Ahren Lester

Articles by Ahren Lester

  • Investors 'sick' of SFDR eating into sustainability innovation resource

    21 October 2024

    Investors are "sick" of the onerous EU reporting and disclosure regulation stifling their ability to invest in innovation around sustainable finance, attendees at last week's Environmental Finance Sustainability Data EMEA conference heard.

  • QNB issues 'first' blue bond in Turkiye

    21 October 2024

    QNB Türkiye has raised $125 million from a sustainable bond that includes a ground-breaking 'blue bond' tranche, becoming the first Turkish issuer to come to market with a sustainable water-focused deal.

  • HKMC issues largest social bond in Asia Pacific

    21 October 2024

    Hong Kong Mortgage Corporation (HKMC) has raised around $3 billion from its third social bond transaction, becoming the largest social bond deal in Asia Pacific to date.

  • Current scenario analysis 'not decision useful' for pension funds - for now

    18 October 2024

    High-level climate scenario analysis is not currently used by pension funds to inform investment decisions, an Environmental Finance event heard - but there are ways more focused and short-term scenarios that can be useful now and in the future.

  • Scope 3 emissions are 'Loch Ness monster of sustainability reporting'

    18 October 2024

    The low levels of Scope 3 emissions reporting despite its importance to investors for climate risk assessment has made it the "Loch Ness monster" of sustainability reporting, an Environmental Finance event has heard.

  • EthiFinance: EU ESG rating provider regulations 'not fair'

    18 October 2024

    The expected final EU regulation for environmental, social and governance (ESG) ratings providers is "not fair" - especially for mid-cap providers, sustainable finance rating and advisory firm EthiFinance told an Environmental Finance event.

  • ESG Data: 'Dream of common language will not be met without common translation'

    17 October 2024

    The dream of a "common language" on environmental, social and governance (ESG) reporting can only be achieved in practice if we accept the need for a "traveller's translation guide" for global investors as well, an Environmental Finance event has heard.

  • Sustainability regulation can 'force' investors away from 'niche' data providers

    17 October 2024

    Sustainable finance regulations effectively "force" investors to turn to "big" data providers over more "niche" providers, an Environmental Finance event has heard.

  • TTMB readies 'first' domestic social bond in Trinidad and Tobago

    16 October 2024

    Trinidad and Tobago Mortgage Bank (TTMB) is working on a potential TTD550 million ($80 million) social bond, believed to be the first in the local capital market of the Caribbean country.

  • Reykjavik Energy launches green bond auction

    16 October 2024