Ahren Lester

Articles by Ahren Lester

  • ESG leaders more resilient during coronavirus downturn, says AXA IM

    20 April 2020

    The shares and bonds of companies with higher environmental, social and governance (ESG) ratings have proved more resilient during the coronavirus market crash than their ESG laggard peers, according to research by Axa Investment Managers.

  • BlackRock hails sustainable ETFs in wake of Covid-19

    17 April 2020

    Sustainable ETFs chalked up another resilient performance amid the market turmoil in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. BlackRock's regional sustainable ETF head tells Ahren Lester what may have driven this, and what it means for the future of the asset class.

  • Telenor signs €2bn sustainability-linked debt facility

    17 April 2020

    Telenor has signed a €2 billion ($2.2 billion) sustainability-linked revolving credit facility (RCF) to refinance an existing credit facility.

  • Shell strengthens climate ambitions after investor pressure

    16 April 2020

    Royal Dutch Shell has strengthened its climate change ambitions in order to help meet global 2050 greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction targets, but campaigners remain unconvinced that the proposals go far enough.

  • Total faces shareholder resolution to reduce carbon emissions

    16 April 2020

    A group of 11 investors have filed a shareholder resolution at Total, calling on the oil major to set carbon emission reduction targets in line with the Paris Agreement.

  • Moody's: ESG risks 'material' in a third of ratings actions

    15 April 2020

    Moody's Investors Service reported that environmental, social and governance (ESG) risks were a "material" credit consideration in a third of its private-sector issuer rating actions in 2019.

  • External reviewers under EU green bond standard will 'still have some flexibility'

    14 April 2020

    Verifiers under the EU Green Bond Standard (EU GBS) would still have some flexibility in how they reach their conclusions, a member of the EU's Technical Expert Group on Sustainable Finance (TEG) has argued.

  • EU Taxonomy needs more transition technologies, says EnBW

    14 April 2020

    Utility firms remain hopeful that the EU Taxonomy on Sustainable Activities will include more 'transition technologies' following the latest consultation period.

  • Long-term market remains supportive for green bonds

    09 April 2020

    The coronavirus market turmoil may lead to an additional boost to green bond demand, NN Investment Partners said, despite prices suffering alongside their conventional equivalents in the short term.

  • Sovereign green bond pricing strong amid demand, says CBI

    08 April 2020

    A handful of sovereign green bonds have attracted a 'greenium', research by the Climate Bonds Initiative (CBI) has found.