News round-up: EU offshore wind push, muni green project fund, sovereign ESG data set ... and more
European Commission vice-president Frans Timmermans encouraged EU member states to use funds from the €750 billion Next Generation EU fund to make targeted investments in the space to "unlock the necessary private financial flows" to power the expansion.
Biodiversity impact measurement tool for investors to be created
Four French asset managers have issued a mandate to develop a tool to help investors integrate nature and biodiversity considerations into their decision making.
ISS ESG launches transition bond second party opinion service
ISS ESG has updated its second party opinion (SPO) methodology to support issuers of transition bonds ahead of guidance being published later in 2020.
Nippon Life to test impact investing waters with TPG investment
Nippon Life intends to invest this month in TPG's Rise Fund, as part of a plan to eventually invest JPY30 billion ($280 million), through its own strategy, into companies targeting a measurable positive social or environmental impact alongside financial returns.
Coronabonds webinar: Axa adopts 'flexible' approach as it invests heavily
Axa Investment Managers has tried not to be "too stringent" when assessing bonds issued in response to the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, as its total investment in so-called 'coronabonds' approaches half a billion euros.
Transition finance guidelines to be published 'by end of year'
A working group convened by the International Capital Market Association (ICMA) exploring the theme of 'climate transition finance' expects to publish guidelines by the end of the year, but stopped short of saying when a formal set of principles might be launched.
Sustainalytics launches transition bonds second-party opinion service
ESG data provider Sustainalytics has launched a transition bond second-party opinion service, the first of its kind in the rapidly evolving labeled bond market.
APG and Axa buy big in €60bn Covid-19 bond market
APG Asset Management has invested €554 million ($604 million) in 'Covid-19 bonds' in recent weeks, a market it estimated could already be as large as €60 billion.
ESG leaders more resilient during coronavirus downturn, says AXA IM
The shares and bonds of companies with higher environmental, social and governance (ESG) ratings have proved more resilient during the coronavirus market crash than their ESG laggard peers, according to research by Axa Investment Managers.
Boom time for green bond funds
Green bond funds reported sizeable assets growth in 2019, Ahren Lester explains, as the green bond market benefitted from rising market credibility and the arrival of ubiquitous corporate names.