In response to demand and regulatory drivers, the quality and quantity of ESG data will continue improving. Meanwhile, in the U.S., the new Biden administration will reinvigorate ESG policies and climate urgency.With this growing global urgency around climate, conversations about energy transition will become increasingly nuanced and the nature of transition conversations will shift from climate mitigation to climate resilience.While threats to nature and biodiversity will take centerstage in ‘E’ discussions, social issues will gain traction with investors and in global policy discussions.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced on Tuesday that Turkey was ready to finally ratify the Paris Agreement on climate change. Erdogan's announcement at a meeting of the United Nations General Assembly followed a year of violent weather events in Turkey -- including wildfires and flash floods -- that have claimed some 100 lives.Turkey in April 2016 signed the landmark agreement on limiting the dangerous emissions that contribute to global warming, which scientists blame for increasingly extreme and more frequent weather events.But it has yet to formally ratify the accord by a vote in parliament.Erdogan told the UN General Assembly that Turkey now intends to complete the ratification process in time for the November UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow."I wou...

China will not build new coal-fire projects abroad, a move that could be pivotal in tackling global emissions.President Xi Jinping made the announcement in his address at the United Nations General Assembly.China has been funding coal projects in countries like Indonesia and Vietnam under a massive infrastructure project known as the Belt and Road initiative.But it has been under pressure to end the financing, as the world tries to meet Paris climate agreement targets."China will step up support for other developing countries in developing green and low-carbon energy, and will not build new coal-fired power projects abroad," Mr Xi said in a video recording at the annual summit.No further details were provided, but the move could limit the expansion of coal plants in many developing countri...

Confronting the existential threat of a looming climate crisis has been a continous talking point at the week-long United Nations summit in New York. As over 100 world leaders gathered for the annual UN General Assembly—the first in-person meet since the pandemic began—the calls for global unity on climate action have rarely been more persistent. As over 100 world leaders gathered for the annual UN General Assembly—the first in-person meet since the pandemic began—the calls for global unity on climate action have rarely been more persistent. And with a crucial round of climate talks just over a month away, heads of states urged all countries to up their committment to reducing emissions.UN Secretary-General António Guterres said that for him the summit in New York had to in...

The impacts of crises are never gender-neutral, and COVID-19 is no exception.For the single mother in South Sudan, COVID-19 lockdown measures have paused her small business that brings food to the table.For the domestic worker in Guatemala, the pandemic has meant no job and no unemployment benefits or other protection.For countless women in economies of every size, along with losing income, unpaid care and domestic work burden has exploded.While everyone is facing unprecedented challenges, women are bearing the brunt of the economic and social fallout of COVID-19.Women who are poor and marginalized face an even higher risk of COVID-19 transmission and fatalities, loss of livelihood, and increased violence. Globally, 70 per cent of health workers and first responders are women, and yet...