Library | ESG issues
Pollution
Pollution is the contamination of the environment by chemical, physical, or biological agents that alter its natural characteristics. Long-term pollution exposure can cause severe health and environmental impacts. Sustainability efforts focus on reducing pollution by minimising waste, promoting recycling, and converting waste into useful materials. Investors can engage with companies to encourage pollution reduction initiatives, adoption of cleaner technologies, and transparent reporting on environmental impacts.
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Seek and you shall find: Alternatives to PFAS in electronics
This report demonstrates that the electronics industry is not critically dependent on PFAS, widely known as 'forever chemicals'. It highlights commercially available, high-performance alternatives across eight key categories, including printed circuit boards, coatings, and heat transfer fluids, arguing against proposed lengthy regulatory exemptions for these substances.
Water atlas: Data and facts about the basis of life 2025
This report analyses the global water crisis, examining the impacts of climate change, pollution, and industrial demand. It highlights the strain from agriculture and digitalisation, explores the failure of privatisation, and advocates for sustainable governance and ecosystem restoration to ensure water security and human rights are protected globally.
The effects of long-term exposure to pollution on health
This research provides causal evidence that long-term exposure to fine particulate matter at contemporary levels increases circulatory morbidity, particularly hypertension. Using a quasi-random assignment of U.S. Army soldiers, the study demonstrates that sustained exposure erodes health capital, even in young, initially healthy populations, highlighting the risks of chronic pollution.
Air pollution and learning
This NBER working paper examines the impact of air pollution on 10 million US high school students. It finds that moderate pollution levels reduce annual learning by 19 per cent. Disadvantaged students experience three times more harm, significantly widening racial and socio-economic achievement gaps.
Pollution pricing in equilibrium: Production, reallocation, and aggregate impacts
NBER research into the EU-ETS reveals that carbon pricing reduces emissions primarily through market reallocation and long-run technology adoption, rather than short-run input substitution. Doubling permit prices reduces aggregate emissions by 31% over five years, with moderate impacts on total output and employment across the production network.
Toward a more human pace for data center development
This research examines the environmental and social impacts of rapid data centre expansion in the United States. It highlights how generative AI infrastructure disproportionately burdens marginalised communities through pollution, increased utility costs, and resource depletion. The authors call for a "more human pace" centred on environmental justice.
Regionalized characterization factors for microplastic emissions in life cycle assessment considering multimedia fate modelling
This research establishes regionalised characterisation factors for microplastic emissions across marine, freshwater, and terrestrial ecosystems. Using fate modelling aligned with USEtox, it evaluates 14 polymers and five size categories. Findings demonstrate that particle size and density significantly influence environmental persistence and subsequent impacts on global species richness.
Tiny plastics big problem: The hidden risks of plastic pouches for baby food
Greenpeace research identifies significant microplastic contamination in Danone and Nestlé baby food pouches. The report highlights the rapid market shift towards flexible plastic packaging, outstripping regulatory protections. It recommends a 75% reduction in plastic production by 2040 and urges manufacturers to prioritise non-toxic, reusable alternatives to protect infant health.
The thematic assessment report on the interlinkages among biodiversity, water, food and health
IPBES assesses links between biodiversity, water, food, health and climate, finding siloed decisions worsen trade-offs. It identifies integrated governance, sustainable consumption, ecosystem restoration and finance reform as response options to support more just and sustainable outcomes.
The unseen costs of blue skies: Pollutant substitution and biodiversity loss
China’s PM₂.₅-targeted regulation reduced particulates but increased O₃ via pollutant substitution driven by incentive distortions. Resulting ozone rises increased mortality and reduced biodiversity, offsetting ~24% of policy benefits. Findings highlight welfare losses from narrow performance metrics and the need for multi-pollutant regulation.
The case for pricing pollution: Reducing emissions, strengthening the economy, and delivering a fair share for Australians
The report argues Australia should introduce a Polluter Pays Levy and Fair Share Levy to cut emissions, raise revenue, compensate households, improve productivity, and secure fairer returns from fossil fuel resources.
IFC's performance standards on environmental and social sustainability
The IFC Performance Standards (2012) form part of the Sustainability Framework, setting requirements for clients to identify, manage, and mitigate environmental and social risks in financed projects. They comprise eight standards covering areas such as labour, resource efficiency, biodiversity, and community impacts, and are widely used as a global benchmark for responsible investment.
Turning the tide: How to finance a sustainable ocean recovery
This report provides guidance for financial institutions on financing a sustainable blue economy. It outlines principles, sector-specific criteria and case studies to support responsible investment in ocean-related sectors including seafood, ports, maritime transport, marine renewable energy and coastal tourism, aligning finance with ocean protection and long-term economic sustainability.
All Will Rise: A narrative courtroom deck-builder
All Will Rise is a narrative courtroom deck-building video game funded via Kickstarter. Players lead a team investigating environmental harm and build arguments through card-based mechanics to prosecute a powerful corporation for destroying a river, combining investigation, strategy and storytelling in a political crime-thriller setting.
Nature-based risk assessment: Integrating project-related finance
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.
Mining and money: Financial fault lines in the energy transition
This report analyses global financing of transition mineral mining, showing concentrated capital flows, weak financial institution policies, and material environmental and human rights risks. It links bank and investor finance to mining harms across key regions and calls for stronger regulation and safeguards to enable a just energy transition.
