Ahren Lester

Articles by Ahren Lester

  • EU proposes looser green assets threshold for fund EcoLabel

    10 January 2020

    The EU has proposed to significantly lower the green assets threshold needed for equity funds to qualify for its planned EcoLabel, after initial proposals were deemed "too ambitious".

  • SustainAbility awarded Commission contract for ESG ratings research

    10 January 2020

    SustainAbility was awarded a €224,000 ($249,000) contract by the European Commission to undertake a study on environmental, social and governance (ESG) ratings and research.

  • MSCI launches two ESG corporate bond indexes

    10 January 2020

    New York-listed financial data firm MSCI has launched two corporate bond indexes weighted according to environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations.

  • BlackRock joins Climate Action 100+ initiative

    09 January 2020

    The largest asset manager in the world, BlackRock, has joined the Climate Action 100+ initiative, in a move that "sends a powerful signal to companies to reduce emissions, improve corporate governance and strengthen their disclosure".

  • Cubico agrees first Greek wind farm acquisition

    09 January 2020

    Renewable energy investor Cubico Sustainable Investments has acquired its first wind farm in Greece, for an undisclosed sum.

  • Octopus Renewables secures £185m National Grid pension mandate

    09 January 2020

    Octopus Renewables has secured a £185 million ($243 million) long-term mandate from the UK pension fund of National Grid to invest in solar and onshore wind assets.

  • New York and London mayors urge pension fossil fuel divestment

    08 January 2020

    The mayors of New York and London have urged leaders of other major global cities to join them in divesting their pension funds from fossil fuel assets.

  • Investors urge Barclays to phase out fossil fuel financing activities

    08 January 2020

    A group of 11 institutional investors has filed a shareholder resolution to Barclays, calling on the London-listed bank to phase out its financing for fossil fuel firms.

  • Solarcentury secures €55m facility to fund Spanish solar plant construction

    07 January 2020

    Solar energy firm Solarcentury has secured facilities worth €54.8 million ($61.3 million) from a pair of UK banks to help fund the construction of two solar plants in Spain.

  • World Bank launches fourth emissions reduction auction

    07 January 2020

    A fourth pay-for-performance auction developed by the World Bank to stimulate investment in projects to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions has launched a new auction worth at least $6 million.