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 role of traceability in critical mineral supply chains

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
The report examines how traceability can support responsible critical mineral supply chains. It outlines policy drivers, system components, costs and limitations, and mineral-specific challenges, concluding that well-designed traceability can enhance due diligence, transparency and supply security when proportionate and risk-based.
Research
26 February 2025

Growing resilience: Unlocking the potential of nature-based solutions for climate resilience in sub-Saharan Africa

World Resources Institute
The report assesses nature-based solutions for climate resilience in sub-Saharan Africa, reviewing nearly 300 projects. It finds growing adoption but insufficient scale, highlighting financing, policy, and capacity gaps, and recommends integrating NBS into infrastructure planning, diversifying funding, and strengthening social inclusion and local capability.
Research
13 March 2025

Climate inequality & just transition: An introduction for actuaries

Institute and Faculty of Actuaries (IFoA)
This report explains climate inequality and climate justice, outlines risks from unjust climate transitions, and frames just transition principles. It highlights how climate impacts amplify inequality and sets out roles for actuaries in risk assessment, fairness, and supporting equitable climate-resilient development.
Research
3 October 2024

Fashion’s plastic paralysis: How brands resist change and fuel microplastic pollution

Changing markets foundation
The report examines fashion brands’ continued reliance on synthetic fibres, highlighting how voluntary commitments, lobbying, and weak accountability delay fibre reduction and regulation. It links current business models to rising microplastic pollution and concludes that systemic policy and production changes are required.
Research
24 September 2024

Climate data in the investment process: Challenges, resources, and considerations

CFA Institute Research & Policy Centre
The report examines how climate-related data are used in investment decision-making, highlighting limitations in availability, consistency, and comparability. It reviews greenhouse gas metrics, evolving global disclosure standards, and regulatory milestones, and outlines practical strategies for investors managing imperfect climate data.
Research
10 April 2024

The economic commitment of climate change

This study estimates that climate change has already committed the global economy to around a 19% average income reduction by mid-century, largely independent of future emissions. Near-term damages are projected to substantially exceed mitigation costs, with disproportionate losses in lower-income, low-emitting regions.
Research
19 December 2025

Distinguishing among climate change-related risks

Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment
The report distinguishes planetary, economic and financial climate risks, clarifying their differing scopes, timeframes and responsible actors. It argues that conflating these risks weakens policy and investment responses, and calls for clearer delineation to improve risk assessment, accountability and targeted climate action.
Research
1 January 2025

Quantitative climate scenario analysis in financial decisions: Case studies

Climate Financial Risk Forum (CFRF)
This CFRF report presents nine case studies demonstrating how quantitative climate scenario analysis informs financial decisions. It assesses physical and transition risks across assets, sectors and geographies, translating climate pathways into impacts on valuations, credit risk and losses to support risk-based decision-making.
Research
22 October 2025

The alignment of companies' sustainability behavior and emissions with global climate targets

The study analyses sustainability reports from major listed companies to assess alignment with Paris climate targets. Using natural language processing, it finds alignment depends on the type of actions taken. Firms prioritising innovation and energy transition outperform those focused on risk mitigation.
Research
5 December 2023

A post-AR6 update on observed and projected climate change in India

India has warmed by 0.89°C since the early 20th century, with further 1.2–1.3°C warming projected by mid-century. Evidence shows intensifying heat extremes, altered monsoon rainfall, rapid Indian Ocean warming, rising sea levels, glacier loss, and increasing compound hot–dry risks.
Research
20 November 2025

Nature as Shareholder: Who speaks for the Trees?: The opportunities and challenges of nature owning shares of companies

Parry Field Lawyers
The paper examines the legal and practical implications of nature owning company shares, drawing on New Zealand precedents for legal personhood. It outlines governance models, challenges, and potential impacts on corporate purpose, investment, and long-term decision-making.
Research
7 August 2025

Still or sparkling?: Approaches to changing portfolio compositions in long-term stress-tests and scenario analyses

Theia Finance Labs
The report reviews approaches to modelling portfolio changes in long-term climate stress tests, comparing static portfolios with macro, ex ante, and ex post adjustments. It outlines trade-offs, shows results are sensitive to assumptions, and argues approach choice should match supervisory objectives.
Research
21 June 2023

Impacts of climate change on global agriculture accounting for adaptation

This study estimates global climate change impacts on six staple crops using subnational data and observed adaptation. Yields fall by about 4.4% of recommended calories per 1 °C warming. Adaptation and income growth offset losses partially, but substantial global and regional yield declines remain.
Research
18 June 2025

Nature-related risks and the duties of directors of Canadian corporations

Resilient LLP
This legal opinion examines whether nature-related risks are foreseeable and material for Canadian companies. It concludes directors must consider, manage and, where material, disclose such risks to meet fiduciary and care duties under Canadian corporate and securities law.
Research
29 July 2025

Climate extremes, food price spikes, and their wider societal risks

The report links unprecedented climate extremes to sharp food price spikes, documenting recent global cases. It finds these shocks worsen inequality, food security, health outcomes, inflation volatility and political stability, and argues for stronger mitigation, adaptation, forecasting and social safety nets to manage rising systemic risks.
Research
21 July 2025

Sustainable Lithium-ion batteries: Investor briefing

This investor briefing outlines sustainability risks and opportunities across the lithium-ion battery value chain. It examines mineral extraction, processing, manufacturing and end-of-life impacts, highlights supply-chain concentration and ESG risks, and provides guidance on disclosure, engagement, circularity and responsible investment strategies.
Research
19 May 2025
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