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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Integrated Carbon Observation System (ICOS)
Integrated Carbon Observation System (ICOS) Near Real-Time Observational Data (Level 1) provides rapidly delivered atmospheric and ecosystem measurements, typically within 24 hours. Data undergo automated quality control only and are released as growing time series. Suitable for monitoring and exploratory analysis, not final scientific assessment.
Minamata Convention Data Platorm
Minamata Convention Data Platorm is an open-source, cloud-based geospatial platform for managing, analysing and visualising spatial data on natural resources and the environment. It supports dashboards, maps and story maps to aggregate and share authoritative data for decision-making and impact monitoring.
World Bank CMIP5 Global Climate Change Viewer
The World Bank’s Climate Knowledge Portal – CMIP5 section provides access to historical and future climate projections based on the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5. It supports analysis of temperature, precipitation and climate risks for countries/regions using multi-model ensemble data to inform climate risk assessment and adaptation planning.
FIRMS Fire Information for Resource Management System
NASA’s Fire Information for Resource Management System (FIRMS) provides global near-real-time satellite data on active fires and thermal anomalies, viewable via interactive maps, alerts and downloadable files. It uses MODIS and VIIRS instruments to detect fire locations and deliver data within hours for monitoring, analysis and decision-making.
European Minerals Knowledge Data Platform (Minerals4EU)
Minerals4EU is an EU-supported initiative that created a harmonised minerals intelligence network and web portal, offering standardised European mineral resource data, a Minerals Yearbook and analytical studies. It supports policy decisions and raw materials supply security through shared georesource information across European geological surveys.
Electricity Maps
Electricity Maps is a commercial data platform providing global electricity grid information including electricity mix, carbon intensity, prices and load in real time, historically and forecasted. It serves businesses and developers with APIs and interactive maps to support sustainability insights, carbon accounting and energy analysis worldwide.
The twin transition century
This paper argues that Europe’s green transition depends on aligning digital transformation with sustainability goals. It outlines how digital research can both reduce its own environmental footprint and enable climate action, calling for long-term, interdisciplinary research investment and coordinated EU policy.
Climate risk index series
The Climate Risk Index is an annual benchmark series that compares countries’ exposure and vulnerability to extreme weather events using a consistent, historical, data-driven framework. Across all editions, it supports comparative assessment of physical climate risk over time and informs policy, risk analysis, and climate-aware financial decision-making.
Tools for circularity
This report outlines practical tools to help mining and metals companies integrate circular economy principles. It explains business drivers, regulatory context, metrics, and case studies, supporting financial and non-financial business cases for improved resource efficiency, value retention, and responsible production.
How the circular economy can revive the sustainable development goals: Priorities for immediate global action, and a policy blueprint for the transition to 2050
This report argues that embedding circular economy principles within the Sustainable Development Goals could revive stalled progress. It outlines five global policy priorities and proposes a 2050 blueprint linking circularity, inclusive growth, trade, finance and standards to post-2030 development agendas.
Food systems investing in East Africa: The roles of funds in financing food systems transformation
This report analyses 23 impact funds investing in East African food systems, assessing their design, impact alignment, and financing roles. It identifies gaps, good practices, and recommendations to strengthen agroecological and regenerative food systems investing.
New approaches and challenges regarding trade, climate action, and the WTO
The report analyses how WTO trade rules can support climate action. It assesses tools such as border carbon adjustments, standards, subsidies and technology policy, identifying legal gaps, development impacts and the need for coordinated reforms to align multilateral trade governance with climate objectives.
Scaling finance for nature: Barrier breakdown
This report analyses barriers to scaling private finance for nature, highlighting a US$700 billion annual biodiversity finance gap. It clarifies nature-positive finance, assesses risk–return challenges, regulatory gaps and data issues, and outlines instruments to redirect capital from harmful activities towards halting and reversing nature loss.
Assessing the credibility of a company’s transition plan: framework and guidance
This report presents a harmonised framework to assess the credibility of corporate climate transition plans. It defines core plan elements, assessment principles, and a four-step process to evaluate ambition, feasibility, consistency, governance, and financial alignment with Paris-aligned decarbonisation pathways.
Doing business within planetary boundaries
This report argues that corporate reporting must incorporate absolute, location-specific environmental impacts aligned with planetary boundaries. It proposes science-based disclosures and the Earth System Impact score to improve assessment of cumulative nature-related risks, support credible investment decisions, and enhance comparability beyond carbon-focused metrics.
Defining climate finance justice: Critical geographies of justice amid financialized climate action
The article defines “climate finance justice” as a framework for analysing how financialised climate action shapes equity, power, and outcomes. It critiques climate finance mechanisms, including UNFCCC processes and voluntary carbon markets, and argues for justice-centred approaches that address historical responsibility, governance, and uneven impacts.