News

• Clean-tech venture capital bucks market – for now

  01 November 2008

  Venture capitalists (VCs) have poured record amounts into clean technology companies this year, according to two reports, and investment in the sector has accelerated despite the credit crunch.

• SRI 'becoming mainstream', as assets jump

  01 November 2008

  The European market for sustainable and responsible investment (SRI) was worth €2.7 trillion ($3.7 trillion) in 2007, according to figures released in October by the European Sustainable Investment Forum (Eurosif). This is equivalent to 17.5% of the European asset management industry.

• Voluntary carbon market set to double in 2008

  01 November 2008

  Volumes and prices in the voluntary carbon market are still rising, but participants have warned that the market is not yet feeling the full effect of the global economic crisis.

• EC eyes market solution to deforestation

  01 November 2008

  The European Commission has called for a target to halt global deforestation by 2030, to be delivered partially through a 'Global Forest Carbon Mechanism' (GFCM), under a post-2012 climate agreement.

• People moves this month

  01 November 2008

  GREG RADFORD has been appointed director for environment and social development at the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private sector arm of the World Bank. He will oversee sustainability issues, including climate change and the IFC's management of environmental and social risks.

• Suez completes ­Econergy takeover

  01 November 2008

  Econergy International is to be de-listed, following the completion of its takeover by Suez Energy South America (SESA). On 27 October, the subsidiary of French energy giant Suez announced that its £0.45 ($0.74)/share cash bid, made in June, was "unconditional in all respects", having garnered the support of 98% of shareholders of the Americas-focused renewable energy and carbon project developer.

• Euronext and BNP index to track low-carbon blue chips

  01 November 2008

  NYSE Euronext and BNP Paribas Asset Management have launched an index tracking blue-chip European companies with the lowest carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in their sector.

• ESG investor initiatives to merge

  01 November 2008

  The UN Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) is to amalgamate with the Enhanced Analytics Initiative, opening up the latter's research on 'extra-financial issues' to a wider audience.

• FTSE, KLD join forces

  01 November 2008

  Two leading sustainability index providers – the FTSE Group and KLD Indexes – have entered into a strategic partnership which will include a rebranding exercise early next year. With the exception of the FTSE4Good index family, all the FTSE and KLD indexes in the sustainability space will be relaunched early in 2009 under the 'FTSE KLD' banner.

• MEPs warn of risk to EU climate package

  01 November 2008

  The Council of Ministers could gut the EU's climate and energy package in its attempt to head off opposition from some member states, leading members of the European Parliament warn.