IGCC News

CEFC to increase low carbon investment opportunities and build investor confidence

IGCC Secretariat — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 19:39:02 GMT

The Investor Group on Climate Change (IGCC) today welcomed the release of the CEFC report and said the CEFC will increase the number of low carbon investment opportunities in Australia and attract new private investment to the sector.

The CEFC will help overcome the barriers to investment in renewable energy and low carbon technologies that have limited the flow of funds from private investors in these areas to date.

For IGCC members, CEFC will contribute to a more diverse and competitive investment environment in Australia in future, allowing the opportunity to invest in profitable, local, low-‐carbon assets.

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GLOBAL INVESTOR SURVEY TO FOCUS ON LOW-CARBON INVESTMENTS

IGCC Secretariat — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 20:18:35 GMT

London / Boston / Sydney, 22 February 2012 – The 2012 Global Investor Survey on Climate Change has now been launched.

Now in its second year, the survey examines how institutional investors are responding to climate change risks in their portfolios by assessing investment strategies, policies, company engagement practices and importantly, investment decisions.

New in 2012 will be a comprehensive assessment of low-carbon investments. The survey will examine investment in carbon markets, energy and water infrastructure, energy efficient assets (including real estate assets) and technologies, sustainable agriculture / forestry and emission sequestration.

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Climate Bond Standard released, open for business; Goal to Assure Integrity of Green Claims for Investors, Governments

IGCC Secretariat — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 12:01:50 GMT

LONDON, 24 November 2011 – The Climate Bonds Initiative today released the final approved text of the prototype Climate Bond Standard.

The Standard will be a screening tool for investors and governments to support investment in delivering a Low Carbon Economy. Bonds complying with the Standard will be certified as ‘Climate Bonds’undefined a mark that assures their contribution to the delivery of a Low Carbon Economy. In its first iteration, the released version lists wind energy investments currently eligible with an expansion to solar energy and other renewable energy investments to follow in the coming months.

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New analysis reveals water management trails climate change on the boardroom agenda, despite significant near-term risk and opportunity

IGCC Secretariat — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 04:12:05 GMT

The Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) Water Disclosure global report launched today finds that 57% of the 190 publicly listed organizations that participated in the survey report board-level oversight of water policies, strategies, or plans. By comparison, a report released by CDP in September 2011 showed that 94% of Global 500 companies report board-level oversight of climate change, suggesting that corporate understanding of water as a business concern trails that of climate change. This is surprising, given that the majority of reported water-related risks and opportunities are recognized as near term.

Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited (DTTL), one of the principal sponsors of this project, supported CDP on analyzing the data and developing the contents of the report.

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Click here to download the report

Investors welcome carbon price and clean energy future

IGCC Secretariat — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 18:42:19 GMT

The Investor Group on Climate Change (IGCC) today welcomed the passage of the Clean Energy Future bills through the Senate and looks forward to greater regulatory certainty and investment opportunity.

Investors need a long term, transparent and certain regulatory framework to address carbon emission risks in their investment portfolios and the Clean Energy Future package provides it.

Chief Executives of IGCC member organisations made the following comments about passage of the Clean Energy Future package.

Click here to download a copy of the media release

Only 4% of top ASX200 & NZX50 responding companies reported carbon pricing as a high impact risk

IGCC Secretariat — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 11:26:16 GMT

Melbourne, Australia, 7 November 2011. Only 4% of ASX200 and NZX50 responding companies reported that carbon pricing was a high impact risk to their business, while overall 33% of responding companies rated the risk as medium or above according to the latest report from the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) written by Deloitte Australia.

The CDP Australia & NZ Report 2011 is the sixth annual assessment of climate change disclosures made by ASX200 and NZX50 companies to investors through the CDP. 50% (up from 47% last year) of companies on the ASX200 responded to the CDP questionnaire asking them to measure and disclose what climate change means for their business, while 42% (down from 46% in 2010) responded from the NZX50.

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Click here to download the CDP Australia & NZ Report 2011

WORLD’S LARGEST INVESTORS, WORTH $20 TRILLION STEP UP CALL FOR URGENT POLICY ACTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE

IGCC Secretariat — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 00:47:58 GMT

Doubling in Investor Support Seen For Climate Action

Geneva/London/New York/Melbourne, 19 October 2011 – Despite the global economic crisis, and increased market volatility, the world’s largest investors today urged governments and international policy makers to take new and meaningful steps in the fight against climate change.

In a joint statement the group of 285 investors representing more than $20 trillion in assets, stressed the urgent need for policy action which stimulates private sector investment into climate change solutions, creates jobs, and is essential for ensuring the long-term sustainability and stability of the world economic system.

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Click here to download a copy of the report

Click here to download a copy of the statement

Carbon price passage will end investor uncertainty

IGCC Secretariat — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 21:15:55 GMT

The Investor Group on Climate Change (IGCC), responsible for investments of $700 billion, today welcomes passage of the Carbon Price Bills through the House of Representatives.

"Today marks the beginning of certainty on carbon pricing and the end of the uncertainty that has delayed critical investment in Australian energy infrastructure," said Nathan Fabian, Chief Executive of the IGCC.

“For the first time, emissions costs and how to avoid them will move beyond theoretical discussion to actual investment decision-making,” Mr Fabian said.

Click here to download a copy of the media release

Establishment of the AIGCC

IGCC Secretariat — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 21:06:49 GMT

The Asia Investor Group on Climate Change (AIGCC) is being established by ASrIA with support from financial institutions across the region. ASrIA will serve as secretariat to the forum, and report to a Strategic Advisory Committee drawn from the asset owners involved.

While organisations similar to AIGCC exist elsewhere there has been no permanent facility for investors in the region. Asia is already affected by climate change and the impacts are forecast to become more severe.

AIGCC aims to help investors in Asia understand and take appropriate action on the risks and opportunities associated with climate change. Asset owners joining the group will benefit from some of the best analytical minds applied to Asia-specific research as well as insights from the global network of investor initiatives focused on climate change.

Click here to view the AIGCC website

Carbon Disclosure Project Global 500 report: Commercial interests driving greenhouse gas emissions reductions at world’s largest companies

IGCC Secretariat — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 14:06:27 GMT

Sydney, Australia, 14 September 2011. While Australia debates carbon pricing, the world’s largest listed companies are increasingly embracing climate change policies, a major global report has shown.

The 10th annual Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) Global 5001 report, which examines the carbon reduction activities of the world’s largest listed companies and is being released tonight, revealed that an in-‐depth analysis of 396 of the world’s largest companies2 shows that 68% have climate change at the heart of business strategies, up from 48% in 2010.

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Click here to download a copy of the report

Investors welcome prospect of certain carbon price framework

IGCC Secretariat — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 06:17:14 GMT

The Investor Group on Climate Change (IGCC), responsible for investments totalling $600 billion, welcomes the introduction of the Clean Energy Future Legislation into the Parliament and calls for timely passage of the bills.

Investors have been seeking a transparent, long-term emissions reduction policy in Australia for a decade and commend the Multi Party Climate Change Committee who worked on the Clean Energy Future bills for the certain policy framework they provide.

Click here to download a copy of the media release

Industry anti carbon price campaign deliberately misleading or mistaken: shareholders

IGCC Secretariat — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 01:08:35 GMT

The Investor Group on Climate Change (IGCC), responsible for investments totalling $600 billion, today expressed concern at the misleading anti carbon price campaign being run by a number of industry associations and supported by some of Australia’s largest companies.

The IGCC said that the campaign is either deliberately misleading about the costs of the carbon price or demonstrates a lack of understanding about how the scheme operates.

Click here to download a copy of the media release

"Australian investors welcome carbon price scheme"

IGCC Secretariat — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 14:20:30 GMT

The Investor Group on Climate Change (IGCC) today welcomed the announcement by the Government and Multi Party Climate Change Committee of the carbon price package.

“IGCC has consistently called for certainty and a market based scheme and today’s carbon price announcement delivers both.” IGCC CEO, Nathan Fabian said.

"This scheme gives the market a transparent carbon pricing framework for the long term.”

“We also wanted to see the transition to a flexible price locked in and it has been."

IGCC also welcomes the setting of a 2050 emissions reduction target and maintaining five years of notice on scheme caps on the path to that target. Another strong part of the package is the independent Climate Change Authority to advise on the trajectory and emissions reduction milestones.

Click here to download a copy of the media release

Investor Group on Climate Change Joins International Board Developing Standards for Climate Bonds

IGCC Secretariat — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 14:21:27 GMT

Goal to Assure Integrity of Green Claims for Investors, Governments

SYDNEY – Australia’s Investor Group on Climate Change (IGCC), representing institutional investors, with total funds under management of approximately $600 billion, today announced that it is joining the International Climate Bond Standards Board. The Standards Board is supervising a program to provide investors and governments an easy way to assess the integrity of environmental claims for green bonds.

IGCC CEO Nathan Fabian said "The transition to a low-carbon economy requires a wide range of energy and infrastructure investments. We are concerned that the investments being made are the right ones. Climate Bonds Standards will provide a simple tool for investors to screen the opportunities that come before them.”

“Our engagement with the Climate Bond Standards Board is about the investment community taking the lead in identifying appropriate investments.”

Click here to download a copy of the media release

Delaying a carbon price in Australia will cost investors and energy users more

IGCC Secretariat — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 19:02:59 GMT

New research commissioned by Investor Group on Climate Change (IGCC) and Catholic Super has found that delaying the start of a carbon price in Australia by four years would delay the switch from coal to gas; lock in $2.5bn of additional costs to investors and energy users; and cause wholesale electricity prices to average $6/MWh higher each year until 2030.

The research completed independently by economic modelling firm SKM/MMA compared the costs of meeting a -5% emissions reduction target with a carbon price starting in 2012 versus starting the carbon price in 2016.

“This report shows the longer Australia puts off the inevitable, the more it will cost Australian investors and energy users. The cost of the carbon price may not be certain, but what is certain is the cost of delay.” CEO of the IGCC, Nathan Fabian said.

Click here to download a copy of the media release
Click here to download a copy of the IGCC/Catholic Super Summary report
Click here to download a copy of the SKM/MMA research

Investors welcome 2012 carbon price

IGCC Secretariat — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 17:14:58 GMT

The Investor Group on Climate Change (IGCC) welcomes the decision by the Government and the Greens to commence carbon pricing from July 1, 2012.

Reducing emissions is a critical economic priority for Australia. Introducing a carbon price is the sensible, low‐cost approach to reducing Australia's emissions.

"We know that the longer we wait to price pollution the more it will cost, so agreement to start in 2012 is an important step,” said Chief Executive of the IGCC, Mr Nathan Fabian.

Click here to download a copy of the media release

Trillions of dollars at stake from climate change over next 20 years – collaborative study led by Mercer

IGCC Secretariat — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 15:44:31 GMT

Climate change could contribute as much as 10% to investment portfolio risk over the next 20 years.
Investors could benefit from increased allocation to infrastructure, real estate, private equity, agricultural land, timberland and sustainable assets.
Investment requirements in low carbon technology could be as high as USD5% trillion by 2030.
Institutional investors have numerous options for capitalising on opportunities and managing risks arising from climate change.

Click here to download a copy of the media release
Click here to download a copy of the report

WATER AND CARBON CONTINUE TO RISE AS INVESTMENT ISSUES

IGCC Secretariat — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 13:21:06 GMT

Water and carbon management are of rising importance to institutional investors, with a record number supporting the Carbon Disclosure Project’s (CDP) 2011 requests for climate change and water information sent this week to the world’s largest companies. This comes as external research from the US and New Zealand shows that, all other factors being equal, the greater a company’s greenhouse gas emissions the lower its stock value.

A global, independent, not-for-profit organisation, CDP is the world’s largest institutional investor collaboration working to inform the global market place on investment risk and commercial opportunity. CDP’s annual request for climate change data, now in its ninth year, was sent to over 4,800 listed companies on behalf of 551 institutional investors with US$71 trillion in assets. New investors include Prudential Investment Management and State Bank of India.

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GREENING THE SUPPLY CHAIN: BUSINESSES UNLOCK HIDDEN VALUE

IGCC Secretariat — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 14:46:58 GMT

~ Businesses now ‘walk the walk’- embedding sustainable practices into procurement yieldsbetter performance and return on investment ~

January 26, 2011 – London and New York: Businesses are now seeing a return on investment from embedding sustainable practices into the procurement function, indicating an emerging trend in supply chain engagement and collaboration. More than 50% of large businesses and 25% of their suppliers have seen cost savings as a result of carbon management activities.

That’s according to The Carbon Disclosure Project 2011 Supply Chain Report, produced by management consulting firm A.T. Kearney, which looks at climate change actions and performance of 57 of the leading global companies and 1,000 of their suppliers across a broad cross-section of industries.

Click here to download a copy of the media release
Click here to download a copy of the report

Investor groups representing US $14 Trillion unite on international investor survey of investment practices relating to climate change

IGCC Secretariat — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 13:55:53 GMT

Three major investor coalitions focused on climate change risks, the European Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change (IIGCC), the North American Investor Network on Climate Risk (INCR) and Australia/New Zealand Investor Group on Climate Change (IGCC) are launching an international survey of investment practices relating to climate change early in 2011.
Click here to download a copy of the media release