>> Back to March 2018 Issue Grand prize for biomimicry acceleration goes to Team NexLoop for AquaWeb, an innovative water capture system designed for use in urban food systems. By 2050, 9 billion people will live on our planet, and 70% of them will live in cities, creating a demand for sustainable local food
>> Back to March 2018 Issue The following is adapted from State of Green Business 2018, published in mid-January by GreenBiz in partnership with Trucost. Download the report. “Two degrees and the SDGs.” That’s the new sustainable business mantra. It rhymes. You can almost dance to it. The double-barrel impact of the Paris climate
In 2014, I predicted that \”Desert Greening is the Next Big Thing\”, and it would be led by sustainable green investors. Surprisingly I am still waiting for the shift from humanity’s single minded focus on traditional agricultural crops (glycophytes) that rely on the planet’s three percent of fresh water. Why such a slow transition to more sustainable, nutrient-richer, salt loving (halophyte) plant foods, such as quinoa? Because vested interests in the vast incumbent global agro-chemical industrial complex are as powerful and persistent as those in the worldwide fossilized sectors.
Consider these recent developments – California emerged from drought in 2017; fewer companies reported impacts associated with water scarcity; and the average freshwater intensity of companies in the MSCI ACWI Index dropped by 15 percent. While these are positive short term signals for investors concerned with water scarcity, 2017 was also the most costly in U.S. history for natural disasters. This underscored the thinking behind a key trend that MSCI ESG Research identified last year – institutional investors are shifting their portfolio analysis from the measurement of regulatory risks to physical risks.
Water is a systemic risk to investors, as in many parts of the United States and other areas of the world this precious resource is in danger. Investors and market players should be deepening their research and investment process to tackle water risks, often hidden in holdings across all asset classes. As investment advisors, how do we first protect our clients from these risks, and how do we position these same clients to benefit from the growth opportunities in companies that are providing innovative systems, products and services to solve water quantity, quality and resilience issues?
The protection of our shared environment is among government’s most fundamental responsibilities. In England, the Magna Carta included a powerful articulation of the principle that the commons of water, fisheries and woodland were not commodities to be bartered away, but the rightful property of all citizens.
>> Back to February 2018 Issue Over the past decade, the term sustainability has caught on in the boardroom, courtroom and living room. While the concept has reached the mainstream, opportunities abound for implementation. Ten trends to watch for and prepare in 2018: 1) Role of technology – Between smart grids, smart supply chains and
>> Back to February 2018 Issue We are pleased to announce that Pat Miguel Tomaino, Associate Director of Socially Responsible Investing at Zevin Asset Management LLC, has been honored in Bloomberg Businessweek’s inaugural Bloomberg 50 issue. The issue highlights 50 figures who have changed global business in 2017. Mr. Tomaino is featured as one of
>> Back to February 2018 Issue A quick guide to the minimums, fees, investment types and impact of leading online advisors for retail investors. As the socially responsible, ESG (environmental, social and governance), and impact investing[1] movements have gained steam, so has the number of companies offering products aligned with investors’ values Providing low-cost, low-effort
>> Back to February 2018 Issue What never grows old? The burning desire of youth to reinvent the world. That ambition and impatience is on full display in Forbes 2018 edition of the Forbes 30 Under 30, our annual encyclopedia of creative disruption featuring 600 young stars in 20 different industries. Selecting these youthful visionaries
