March 2023 Week-5; IRENA: Investments of $35 trillion needed for energy transition; EU Commission issues €6 billion green bonds; Yara and Enbridge to develop $2.9 billion blue ammonia plant; Siemens Energy places EUR 1.5 billion green bond; ScottishPower formalizes £1.3 billion for East Anglia Three offshore wind farm; USDA announces $1 billion for rural renewable energy improvements; Coca-Cola releases goals detailing 2030 water security strategy; Lufthansa joins First Movers Coalition to drive global development of SAF; Amazon and Iberdrola team to accelerate a cleaner energy system; Volkswagen appoints Dirk Voeste as new Chief Sustainability Officer…

See below for the highlights of the past week:

Sustainability Goals, Initiatives and Achievements

• Coca-Cola Releases Key Goals Detailing 2030 Water Security Strategy
• New Stand.earth Report Shows H&M Group’s Leadership in Emission Reductions
• Lufthansa Joins First Movers Coalition to Drive Global Development of Sustainable Aviation Fuels
• Comcast Reports 36% Energy Efficiency Gains for its Network
• MIT’s EV Team Partners with DMI to Create One of the First Ever Hydrogen-Fuel-Cell Powered Motorcycles
• Yara and Enbridge to Develop $2.9 Billion Low-Carbon Blue Ammonia Plant

Executive Moves

• Volkswagen Appoints Dirk Voeste as New Chief Sustainability Officer
• J.P. Morgan Appoints Alex Bell as Partner in Sustainable Growth Equity Team

ESG Around the World

• World Bank Approves $100 Million to Promote Green, Resilient and Inclusive Development in Armenia
• GE and EcoGreen Energy to Build Solar Project in Turkey
• UK Watchdog FCA Updates on its Sustainability Disclosure Requirements
• Philippines’ DOE Agrees to 2,000-MW Offshore Wind Deals with Copenhagen Infrastructure New Markets Fund
• EU Commission Offers €100 Million for Innovative Small-Scale Clean Tech Projects

Government & Regulators

• EU Announces Rules Requiring EV Charging & Hydrogen Refueling Network Deployment
• EU Announces Rules Requiring Zero Emissions from New Cars by 2035 After Reaching Deal on E-Fuels
• Maryland’s Governor Moore Announces Major Offshore Wind Energy Initiatives During International Forum in Baltimore
• EU Parliament Strikes Deal to Nearly Double Use of Renewable Energy by 2030
• USDA Announces Availability of $1 Billion for Rural Renewable Energy Improvements

ESG Services & Tools

• Greenhouse Gas Protocol Receives USD $9.25 Million Grant from the Bezos Earth Fund
• Bloomberg Enhances Dashboard of SFDR Solution to Simplify Portfolio Alignment

ESG Investing

• SIIG To Invest US$70 Million In Sustainable Protein Company Unibio
• Schroders to Launch Climate Change Focused Private Assets LTAF Solution for UK Pensions
• United Announces $15 Million Investment in Carbon Capture Company Svante
• Climate-Friendly Agriculture Tech Company Agreena Raises €46 Million in Funding

Sustainable Finance

• InvestEU Approves €150 Million to Support Green Mobility and Energy
• FirstRand to Double ‘Green Energy’ Home Loans by Next Year
• EU Commission Issues €6 Billion of NextGenerationEU Green Bonds in Fourth Syndicated Transaction for 2023
• Toivo Group Receives €60 Million Financing From EIB for Energy-Efficient Buildings
• ScottishPower Formalizes £1.3 Billion Contract Award for East Anglia Three Offshore Wind Farm
• Siemens Energy Successfully Places EUR 1.5 Billion Green Bond

Energy Transition

• BHP and HBIS Group Sign Carbon Capture and Utilisation Pilot Agreement
• Amazon and Iberdrola Team to Accelerate a Cleaner, Smarter Energy System
• Mercedes Amps Up Renewable Energy Switch With Iberdrola Wind Deal

Social Responsibility & DEI

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ESG Reporting

• ERM Report Ranks ESG Ratings Agencies and Urges Action to Maintain Business and Investor Trust
• IRENA Says Investments of $35 Trillion Needed by 2030 for Successful Energy Transition
• Shell Publishes 2022 Sustainability Report and Climate & Energy Transition Lobbying Report
• H&M Releases 2022 Annual Sustainability Report

ESG Events