative elements varied by ideology, education and media use, supporting the ‘homo narrans’ assumption.
Research
30 March 2022

Nature-based risk assessment: Integrating project-related finance

United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI)
Guidance from UNEP FI and the Equator Principles on integrating project-related finance into nature-based risk assessments. It outlines frameworks, governance and disclosure expectations to help financial institutions identify, assess and manage biodiversity, water and pollution-related risks at project and portfolio levels.
Research
22 January 2026

Advancing adaptation: Mapping costs from cooling to coastal defenses

McKinsey Global Institute
This McKinsey Global Institute report assesses current and projected costs of adapting to heat, drought, flooding and wildfires under a 2°C warming scenario. It estimates $190 billion is spent annually today, rising to $1.2 trillion by 2050 for developed-economy protection standards, with benefits outweighing costs.
Research
19 December 2025

Future energy scenarios: Pathways to Net Zero

National Energy System Operator (NESO)
Future Energy Scenarios 2025 provides independent pathways for Great Britain’s energy system to reach net zero by 2050. It models demand, supply, flexibility and emissions across electricity, gas and hydrogen, assessing costs, infrastructure needs, carbon budgets and policy choices under varying levels of electrification, hydrogen deployment and consumer engagement.
Research
21 November 2025

Coal 2025: Analysis and forecast to 2030

International Energy Agency (IEA)
This report analyses global coal supply, demand, trade and prices to 2030. It assesses regional consumption trends across power and industry, production outlooks for major exporters, policy and decarbonisation impacts, and market risks. Forecasts highlight shifting Asian demand, plateauing global use, and implications for investment and energy security.
Research
17 December 2025

Global trends in climate change litigation series

Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment
This benchmark series provides annual snapshots of global climate change litigation, synthesising research on how courts and legal processes are being used in relation to climate policy, corporate conduct and governance. It tracks evolving legal approaches and emerging themes to support understanding of climate-related legal risk and accountability.
Benchmark/series
1 November 2024

The production gap series

Stockholm Environment Institute
This benchmark series examines the gap between governments’ planned fossil fuel production and pathways consistent with international climate goals. It assesses alignment with temperature limits by reviewing national production plans and policy signals, providing a consistent framework to track progress and comparability across editions.
Benchmark/series
22 September 2025

Sustainable finance progress tracker series

Australian Sustainable Finance Institute (ASFI)
This benchmark series provides an annual, independent assessment of progress in implementing Australia’s sustainable finance roadmap and action plan. It tracks policy, regulatory, market and institutional developments, offering a consistent framework to monitor how the financial system is aligning with sustainability objectives over time.
Benchmark/series
1 November 2025

China sustainable investment review series

China Sustainable Investment Forum
The China Sustainable Investment Review is a recurring research series that provides a structured overview of the development of China’s sustainable investment market. It examines policy evolution, market practices, product types, and ESG integration across financial institutions using publicly available information.
Benchmark/series
1 December 2025

The MSCI sustainability institute net-zero tracker series

MSCI Inc.
The MSCI Sustainability Institute Net-Zero Tracker is a periodic benchmark series that monitors how listed companies align with global climate goals. It provides a consistent framework for assessing emissions pathways, transition readiness, disclosure practices and climate-related investment context across markets and sectors.
Benchmark/series
29 January 2026

Ecosystem tipping points: Understanding the risks to the economy and the financial system

UCL Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose
This report analyses ecosystem tipping points as systemic risks to economies and financial systems, highlighting non-linear, irreversible ecosystem collapse. It finds current models underestimate impacts and urges precautionary, ecosystem-focused policy and financial regulation to protect price and financial stability.
Research
1 April 2024
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