Nina Rauch

This article is super interesting. Can we really leave it to the market to do what needs to be done to fight the Climate Crisis?

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Greenwashing guides popping up. This one offers a useful global perspective of regulatory changes concernig #greenwashing. However, I am not a fan of quick checklists. 🛑There are no shortcuts; collaborating with experts on different ESG topics remains essential, which is not mentioned in this guide. #sustainability #esg

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Development finance institutions play a pivotal role in the climate finance landscape, but what do we know about their climate investments? As the UN Climate Change June meetings come to a close, Ryan Anderton has explored what development finance institutions currently reveal (and what they don’t) about what they spend, where and with what impact. He argues transparency is crucial if we want to ensure climate finance is valid, accountable and effective. https://lnkd.in/e3759wTT #ClimateFinance #ClimateTransparency Christian V. DonaldsonIan MitchellJoe Thwaites Climate Policy InitiativeE3G The ONE CampaignOxfam International Center for Global Development

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A must take opportunity to step back from the day to day buzz and remind ourselves why we do the work we do. Most things remain to be done. Glorious future! #sustainability #capitalism #climatechange #transformation

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408 climate experts have signed an open letter to UK political party leaders calling on them to commit to these 5 pledges: 1. Publish and implement a credible and legal strategy for ending the UK’s contribution to climate change by meeting the UK’s statutory Carbon Budgets and its target of net zero emissions of greenhouse gases by 2050. 2. Accelerate action across all sectors and all parts of the UK to adapt and become more resilient to those impacts of climate change that cannot now be avoided, in line with UK Climate Change Risk Assessments. 3. Respect and act on all the advice of the expert independent Climate Change Committee, including its warning in its most recent Progress Report that “the UK will continue to need some oil and gas until it reaches Net Zero, but this does not in itself justify the development of new North Sea fields”. 4. Lead by example internationally on climate change, including through the implementation of the decision at COP28 in Dubai in December 2023, and the commitment to “transitioning away from fossil fuels in energy systems, in a just, orderly and equitable manner, accelerating action in this critical decade, so as to achieve net zero by 2050 in keeping with the science”. 5. Increase public and private funding and support for climate change mitigation and adaptation in developing countries. Without such a pledge, we do not believe that your Party deserves support in the forthcoming General Election. The stakes couldn’t be higher for this next Government. If you’re wondering who to vote for in your area to make your vote count for climate action, register with VoteClimate.uk to receive tailored guidance. #vote #2024election #climateaction

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Place-based impact investing doesn't have to be complicated, and it's not just for institutions, either. Bristol Energy Cooperative is on its tenth share offer, this time for £1 million to add an additional megawatt to its portfolio of solar projects, raising the money from individual investors through the Triodos Bank crowdfunding platform. The Community Interest Company (CIC) has been operating since 2011, and so far has raised £15 million to fund clean energy projects in the Bristol area, while also delivering £400k to separately fund community projects (their website has maps for both). Investor-members get a vote in one of the UK's oldest and largest community energy cooperatives, plus: - get a financial return - contribute to decarbonising UK's energy - increase the UK's energy security - support local communities Community energy is one of the most effective and accessible ways for citizen investors to get involved in impact investing. #communityenergy #impactinvesting #renewableenergy #placemaking Community Energy England Becky Feather Emma Bridge https://lnkd.in/gy4GYzxX

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The Labour manifesto looks "like a landslide for a green economy"! 🌡 Climate and clean energy front and center 🤓 Appoints Ed Miliband, an energy secretary with many years’ experience in climate diplomacy 🐙 CEO of Octopus Energy states that the "results look clear — voters have rejected anti net zero rhetoric and chosen cheaper, cleaner, more secure energy" While this looks optimistic during election-mania, how will the policy landscape settle? The current commentary on the VCM battles to and fro over the direction of the Science Based Targets initiative decision on beyond value chain mitigation. Could a pro-market country and pro-environment government provide express support for a high-integrity VCM as we saw from the The White House?

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Check out these #socialimpactjobs #sustainabilityjobs #jobs.

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👀 Genuine, wide open goal for any new UK government... Rebecca Speare-Cole for The Independent reports a rallying cry from UKSIF, hoping for some newfound sustainability policies and regulation. Whilst the UK is (sadly) increasingly no longer the best at many things, we have been the leaders in green finance for some time - and we can stay at the top, if decisive action is taken. “The UK is facing a crucial inflection point that could see it either close the remaining gaps and benefit from the great strides we have taken in our global leadership on sustainable finance to date; or lose its hard-won position as a leader," says James Alexander, chief executive of UKSIF. The planet is suffering due to the lack of sustainable investment opportunities on offer. Providing policy and regulation to support the development of pathways for major and institutional investors to divest easily, at a significant scale, is a vital lifeline in cutting fossil fuel investment. Any new government should not ignore this *easy win* and opportunity to position itself strongly on a global stage. Should the UK seek to reaffirm its footing as a leader in sustainable finance, Lloyd's should join this wave to green the global economy by strengthening its environmental commitments too. By joining calls such as this, this would see the insurance marketplace finally live up to its environmental commitments. Despite Lloyd's slogan claims of "sharing risk to create a braver world", its current inaction on progressing fossil fuel exclusions shows no bravery and is only creating a riskier climate. #InsureOurFuture #Insurance #UKGeneralElection Insure Our Future Global

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I just had a very thoughtful (and tasty!) breakfast with Jay C., Vicktoria Blake, Arveen Horsefield, James Hughes and Greg Nelson, who explored the importance of a healthy climate for us to be healthy and happy individuals. My five key takeaways: https://lnkd.in/eYaZWjmg Arveen and James introduced the climate risk scenarios prepared for the health sector in New Zealand. I always love a climate risk scenario, it's like peeping through the looking glass to the hypothetical future, and they're an epic tool for decision-making. What struck me more than this technical intrigue -which really does get my inner geek stoked - was how the room navigated towards the topic of mental health. I think this happened in part because the hothouse climate scenario presented was a bit confronting (no offence James it was really very good!). As a young-ish person in the sustainability "space," it can be quite difficult to hold on to a sense of optimism and to park my cynicism - which was raised (not by me!) and kindly addressed by the panel. Something Greg said really stuck with me: "be bold, not stupid." Take risks, he encourages - which reminded me that I agree! A healthier, equitable planet and society is going to need innovation and drive, and we're all part of that change. Vicktoria also really struck a chord by reminding the room that we, the sustainability field, are a whanau all living and working on the same page. And a strong community can be powerful! Having only moved here three months ago, this was a very heartfelt message for me. I'd like to set a challenge to Arveen to build on the epic work already done and think about the role of nature for the health sector. Zoonotic diseases are considered to be an incredible risk for society, because mass deforestation brings human and animal habitats much closer together than they would naturally be. And we don't want another COVID. What would those risk scenarios look like with this in mind? Shout out to Jay C. for epic moderation. "Skin babies." If you know you know. My final takeaway is a new expression I was introduced to: "Ka ora taiao, ka ora te tāngata " - we are a part of nature, not apart from it. Who could disagree with that? #SBN #nature #mentalhealth #clinatechange #climatepositive #naturepositive #ESG #climaterisk thinkstep-anz Sustainable Business Council NZ

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"Tail Risks" are coming and the economic system will lose if we don't put up a fight. The first sector to have trouble is the Insurance sector followed by: Banking, Investments and Pensions. "The continued omission of “tail risks” from our climate models not only poses a threat to market stability and asset valuation but it has the potential to bring our entire economic system to its knees. Read the article: When it comes to climate, the tail [risk] really is wagging the dog. https://lnkd.in/dCHGBCPV The Scorpion's Tail Club (Insurance/Banking/Investments/Pensions) The Exclusive Club offers a unique forum where, operating under Chatham House rules, financial leaders can gather through a series of high level members-only events to engage in discreet and candid discussions about extreme tail risks and threats to solvency. https://lnkd.in/gsRxyxi6 Ian Kaplan Sandy Trust Darius Nassiry Julian Richardson Will Attenborough Matthew Bell Dr. Ron Dembo Blair Feltmate Peter McKillop Adam Omansky Peter Fusaro David Garrison Martin Grosskopf Jack Fritzinger William Burckart Hans Stegeman Karen Lockridge Jane Ambachtsheer Steve McLennan Sasja Beslik Jeff Gitterman Meigan Terry Kathleen Birrane Michael Jantzi Bob Mann Anika Heck

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On Saturday I’m joining Business Declares on the Restore Nature Now March. This is what we are supporting: Providing more funding to ensure a nature-friendly farming approach Putting a legal right to a healthy environment in law – ensuring clean air and water , plus access to nature for all communities Delivering fair and effective climate action that means we at least halve UK emissions by 2030 Making polluters pay for the damage they do to the environment Creating more space for nature by expanding and improving protected areas and public land.  https://lnkd.in/eDW3J4Uq We all have the power to affect change and our work at Impact Amplified centres around what we can do in the context of business. At the same time, we do also want to stand up and ask for bigger systemic change and ensure government policies promote a healthy business environment that is aligned to a future we can all look forward to co-creating. Looking forward to going to this with Caty Batten, Layla Wildon, Mark Longstaff, Abby Chicken, Andrew Wildon, Ruth Dobson, Nick Gardner, Clare Gouldstone . Who else is joining us? Ed Gillespie? Carl Pratt? John Elkington? –  I’m Liv Sibony, co-founder of Impact Amplified with Layla Wildon. We support you with tools that help you effectively set your vision, identify key allies, and speak a language that resonates with the stakeholders you need to bring with you on your sustainability journey. Our workshops and programmes help you gain clarity and cut through the noise to prioritise the most material action whilst preparing for long-term transformative change, supported by a community of peers to amplify your impact.

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In the UK's 2019 election, climate change became a major issue for the first time. Just two years earlier, in the 2017 General Election, climate barely featured in mainstream political discourse. The surge in climate concern in 2019 was fueled by street activism coupled with influential voices like David Attenborough. Activists like Greta Thunberg and Emma Thompson helped unite these movements into a broad coalition. Finally, a significant cross-party support for climate action. The 2008 Climate Change Act established a strong foundation, with an independent Climate Change Committee ensuring the issue remained non-partisan. Outgoing Prime Minister Theresa May aimed to enhance her legacy by legislating for net zero emissions by 2050, while incoming Boris Johnson eagerly embraced the UN climate talks in Glasgow. Fast forward five years, and the political landscape has shifted dramatically. As we approach this year's General Election the political consensus is fragile. For the first time, there's a concerted effort to polarise the public on climate issues. The rise of right-wing media, increasing online misinformation, and post-Brexit polarisation have all contributed to this division. The climate movement cannot assume public support will last indefinitely. If the Conservatives lose, they might shift further right, and Reform UK could gain traction as a pressure group, similar to UKIP. Historically, progressives have focused on countering anti-immigration forces, but the next right-wing threat may center around anti-green politics. Climate deniers recognise that the easiest steps toward decarbonisation are behind us. Future efforts require lifestyle changes, such as reducing flights, cutting road miles, and altering diets, which could fuel grievance politics. However, climate policy has the potential to unite people. If Labour wins, even a scaled-back version of its £28 billion climate pledge would be the boldest action by a UK government. Success hinges on good public engagement and equitable policies that distribute the burden fairly. Opponents of climate action could otherwise build a substantial constituency. The solution is not to retreat but to highlight the successes of climate policies and their benefits. An early test will be lifting the ban on onshore wind, a policy Labour has promised to enact. Although initially controversial, this move could cut carbon emissions, reduce bills, and enhance energy security, garnering broad support. Despite inevitable protests from a vocal minority, the next government must remain steadfast, trusting that the policy's popularity will prevail. The next general election in 2029 will mark a decade since climate change first became a central campaign issue. It will either surpass 2019 as a high point for climate action or become its antithesis. The next five years will be critical in determining our path.

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Looking forward to exploring more about all of this during an upcoming session this week as part of a series on Co-Creating Regenerative Cultures being hosted by Dave Pendle MA and also a "virtual bonfire" gathering next month (June 20, 6:00-7:30 pm CET) through the Fito Network 🧩 Networks Festival ... #Networks are not simply a strategy, a tactic, a means to an end. When considered from the perspective of "flow," they are an invitation to understand and act in the world that aligns better with #Life, a more expansive definition of health and human identity, and an important step in social and cultural #evolution. Connecting diverse perspectives; deepening #trust; distributing decision-making (see “subsidiarity“); supporting sovereignty, self-determination and self-organization; leaning into an ethic of #solidarity; developing new practices and platforms for #collaboration; sharing openly and equitably … these are (hopefully) not passing fads but the foundation for more just and sustainable societies. https://lnkd.in/gQj7v5Jy

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🌍 Embracing Sustainability: A Golden Opportunity for Venture Capitalists 🌍 The Bank of England's latest Climate-Related Financial Disclosure highlights a critical yet promising reality: sustainable investments are not just a moral imperative, but a lucrative opportunity for forward-thinking investors. At a time when climate resilience is paramount, venture capitalists have a unique chance to drive positive change and reap substantial returns. Investing in sustainable companies isn't just about mitigating risks, it's about capitalising on the vast potential of the green economy. 🚀 🌱 Why Invest in Sustainable Ventures? Future Proof Investments: Sustainable companies are better positioned to navigate regulatory changes and market shifts, ensuring long-term stability and growth. Market Demand: There is a growing consumer and corporate demand for environmentally responsible products and services. Innovation & Leadership: Sustainability drives innovation, giving rise to cutting-edge technologies and business models. 🌐 As the Bank of England highlights, the financial sector has a pivotal role in this transformation. Contribute to a sustainable future while benefiting from the growth and success of visionary startups. Let’s seize this moment to invest wisely and sustainably, ensuring prosperity for both our portfolios and our planet. 🌟 Get in touch with me directly to understand more about the value we offer clients at Sustainable Times. 📧 charles.terras@sustainabletimes.co.uk #SustainableInvesting #VentureCapital #EIS #GreenEconomy #ClimateAction #Innovation #FutureProof #ESG #ImpactInvesting

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"we need to put people at the heart of climate action" - CAST research confirms what many of us in the field know - transformative systems change can not happen without working on models of co-design and participatory decision-making. Ownership and agency is key for people to not just see themselves in the climate story - but to see their own power to have impact. #climate #communications #climateAction

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🟢Top questions on Transition Plans🟢 At Giki's latest Green Champions webinar, we welcomed Kate Ryan, Transition Plan expert, who leads international engagement at the Transition Plan Taskforce (TPT). Transition Plans are one of the most exciting developments in sustainability I've seen over the last two decades, because they answer the all important question of 'How' an entity will decarbonise. Here are some of the excellent questions raised during the meeting: ❓What does a good transition plan look like? It is a strategic, holistic plan, covering emissions reductions across the entirety of scopes 1,2,3. It also encompasses an assessment of risks and opportunities associated with climate change, as well as a broader assessment on climate impacts of an entity's actions and how to tackle them. ❓What is the best approach to making a Transition Plan as an SME, when every year and every project can be different? Taking a principles based approach can help address variabilities, and getting started is the key. Don't let the quest for perfection get in the way of the good. ❓Is it normal to have different Transition Plans for operations in different countries? It is best practice to have a single global plan. However, within a plan, different jurisdictions may have different goals, plans, priorities and challenges that might be managed differently. #TransitionPlans #NetZero #ClimateChange

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New #sustainability fund labels launch today. But what makes a fund sustainable? Can we really define it? 🏷 New labels from the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority come into force today - prescribing sustainability “improvers”, “focus”, “impact” & “mixed goals” funds ✅ Designed to provide clear information to retail investors & flush out greenwashing 👍 Qualifying funds must have a specific aim of “positive sustainability outcomes” ✔ That’s a high bar - #ESG screens won’t count 💥 This effectively bans #sustainable & #impact words from non-labelled products (or an explanation is needed of why there isn't a label) 🔢 Around 600 UK-domiciled funds in scope ❎ NB: excludes big chunk of the UK offering (e.g. Luxembourg, Ireland based – these fall under the EU’s #SFDR) ☑ Great news for impact investors: clear new label requires a direct, measurable and positive impact based on Theory of Change & evidenced w/ KPIs (including investor contribution). ✔ High bar ➰ Loophole: only 70% of assets must align for any of the labels – 30% of assets don't need to (but “must not conflict with the sustainability objective”) But what does "sustainability" really mean when it comes to a "focus" or "improvers" fund? Sustainability has no fixed definition. We invent it through our choices: definitions, taxonomies, metrics, scoring and weighting. In researching my new book, I was stunned at the number of so-called “sustainable” funds holding tobacco, coal, oil and more - with very little explanation of how the fund title matched what was underneath. The FCA has boldly set out to tackle this. Here's the plan: 📊 Assets must be "selected with reference to a robust, evidence-based standard that is an ABSOLUTE measure of environmental and/or social sustainability”. ✔ Sounds like quite a high bar. But what's an absolute measure of social sustainability? 💥 Seems to rule out any relative ranking or best in class approach - central to most ratings and rankings 📈 Methods must be “independently assessed” & evidenced through annual KPIs published by the funds. 📏 What methodologies count? It can be based on "an authoritative body (eg, a government or regulator), industry practice (eg, a third party data or analytics service provider) or a proprietary methodology (developed in-house by the firm)”. Translation: ✅ Green taxonomies 🔀 Emissions pathways 😕…. ESG rating agencies? Most firms will rely on ESG ratings alongside in-house methods. But it's not really clear how an "absolute measure" of something as complex, contextual and dynamic as sustainability will be defined for many issues beyond climate. There's a risk here. ESG data is often flaky. Robust, credible and science-based measurement is rare. Will the numbers stack up? We have to wait for the first fund KPIs to find out. FCA Guidance: https://lnkd.in/ebD7x5fV

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