In this week’s ESG News Week In Review, climate and energy policy debates intensified as governments reassessed transition strategies. A senior EU official warned Europe’s nuclear phase-down may have been a strategic mistake, while China’s new 2026–2030 plan accelerates clean energy expansion even as emissions targets loosen. In the UK, a new Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard aims to define credible climate claims across the property sector, and the Climate Change Committee found the net-zero transition would cost less than a single fossil fuel price shock.

Carbon markets and energy transition investment also gained momentum. Watershed opened its 2026 carbon removal procurement round to scale demand for high-integrity credits, while major carbon capture and removal projects advanced in Europe and Canada. At the same time, global capital continued flowing into transition infrastructure and climate technology, from Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners’ €1.3B energy transition credit fund to financing for clean iron, hydrogen fertilizer and methane monitoring technologies.

GOVERNMENT, POLICY & REGULATION

• EU Chief Calls Europe’s Nuclear Phase-Down A Strategic Mistake
• China’s 2026–2030 Plan Boosts Clean Energy While Loosening Emissions Targets
• UK Launches Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard To Define Credible Climate Claims Across Property Sector
• UK Net Zero Transition Costs Less Than A Single Fossil Fuel Price Shock, CCC Finds

CARBON

• UK Launches Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard To Define Credible Climate Claims Across Property Sector
• DP World Launches Free Carbon Inset Trial Across European Shipping Lanes
• EU Approves $283 Million Belgian Aid for Air Liquide, BASF Carbon Capture Project
• Watershed Opens 2026 Carbon RFP to Scale Corporate Demand for High-Integrity Carbon Credits
• Svante Acquires Carbon Alpha To Expand Carbon Removal Projects In Canada

CLIMATE & ENERGY TRANSITION

• H&M, EY Call On CFOs To Finance Fashion Supply Chain Decarbonisation
• Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners Reaches €1.3 Billion First Close for Energy Transition Credit Fund
• Net-Zero Asset Owner Alliance Adds Transition Targets To Climate Framework
• GRA Calls For Emergency Renewable Buildout To Counter Oil, Gas Price Shocks
• Shell Reports 1.1 Billion Tons CO2 Emissions in 2025
• RGREEN INVEST Raises $980M For European Energy Infrastructure Fund
• Galvanize Raises $370 Million Real Estate Fund to Turn Building Decarbonization Into Profit
• Rolls-Royce SMR, Equilibrion Partner To Produce 160 Million Litres Of Nuclear-Powered SAF Annually
• TerraPower Secures NRC Permit for First U.S. Commercial Advanced Nuclear Reactor

EXECS ON THE MOVE

• Aon Appoints Sindhu Krishna As UK Head Of Sustainability For Investment Consulting
• Bridges Expands Climate Investing Platform With HSBC Climate Technology Team
• HSBC Appoints Denise Odaro Head Of Sustainable Finance And Transition

SUSTAINABLE/CLIMATE FINANCE

• JP Morgan Provides $30 Million Venture Debt Facility to Scale Electra’s Clean Iron Technology
• Google.org Backs CDP AI Platform To Unlock $105 Billion In Climate Finance
• Mantle8 Secures $2.2M EU Just Transition Fund Grant For Natural Hydrogen Tech
• Climate Fund Managers Backs India Waste-To-Biogas Plant With $32.2M Investment
• AIRMO Raises $5.4M To Deploy Space Based Methane Monitoring System
• EIB Global Backs $95 Million Green Hydrogen Fertiliser Plant in Paraguay
• EU Approves $283 Million Belgian Aid for Air Liquide, BASF Carbon Capture Project

ESG INVESTING, FUNDS

• Net-Zero Asset Owner Alliance Adds Transition Targets To Climate Framework
• Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners Reaches €1.3 Billion First Close for Energy Transition Credit Fund
• Emerald Water Fund II Reaches $108M With Temasek, Grundfos Backing
• LSEG Launches New ESG Scoring Framework To Improve Transparency Across Global Markets

ENVIRONMENT, NATURE & BIODIVERSITY

• Peru Approves $3.4 Billion Trapiche Copper Project Environmental Study
• EIB Global Backs $95 Million Green Hydrogen Fertiliser Plant in Paraguay
• Tech And Finance Giants Back $100M Global Push To Cut Methane, Other Superpollutants

ESG/SUSTAINABILITY REPORTING

• Osapiens Survey: 90% Of European Companies Continue Sustainability Reporting After EU Omnibus Changes
• South Korea Moves Toward Mandatory ISSB-Aligned Climate Disclosures For Large KOSPI Firms

TOOLS & SERVICES, TECHNOLOGY

• Watershed Opens 2026 Carbon RFP to Scale Corporate Demand for High-Integrity Carbon Credits
• AIRMO Raises $5.4M To Deploy Space Based Methane Monitoring System
• Google.org Backs CDP AI Platform To Unlock $105 Billion In Climate Finance
• LSEG Launches New ESG Scoring Framework To Improve Transparency Across Global Markets

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