Environmental

Climate Bonds Initiative proposes green property standards

RACHEL ALEMBAKIS  |  FRIDAY, 20 JUN 2014  |  NEWS
The Climate Bond Green Property Working Group has issued proposed standards defining which buildings can be used as the basis for certified climate bonds.

ARENA invests in Sunverge Energy via venture capital fund

RACHEL ALEMBAKIS  |  FRIDAY, 20 JUN 2014  |  NEWS
The Southern Cross Renewable Energy Fund has made an AU$7.6 million investment in Sunverge Energy, a company that is developing a simple, cost-effective solar energy storage solution.

CFI a source of economic opportunity for Indigenous groups

RACHEL ALEMBAKIS  |  FRIDAY, 13 JUN 2014  |  NEWS
The Carbon Farming Initiative (CFI) has offered opportunities for income generation for carbon abatement and sequestration activities for a number of entities, including Indigenous groups. One of the earliest methodologies approved under the CFI certified ...

Farmland attractive to super funds, but liquidity a concern

RACHEL ALEMBAKIS  |  FRIDAY, 13 JUN 2014  |  NEWS
Long-term investors such as superannuation funds are "potentially great partners" to invest in farmland, but illiquidity concerns are one barrier to investment, according to Gordon Noble, senior portfolio analyst and regional strategist at Inflection ...

CEFC provides finance to New Energy Corporation

RACHEL ALEMBAKIS  |  WEDNESDAY, 11 JUN 2014  |  NEWS
The Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) will provide up to AU$50 million in senior debt finance for the development of Western Australian waste-to-gas facilities by New Energy Corporation (New Energy).

Natural Carbon announces Cape York CFI project

RACHEL ALEMBAKIS  |  FRIDAY, 6 JUN 2014  |  NEWS
Natural Carbon, Pormpuraaw Aboriginal Shire Council and Olkola Aboriginal Corporation will undertake savannah burning on 13,000 square kilometres in Cape York, a Carbon Farming Initiative (CFI)-compliant project.

PRI coalition calls for improved palm oil practices

RACHEL ALEMBAKIS  |  WEDNESDAY, 4 JUN 2014  |  NEWS
A coalition of signatories to the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) has called on palm oil producers to improve practices with the aim of "decoupling palm oil production from deforestation."

AMP Capital lists fossil fuel exclusions for RIL funds

RACHEL ALEMBAKIS  |  FRIDAY, 30 MAY 2014  |  NEWS
AMP Capital has developed a list of companies exposed to the most emissions-intensive fossil fuels that they will exclude from their Responsible Investment Leaders (RIL) funds range.

KPMG finds companies invest $12.2bn in social programs

RACHEL ALEMBAKIS  |  FRIDAY, 30 MAY 2014  |  NEWS
One hundred of the world's largest companies made investments in social programs valued at US$12.2 billion in 2013, but less than a third of those companies are reporting on the impact of those investments, according to a new global report by KPMG International.

Westpac reports progress on sustainability targets

RACHEL ALEMBAKIS  |  FRIDAY, 30 MAY 2014  |  NEWS
Westpac has revealed progress on its sustainability strategy and is conducting a review of its environmental, social and governance (ESG) risk framework, a biennial process that is considered a "refresh", said Siobhan Toohill, head of group sustainability ...