NYC pension funds to drop asset managers lacking solid net-zero plans: comptroller

“Our new standards demand that the retirement systems’ managers strengthen their net zero plans consistent with their fiduciary duty — or we will find new asset managers who will,” Brad Lander said.

By Zoya Mirza • April 25, 2025

Google signs first offshore wind deal in Asia Pacific region

The deal with Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners adds wind power to the search giant’s renewable energy portfolio in Taiwan, which was recently expanded to include geothermal energy.

By Lamar Johnson • April 24, 2025

Mastercard announces solar, geothermal projects for its facilities

The payments company will build a solar panel array to power its tech hub in Missouri and replace its natural gas cooling and heating system with geothermal at its New York HQ.

By Lamar Johnson • April 23, 2025

New York state pension fund commits $2.4B to climate-focused investments

The investment is part of the New York State Common Retirement Fund’s broader goal of allocating $40 billion to sustainable investments and climate solutions by 2035.

By Zoya Mirza • April 23, 2025

Labor Dept. considers rescinding Biden-era ESG fiduciary rule

The agency asked for a suspension of litigation in the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, as it considers whether to get rid of the rule allowing pension funds to consider ESG factors.

By Lamar Johnson • April 22, 2025

EPA granted appellate stay after judge rules to end GGRF funding freeze

A judge ruled Tuesday to end the freeze and allow grantees to access their funding, but appellate judges granted EPA a stay on that injunction late Wednesday. 

By Diana DiGangi • April 21, 2025

Energy regulator grants BlackRock renewed authorization for large utility investments

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission gave the nation’s largest asset manager approval to continue to acquire up to 20% of voting securities for utility companies for another three years.

By Lamar Johnson • April 18, 2025

Trump administration ordered to resume IRA funding

A federal judge’s decision, which stated agencies lacked authority to pause funding, follows the president’s executive order to freeze the money on his first day in office. 

By Kate Magill • April 18, 2025

SEC approves first US ‘green’ stock exchange

The Securities and Exchange Commission gave final approval for Green Impact Exchange to open the first national exchange for sustainability offerings, with trading set to begin in 2026.

By Lamar Johnson • April 17, 2025

Microsoft signs pair of large-scale carbon removal deals with CO280, Terradot

The tech giant will purchase 3.685 million tonnes of removal credits through paper mill retrofits, and 12,000 tonnes of credits through enhanced rock weathering.

By Lamar Johnson • April 16, 2025

NZBA scraps requirement for banks to strictly target a 1.5°C warming scenario

The United Nations’ Net-Zero Banking Alliance has updated its guidelines in the wake of departures, with its latest guidance aiming for global warming “well below 2°C.”

By Lamar Johnson • April 15, 2025

Ally’s DEI suit dismissed after bank reduces emphasis

America First Legal dropped its lawsuit against Ally Financial after the lender largely scrubbed diversity references from its public filings.

By Gabrielle Saulsbery • April 14, 2025

J.P. Morgan Asset Management closes $1.5B climate, forests fund

The fund exceeded its initial close target and aims to support sustainability in forestry, timber production and carbon sequestration.

By Lamar Johnson • April 11, 2025

Physical risk playbook: How and why companies should step up their climate resiliency efforts

Investors need information on corporate resilience strategies for climate-driven disasters to price investment risks accurately, says Impax Asset Management’s Julie Gorte.

By Julie Gorte • April 11, 2025

EU legislators work to simplify sustainability reporting requirements

The European Union has delayed sustainability reporting for the CSRD and CSDDD while legislators work to simplify the underlying requirements for businesses.

By Lamar Johnson • April 10, 2025

4 ways tariffs could impact recycled plastic markets

Recycling industry analysts say high-level trends affecting markets and manufacturing will affect recyclers as trade war uncertainties continue.

By Megan Quinn • April 10, 2025

Trump EO targets state climate, emissions and ESG policies

The executive order directs the attorney general to halt enforcement of state laws or civil actions targeting energy companies over climate change.

By Lamar Johnson • April 9, 2025

USDA tells digester funding applicants to remove diversity, climate language

The announcement means federal funding for anaerobic digesters on dairy farms could be unpaused for applicants willing to change project language.

By Jacob Wallace • April 9, 2025

Shareholder advocacy targets flexible packaging, reusables and recycling labels

Coca-Cola, Hyatt, Sealed Air, Starbucks and Wyndham recently reached agreements with shareholder advocates. Proposals remain pending at Amazon, Home Depot, Kraft Heinz, Mondelēz, PepsiCo and Wendy’s.

By Cole Rosengren • April 8, 2025

The missing link: Data’s role in small business disaster recovery

Businesses and communities need more granular and reliable data to recover in the wake of natural disasters, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Marc DeCourcey and Fiserv’s Vivian Greentree say.

By Marc DeCourcey and Vivian Greentree • April 8, 2025

Dutch investor AIP Management invests $500M in US solar producer

AIP will invest half a billion dollars in Silicon Ranch, a full-service solar company and one of the largest U.S. independent power producers.

By Lamar Johnson • April 7, 2025

DOJ attorney in EPA funding freeze case breaks with Zeldin’s fraud comments

“You said that there was waste, fraud, abuse,” Judge Tanya Chutkan said to Department of Justice attorney Marc Sacks. “You seem to be abandoning that position now.”

By Diana DiGangi • April 7, 2025

German prosecutors slap $27M greenwashing fine on Deutsche Bank’s DWS

The Frankfurt Public Prosecutor said statements made by DWS about being an “ESG leader” or ESG being an integral part of its "DNA” did not paint a true picture.

By Zoya Mirza • April 4, 2025

Ford asks investors to vote down supply chain emissions proposal

Shareholder Green Century Capital Management wants the automaker to regularly disclose its strategies for meeting low-carbon steel benchmarks, among others.

By Haley Cawthon • April 4, 2025

Meta signs 10-year forestry-based carbon offtake deal

In “one of the first known contracts” like it, forest investment and management firm EFM will deliver 676,000 nature-based credits as 68,000 acres of forest transition to climate-smart management.

By Lamar Johnson • April 3, 2025