Library | ESG issues
Public Policy
Public policy refers to the actions and decisions taken by governments to address societal issues through laws, regulations, and funding priorities. It shapes the business environment by influencing regulatory requirements, market conditions, and corporate responsibilities. Policies related to taxation, labour laws, environmental regulations, and trade agreements can impact business operations, costs, and investment strategies.
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Research primer: Corporate political activity
This research primer examines the risks and motivations behind corporate political activity. It highlights how indirect donations through third-party groups can lead to reputational misalignment and potential corruption. The report advocates for robust board oversight and transparency, recommending the CPA-Zicklin Framework to align political spending with core values.
Financing Nature: A mid-decade update: From isolated progress to implementation at scale
This report updates the global biodiversity financing landscape, identifying a US$1.317 trillion annual funding gap. It highlights that nature-negative flows reach US$7.3 trillion annually. Key recommendations include urgent subsidy reform, scaling nature-based solutions, and leveraging technological innovation to transition from isolated progress to large-scale implementation.
Corruption perceptions index series
The Corruption Perceptions Index is a global benchmark series assessing perceived public sector corruption levels across 182 countries and territories. Produced by Transparency International, the index draws on independent data to provide comparative scores, assisting stakeholders in identifying governance risks and evaluating the effectiveness of anti-corruption reforms and institutional integrity.
Futureproofing industry: Investor priorities for a reformed Safeguard Mechanism
This report outlines investor priorities for reforming Australia's Safeguard Mechanism during the 2026-27 review. It recommends a seven per cent annual decline rate to align with 2035 climate targets, expanding scheme coverage, and implementing financial supports to incentivise on-site abatement over carbon offsets to ensure long-term industrial competitiveness.
Seeing green: The effects of financial exposures on support for climate action
This research evaluates a randomised controlled trial using financial exposure to the energy sector to build support for climate action. Findings demonstrate that ownership of green and brown assets increases support for mitigation policies through a learning mechanism, where participants consume more financial news and improve their environmental knowledge.
Putting climate coalitions into practice: A common framework for balancing competitiveness and equity
This technical report proposes a framework for international climate coalitions, focusing on emissions-intensive industries such as steel and aluminium. Modelling indicates that coordinated carbon price floors could reduce annual emissions by up to 584 million metric tons. It introduces an 'effective carbon cost' metric to balance global competitiveness and equity.
Green trade, regional value chains and new partnerships for cooperation: Accelerating green industrialisation through partnerships with a focus on Africa
This briefing paper examines how green trade and regional value chains can accelerate African industrialisation. It outlines opportunities within the AfCFTA and the African Green Industrialisation Initiative, emphasising the need for de-risking instruments, institutional capacity building, and new partnership frameworks to align international capital with Africa’s sustainable development goals.
The Quadripartite Joint Offer: A call for targeted One Health investment
This advocacy document calls for targeted investment in the One Health Joint Plan of Action. The Quadripartite collaboration proposes a Joint Offer to support at least ten countries over five years, strengthening governance, multisectoral coordination, and sustainable financing to prevent and control global health risks effectively.
Energy transition index series
The Energy Transition Index is a benchmark series providing a structured, data-driven framework to assess national energy systems and track transition progress across 120 countries. It evaluates performance through security, equity, and sustainability lenses, alongside transition readiness factors, helping decision-makers identify gaps and understand the conditions required for resilience.
Innovation, business cycles, and the climate transition
This research documents that non-green innovation is procyclical, while green innovation is countercyclical. This divergence is driven by green technologies' backloaded profit structures and the reduced cost of skilled R&D labour during downturns. The study highlights that innovation subsidies are significantly more effective when implemented during economic contractions.
Economics of demand-side and supply-side climate policies
This research evaluates demand-side and supply-side climate policies, recommending a portfolio that combines carbon use and extraction pricing to mitigate emissions leakage. It emphasises transmission reform, innovation support, and green industrial policies while analysing the domestic and global distributional consequences for low-income and major fossil fuel producing nations.
Developing regional climate resilience investment plans and project pipelines: Implementation guidance to support regions through the Adaptation Investment Cycle
This guidance outlines the six-phase Adaptation Investment Cycle for European regions to develop Climate Resilience Investment Plans. It details how to address financing barriers, conduct economic appraisals, and structure bankable project pipelines, aiming to bridge the adaptation funding gap through strategic public and private sector engagement.
Powering up: Business perspectives on electrification
A global survey of 1,994 business leaders across 18 markets reveals overwhelming support for clean electrification. While 90% expect largely electric operations by 2035 to improve energy security and competitiveness, 72% believe government policy is moving too slowly, citing grid constraints and high upfront costs as significant barriers.
From planetary hazard to financial stability: Disentangling climate risk and institutional responsibility
This report identifies the misalignment between institutional mandates and climate risk expectations. It distinguishes between planetary, economic and financial risks, outlining six distinct responses. The authors argue that current frameworks distract from real-economy decarbonisation and shift climate costs onto public balance sheets, requiring clearer policy distinctions and instruments.
CLIMATEFIT
CLIMATEFIT is an EU-funded initiative that provides public authorities and investors with tools, databases, and methodologies to develop bankable climate adaptation projects and bridge the resilience finance gap.
Successful corporate approaches to climate policy engagement
This research examines how leading companies maintain climate policy engagement despite geopolitical challenges. It identifies three core approaches—direct engagement, trade association influence, and coalition forming—driven by business motivations such as competitive advantage and transition plan delivery. Success depends on timing, transparency, and alignment with corporate decarbonisation goals.
