Library | ESG issues

Social

The social pillar in ESG (environmental, social, and governance) assesses a organisation’s impact on people and society. It covers labour practices, diversity and inclusion, human rights and community engagement. Prioritising social responsibility not only benefits society but also mitigates risks, strengthens reputation, and creates long-term value for businesses and investors.

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Sustainable finance progress tracker series

Australian Sustainable Finance Institute (ASFI)
This benchmark series provides an annual, independent assessment of progress in implementing Australia’s sustainable finance roadmap and action plan. It tracks policy, regulatory, market and institutional developments, offering a consistent framework to monitor how the financial system is aligning with sustainability objectives over time.
Benchmark/series
1 November 2025

China sustainable investment review series

China Sustainable Investment Forum
The China Sustainable Investment Review is a recurring research series that provides a structured overview of the development of China’s sustainable investment market. It examines policy evolution, market practices, product types, and ESG integration across financial institutions using publicly available information.
Benchmark/series
1 December 2025

Unblocking climate and biodiversity finance: Global public investment for global missions

Global Nation
The report proposes integrating mission-oriented policy with Global Public Investment to unblock climate and biodiversity finance. It argues for predictable, equitable public funding, shared decision-making, reduced debt reliance, and reforms such as a Climate and Biodiversity Marshall Plan and redesigned debt-for-nature swaps.
Research
24 October 2024

Too-big-to-strand? Bond versus bank financing in the transition to a low-carbon economy

The paper shows bond markets price fossil fuel stranding risk, while syndicated bank loans do not. Firms substitute bonds with bank loans as climate policy risk rises, concentrating exposure in large banks and raising “too-big-to-strand” regulatory concerns.
Research
28 June 2024

Frozen gas, boiling planet: How bank and investor support for LNG is fueling a climate disaster

Reclaim Finance
The report analyses bank and investor financing of LNG expansion, finding US$213 billion in bank support and US$252 billion in investor exposure since 2021. It concludes this financing drives overcapacity, climate risk and misalignment with 1.5 °C pathways.
Research
4 December 2024

IPBES-IPCC co-sponsored Workshop: Biodiversity and climate change

Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES)
This IPBES–IPCC workshop report examines interlinkages between biodiversity, climate change and society, identifying synergies, trade-offs and risks. It assesses mitigation and adaptation impacts on ecosystems and people, and outlines integrated, nature-based solutions to inform climate and biodiversity policy and governance.
Research
12 July 2021

Climate change & the engagement gap: Why investors must do more than move the needle, and how they can

The Shareholder Commons
This report argues that climate change poses systemic risks to diversified portfolios and that conventional ESG engagement is insufficient. It proposes investor-led, enterprise-agnostic “guardrails” to limit greenhouse gas emissions, protect overall economic value, and complement inadequate regulation.
Research
1 September 2022

Energy and AI

International Energy Agency (IEA)
The IEA’s Energy and AI report examines AI’s rising electricity demand and its capacity to improve energy efficiency, security and innovation. It assesses data centres, grids and end-uses, highlighting skills, infrastructure and policy needs to manage costs, emissions and resilience globally.
Research
22 January 2026

Net zero: A practical guide for cooling businesses

Carbon Trust
This guideline provides practical guidance for cooling manufacturers to achieve Net Zero by 2050, outlining emissions hotspots, regulatory drivers and decarbonisation levers across Scopes 1–3, with emphasis on efficiency, low-GWP refrigerants, value-chain collaboration and science-based targets.
Research
1 November 2024

China Sustainable Investment Forum

Finance Industry Groups
China Sustainable Investment Forum (China SIF) is a non-profit platform promoting sustainable finance and responsible investment in China.China SIF convenes investors, policymakers and researchers, producing ESG research, trend reports and high-profile events to advance environmental, social and governance practices in financial markets.
Organisation
1 research item

Forest Carbon and Climate Program (Michigan State University)

Academic Institutions
Forest Carbon and Climate Program (FCCP) at Michigan State University advances research, education and professional training on forest carbon, climate change and sustainable forest management.
FCCP delivers courses, events and applied insights supporting climate-smart forestry, carbon markets and land-use decision-making worldwide.
Organisation
1 research item

Global Nation

Issue Focused NGOs & Think Tanks
Global Nation is an independent think-do tank advancing global cooperation and solidarity.
It produces research, policy analysis and convenings on geopolitics, climate, development and governance, supporting governments, multilateral institutions and civil society with practical insights, partnerships and evidence-based recommendations across regions and sectors worldwide, through collaboration and dialogue initiatives programmes.
Organisation
1 research item

Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES)

Government Sponsored / Multilateral Organisations
Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) is a global body strengthening links between science and policy on biodiversity and ecosystem services. It delivers authoritative assessments, tools and capacity-building to inform decision-making, manage nature-related risks, and support sustainable development worldwide for governments, finance, business and civil society globally.
Organisation
2 research items

Mining and money: Financial fault lines in the energy transition

Rainforest Action Network
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.
Research
3 September 2025

We can’t ignore the largest source of methane

This article argues the global food system is the largest source of human-caused methane and deserves far more policy and funding attention. It maps key emission “hot spots”—ruminant livestock, food waste in landfills, biomass burning, and flooded rice fields—and outlines practical mitigation options from dietary shifts to landfill capture and improved rice management.
Article
13 February 2026

Systems-informed stewardship part II: Bringing a systems perspective to stewardship

This article applies a systems lens to stewardship, arguing that fragmented intermediation and entrenched short-term time horizons undermine sustainability outcomes. It calls for recognising these structural barriers as a critical step toward more effective, systems-informed stewardship.
Article
11 February 2026
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