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.

Refine
Resource type
Sustainable Finance Practices
ESG issues
SDGs
SASB Sustainability Sector
Finance relevance
Asset Class
Location
TAG
1899 results
REFINE
SHOW: 16

Corporate diversification and corporate carbon performance

Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI)
This research examines how corporate diversification and cash flow coinsurance reduce carbon intensity in Japanese firms. It finds that industrial diversification alleviates financing constraints, enabling substantial decarbonisation investments. The effect is most significant in carbon-intensive industries and for Scope 1 emissions following the Paris Agreement.
Research
15 July 2026

Exploring guarantees for resilient and low-carbon cities: Part 2: De-risking urban climate finance series

Cities Climate Finance Leadership Alliance (CCFLA)
This report examines how guarantees can unlock private climate finance for cities. It identifies barriers to uptake in emerging markets, such as high costs and complex structures. Proposed solutions include strengthening governance, standardising products, and expanding regional facilities to mobilise the USD 4.3 trillion required annually by 2030.
Research
27 April 2026

Mapping the landscape of net-zero nature-positive finance: A review of definitions and frameworks

Climate Policy Initiative
This report provides a comprehensive review of definitions and frameworks for net-zero, nature-positive, and climate-nature finance. It identifies alignment areas and implementation gaps, advocating for integrated risk and investment approaches to achieve global sustainability goals under the Paris Agreement and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
Research
15 July 2026

Connecting capital within African agrifood systems: Lessons from a decade of practice

Climate Policy Initiative
This report examines the structural misalignment between investors and agribusinesses in African agrifood systems. It highlights that while annual climate finance reached USD 7.8 billion, it falls short of the USD 1.1 trillion global requirement. Recommendations focus on improving technical assistance and intermediation to mobilise capital effectively.
Research
17 June 2026

Environmental claims, climate promises, and ‘greenwashing’ by meat and dairy companies

This research examines environmental claims from 33 major meat and dairy companies. It finds that 98% of 1,233 identified claims constitute greenwashing. While most claims are climate-related, many are unverifiable future promises lacking scientific evidence. The industry’s sustainability reporting often mimics tactics used by the fossil fuel sector.
Research
22 April 2026

The price of gas: The hidden costs of European banks’ support for gas power expansion

Reclaim Finance
This report examines how 24 European banks provided US$41.9 billion to gas power developers between 2021 and 2024. It highlights significant health impacts, including nearly 3,000 premature deaths in Europe, and warns that expanding gas infrastructure undermines global climate targets and exposes economies to price volatility.
Research
1 April 2026

Insurers' resilience toolkit: A practical taxonomy of climate adaptation and resilience measures

Environmental Defense Fund
This research provides a practical taxonomy for the insurance sector to advance climate adaptation and resilience. Analysing over 200 measures, it highlights structural barriers and enabling conditions for scaling initiatives. The report advocates for a shift from post-event compensation towards proactive risk reduction and long-term stakeholder engagement.
Research
13 July 2026

Toward transformation in finance: Seeds of nature-positive futures

This research examines "finance for nature seeds" — innovative initiatives aimed at transforming the financial sector to reverse nature loss. By analysing 92 global projects, the study identifies diverse approaches to funding nature stewardship, highlighting current reliance on market-based mechanisms and the potential for inclusive, value-pluralistic financial systems.
Research
10 April 2026

The emancipatory potential of biodiversity reporting: Evidence from the United Kingdom and South Africa

This research evaluates the emancipatory potential of biodiversity reporting within the United Kingdom and South Africa. Analysing disclosures from 2018 to 2022, it finds significant increases in reporting intensity. The study presents a principles-based framework to distinguish between compliance-oriented disclosures and transformative, action-oriented environmental reporting.
Research
23 April 2026

Tropical rainforest loss slowed in 2025, but fire is a growing threat to forests worldwide

World Resources Institute
Global tropical primary forest loss decreased 36% in 2025, though 4.3 million hectares were destroyed. Significant policy-driven reductions occurred in Brazil, but global deforestation remains 70% above levels required for 2030 targets. Fires drove 42% of global tree cover loss, with severe impacts in Canada and Europe.
Research
29 April 2026

EJF's squid fisheries series

Environmental Justice Foundation
This report series examines global squid fisheries, focusing on governance gaps, illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, labour and human rights issues, supply chain transparency, and fisheries management. It analyses risks across key squid fisheries and explores policy and regulatory measures to support more sustainable and accountable fishing practices.
Benchmark/series
8 June 2026

Just transition metrics benchmark

Power Shift Africa
Just Transition Metrics is a benchmark series developed by Shift in collaboration with multiple organisations. It provides a foundational, sector-agnostic set of quantitative metrics designed to assess the 'justness' of companies' climate-related transition plans, covering workforce, communities, and value chain impacts.
Benchmark/series
14 April 2026

Sector insights: Real estate series

Sustainable Fitch
Sustainable Fitch Sector Insights Report Series is a series providing analytical assessments of the sustainability profiles of different sectors. It examines sustainability impacts, ESG rating trends, sustainable finance developments, sector-specific issues, and relevant sustainability-related regulations to support finance professionals’ understanding of sector performance.
Benchmark/series
7 April 2026

Global report on food crises series

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations
The Global Report on Food Crises is an annual benchmark series tracking acute food insecurity, malnutrition and forced displacement in countries facing food crises. Produced by FAO, WFP and the Global Network Against Food Crises, it delivers consensus-based, multi-agency analysis to guide humanitarian and development decision-making globally.
Benchmark/series
23 April 2026

A well-adapted UK: The fourth independent assessment of UK climate risk (CCRA4-IA)

Climate Change Committee
This report assesses the UK’s climate risks to 2050, identifies priority adaptation actions across key sectors, and outlines investment, policy and governance measures to strengthen resilience. It provides evidence-based recommendations to support climate adaptation planning and reduce long-term economic and societal impacts.
Research
20 May 2026

Scientific Climate Ratings

EDHEC Business School
Scientific Climate Ratings delivers forward-looking, science-based climate risk ratings quantifying financial materiality of physical and transition risks for infrastructure assets globally.
Online tool/database
PREV
10 of 119
NEXT
Join or sign in to use Alma, Altiorem’s AI Agent. While the Altiorem library is free, Alma is exclusive to paying subscribers.