Michael Hurley

GPIF sustainability policy an 'important signal' for Asia-Pacific transition

The creation of a formal sustainable investment policy by Japan's $1.8 trillion Government Pension Investment Fund (GPIF) sets an important signal for shareholder advocacy in the Asia-Pacific region, according to the Asia Investor Group on Climate Change (AIGCC).

Investors set to demand change on BP climate stance at AGM

'Proxy voting is not dead'

This AGM season will reveal shareholders' climate resolve, writes Michael Hurley

NZBA ditches requirement to target 1.5°C alignment to give banks more 'flexibility'

The Net-Zero Banking Alliance (NZBA) has approved changes to its framework to no longer require targeting 1.5°C alignment - instead allowing members to choose from "a wider range of net-zero pathways ... to limit global temperature rise to 'well below 2°C' and to strive for 1.5°C".

Trump issues order to block US state climate action

Climate policy pendulum may bring near-term relief but longer-term pain, S&P says

Weakened climate-related policy in the US and Europe does not necessarily mean companies are exposed to less climate-related financial risk - with near-term relief tinged with the prospect of longer-term pain, according to credit ratings agency S&P.

Investor hesitation to back climate proposals leads shareholders to shelve resolutions

Shareholder group Follow This has, for the first time since 2016, abandoned plans to file a climate-related resolution with oil and gas majors, as it blamed "investor hesitation" to back such proposals on US attacks on shareholder democracy.

UKSIF pitches taskforce to study how ISSB can reduce pensions reporting burden

Regulators should sponsor an industry group to study how the sustainability-related "reporting burden" on UK pension schemes can be reduced in the transition to International Sustainability Board Standards (ISSB) reporting, an investor group said.

ESMA recommends cutbacks to ESG disclosures for benchmarks

Sustainability-related disclosures by providers of investment benchmarks should be cut to "reduce burden for administrators", the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has said.

Hostile environment in US for ESG sees 'sharp drop' in shareholder resolutions

A hostile political environment for sustainable investment in the US has led to a "sharp drop" in resolutions filed ahead of this year's annual shareholder meetings, according to non-profit As You Sow.