The European Central Bank (ECB) plans to expand its climate factor framework for collateral to eligible loans to non-financial corporations. Previously applied only to corporate bonds, the scheme adjusts the valuation of banks’ pledged assets according to climate transition risks. Stemming from last year’s Eurosystem balance sheet climate stress tests, the revised mechanism generates an asset-level uncertainty score based on sectoral climate stressors, debtors’ transition risk exposure and residual...

In 2026, global mining and metals giant Rio Tinto signed a five-year bio-pellet offtake agreement with Australian renewable biomass charcoal firm SuperChar. Scheduled for delivery starting in 2028, the locally produced bio-pellets will be trialled as a coal substitute at Rio Tinto’s alumina refineries in Gladstone, supporting the company’s climate targets of cutting Scope 1 and 2 operational emissions by 50% by 2030 and achieving net zero emissions by 2050.Building on previous operational trials...

Renewable IPP MN8 announced a cash-and-equity deal worth up to around $375 million to acquire peer Greenbacker Renewable Energy. The merger will create one of America’s top three clean power platforms with over 6 GW of operational and under-construction renewable capacity spanning 33 states, enhanced geographic coverage across the Midwest and Northeast, and a broader technology portfolio including wind, solar and battery storage. Supported by roughly 94% contracted capacity and a 9.3 GW pro forma...

California Air Resources Board (CARB) unveiled proposals under California’s SB 253 climate reporting rule at a public workshop. In response to industry concerns over compliance costs and data accessibility, CARB plans to mandate initial Scope 3 emissions disclosure for only five core value chain categories starting in 2027, with the remaining ten categories voluntary. It also proposes limited assurance for Scope 1 and 2 reports from 2027 under recognised standards and confirms insurance firms will...

A coalition of 19 U.S. state attorneys general seeks to join litigation against the U.S. Department of Defense and Secretary Pete Hegseth. They allege the DoD unlawfully halted mandatory national security reviews for over 100 wind projects totaling nearly 30 GW, effectively stalling development as part of the Trump administration’s crackdown on wind energy. The administration previously issued a suspended presidential order to block wind approvals and recently paused offshore wind leases while incentivizing...

Constellation Technology Ventures, the venture capital arm of U.S. nuclear power firm Constellation Energy, has announced a strategic equity investment in modular nuclear power plant developer Blue Energy. This marks Constellation’s first investment in a U.S.-based small modular reactor (SMR) developer and will support the rollout of advanced nuclear technologies across the United States. Founded in 2023, Blue Energy delivers turnkey nuclear power plant solutions compatible with mainstream reactor...

Amid being listed by the U.S. USTR among 54 economies failing to effectively ban forced-labour goods imports and facing a threatened 12.5% import tariff, alongside Canada also moving to tighten relevant laws after the same report, the Australian Government plans to overhaul its modern slavery legislation: it will create a new criminal offence for large corporations with consolidated annual revenue exceeding A$100 million that fail to curb modern slavery in supply chains, with a legal defence for...

This article discusses that private equity GPs are facing growing pressure from regulators and LPs to quantify ESG’s financial value, instead of only relying on qualitative narratives. While ESG measures can effectively cut costs, stabilize revenue, mitigate operational and reputational risks, and boost corporate valuation and exit returns, most firms struggle with accurate financial attribution. The industry currently adopts two complementary measurement approaches: a bottom-up method that links...

Delta Air Lines signed a five-year sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) supply deal with Shell Aviation to boost SAF provision and supporting refueling infrastructure at five major U.S. airports including LAX, JFK and BOS. Built on their long-standing fuel partnership, the agreement covers blended and pure SAF supply, builds nationwide logistics & distribution systems for stable delivery, and jointly researches next-generation SAF technologies such as alcohol-to-jet and power-to-liquid fuels to expand...

The European Commission has released its long-awaited review of the EU ETS carbon pricing system, rolling out a suite of balanced reforms: to ease industrial cost pressures amid high energy prices triggered by geopolitical conflicts, it will lower the annual emissions cap reduction rate (Linear Reduction Factor) from 2031, extend free carbon allowance distribution to 2038 for CBAM-covered industries and prolong allowance supply into the 2040s; it will also integrate 250 million tonnes of domestic...