Navigating EPA Rules and Alternative Energies for Car Emissions
In an era defined by environmental consciousness, the impact of vehicle emissions on our planet cannot be understated. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) plays a pivotal role in regulating car emissions, striving to balance the need for personal transportation with the urgency of reducing our carbon footprint. So, buckle up as we delve into the
LEGAL-ESG 2023
One of the key pillars driving change and defining boundaries in the ESG space is the constant legal wrangling between shareholders, corporations, regulators, and the general public. There are a number of cases recently concluded, in progress, or just filed that will affect the ESG landscape for decades to some. This is a look at
EPA Rules – Plastics Emissions
Striking the Balance: EPA’s Plastic Recycling Emissions Regulations and the Quest for Sustainability The EPA’s Role in Limiting Emissions Amidst the recent political chaos in the U.S., regulators have played hot potato with restrictions around greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and other environmental rules. While jumping from the Clean Power Plan to the Affordable Clean Energy
Taking ESG Investing Mainstream
Incorporating ESG factors into mainstream investing has grown on an absolute level, but relative adoption remains low against the entire market. While it takes time for markets to adjust, part of the reason for the delayed integration is the asymmetrical approach to investing for value and investing for values. This is changing. With reliable data
The Short Report
ESG signals can give strong indications that a stock is primed for a downturn and might be a good target for a short. With reliable data as the foundation, solid analytics map a correlation between two ESG signals, in particular, that have been remarkably predictive and would have resulted in positive returns over the course
The Nuclear Option
Almost all energy on Planet Earth is ultimately nuclear. The sun is a giant fusion reactor, and fossil fuels release solar energy stored in the carbon of massive old growth forests from millions of years ago. Wind energy is driven by temperature changes spurred by energy from our sun, and solar energy is, of course,
The Perpetual Problem of Plastic Particle Permanence
Among the environmental aspects of ESG consideration, corporations’ plans to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions tend to get the most attention from investors. However, plastic waste disposal and recycling is arguably a more significant, and more immediate, concern. “Plastics“ specifically refers to a wide range of materials, generally derived from crude oil, which share certain
The Unexpected Intersection of Sustainability and Dividends
Sustainable investing and long-term investing share significant overlap. Investors use both approaches to seek specific positive change over broad periods of time. Without financial returns, sustainable investing is futile, and blue-chip, dividend paying stocks are a critical component of many successful long-term investment strategies. These established companies tend to be more carbon-intensive for a number
An Objective Look at the EPA’s Proposed Power Plant Rule
Big problems require big solutions, and addressing the amount of carbon in our atmosphere is no exception. It is truly global in scale, with both significant investments and substantial economic impact an expectation whether we choose to work toward a solution or sit idle and see what happens. We obviously don’t yet have a solution
The Case for Ignoring Scope 3 Emissions
How focusing on Scope 1 and 2 emissions in the quest for better low-carbon products can create a real and meaningful pathway to net-zero. Fueled by a new generation of investors for whom ESG concerns are top priority, the number of investment products with a focus on sustainability is growing fast and the magnitude of
It’s Time to Stop Politicizing “ESG”
The worst nuclear disaster in history, the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear plant meltdown, occurred because Soviet officials were certain the conditions that caused the explosion were impossible even though the exact same thing (something called Xenon poisoning) had taken place in 1983 at the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant in Lithuania, a plant with the same RBMK
The Cost of Bad ESG Data
Ranging from missed opportunities to potentially significant harms, the pitfalls of unreliable ESG data present an unacceptable risk. The market has dictated that environmental, social, and governance (ESG), or sustainability, is more than just a sales tool or talking point. Being responsive to ESG issues fosters an environment of good corporate stewardship and is paramount
