NYSE Euronext has launched the first of a family of clean energy equity indexes, which it claims will help investors make more targeted investments in the sector.

Index provider Stoxx is in talks to launch exchange-traded funds (ETFs) based on its most recent environmental, social and governance (ESG) index family, which is weighted by sustainability rather than traditional measures of stock liquidity.

S&P Indices is to calculate an index tracking the performance of listed green businesses for a subsidiary of environment group WWF, the Living Planet Fund (LPF).

Demand from investors wanting a larger investment universe has led to an expansion of the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) family.

The California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) is investing $500 million in an environmental strategy based on HSBC’s Global Climate Change Benchmark Index.

Exchange group Nasdaq OMX has launched a series of indexes designed to offer investors global exposure to the “green economy”.

The climate investment theme is badly underperforming global equities, according to banking giant HSBC.

Blue chip companies in Sweden and France are still the leaders on reporting environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues – but a report by GES Investment Services shows that firms in eastern Europe are catching up.

US investment analysis and index company MSCI has formally adopted the environmental, social and governance (ESG) indexes developed by KLD Research & Analytics, after it acquired the business this year.

Dow Jones is to calculate, market and distribute a European sustainability index for SAM, after the boutique sustainability investment firm “amicably” terminated its agreement with STOXX.

Two new carbon risk indexes aim to highlight the low-carbon economy’s corporate “winners and losers” and improve carbon risk integration.

Russell Investments is collaborating with climate risk analysis firm RepuTex to develop an environmental index series.

A first-of-its-kind index tracking Chinese low-carbon businesses has been launched by the China Beijing Environmental Exchange (CBEEX) and clean-tech investor VantagePoint Partners.

Green rankings and indexes measuring sustainability efforts can be useful, sustainability experts said, but the proliferation of these efforts runs the risk of overwhelming consumers and investors with too much, often contradictory, information.

Risk analysis firm Maplecroft has launched a family of indexes to track climate-related innovation and carbon management at some of the biggest companies in the US.

The first environmental, social and governance (ESG) index of Middle Eastern and North African companies is due to be launched later this year – two years after it was first announced.

UK bank RBS has launched an equity index that will track socially responsible companies in emerging markets – and will shortly launch two products based upon it.