Knowledge and Insight

Can the energy transition stay on track? Our recent live lunchtime webinar ‘Renewables at a crossroads’ explored the opportunities and risks within the renewables sector and the effects that current global politics have on the global clean energy transition.

The Cali Fund, established at COP16, has been launched to support biodiversity conservation through contributions from industries using genetic data. An updated biodiversity plan from the UK aims to meet global targets by 2030 despite concerns about progress, and ahead of COP30, Brazil's climate summit CEO called for year-round action, while the UK considers linking its carbon market with the EU to address revenue shortfalls.

Greenbank and Rathbones are delighted to partner with 5x15 for The Earth Convention 2025, a three-part series offering insights into the urgent issues facing our changing world. The first session ‘Energy and Finance’ will reflect on the future of energy.

2025 has so far seen a significant shift in the political backdrop for ESG and sustainable investing. While some financial institutions pull back from climate initiatives amid increasing political opposition, a rollback on DEI programmes emphasises the need for diversity, equity and inclusion to evolve beyond good intentions. The UK and US have refused to sign a declaration on “inclusive and sustainable” artificial intelligence (AI) following the landmark AI Safety Summit, and the EU’s Omnibus proposal to reduce the scope of regional sustainability reporting has been criticised as a deregulation setback.

Healthy societies, resilient economies and thriving businesses all rely on nature and its biodiversity. Greenbank sets three nature targets as we work to further understand how, as investors, we can contribute to the global effort to halt and reverse biodiversity loss.

An unexpected contraction in retail sales dampened UK growth expectations in January, while Eurozone GDP stagnated as political instability and rising unemployment hit France and Germany. In the US, President Donald Trump fulfilled his promise to withdraw from the Paris Agreement and his executive order encourages domestic energy exploration and the elimination of the electric vehicle mandate. Meanwhile, the EU looks to boost its global tech and clean energy position with a new strategic business initiative.

Greenbank’s 2025 action plan highlights our programme of thematic engagement, which is divided into priority and secondary groupings. Our priority themes for 2025 are climate change, nature, and human rights, and our secondary themes include health, workforce, circular economy, and animal welfare.

Dominated by elections, 2024 brought the first Labour Party budget in 14 years in the UK and a landslide victory for the Republican Party in the US elections. Global inflation struggled to slow, and in equity markets, the US led the way once again with the ‘Magnificent 7’. Looking ahead to 2025, systemic risks around climate change, inequality, biodiversity loss and ill-health remain unresolved, guiding Greenbank’s 2025 engagement work to three key topics: climate, nature and human rights.

Deputy head of Greenbank Nicola Day, shares her insights as COP29 concludes and the pathway to COP30 begins.

What role does the Investor Coalition on Food Policy play to promote health and resilience?

Failure to agree binding commitments at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan was followed by an inability to agree a legally binding global treaty on terrestrial and marine plastic pollution in Busan, South Korea. There was better news from world leaders in reaching agreement on targets to accelerate action on antimicrobial resistance.

Congratulations to Greenbank’s Stewardship and Engagement Lead Sophie Lawrence who won the award for ‘Sustainable and ESG Investment Woman of the Year (small to medium firms)’ at the 2024 Investment Week Women in Investment Awards.