On December 15, US bank Goldman Sachs announced what many believe to be the strongest restrictions on fossil-fuel activity by any major bank in the United States. Most notably, the bank has become the first big American lender to restrict financing on any part of the oil-and-gas sector, with a particular focus on protecting the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
Fossil fuels have been the mainstay of energy generation for decades, but the move away from carbon-based, nonrenewable fuels is being driven by concerned citizens and governments, although nations are falling short of targets. There will be winners and losers during the transition to a carbon-neutral world economy, and investment-portfolio managers want to be in the winners’ group. What are the climate-change, carbon-transition risks that portfolio managers need to consider?
At the end of July, JPMorgan Chase revealed its plans to facilitate $200 billion in clean-energy financing through 2025. The announcement follows on from similar promises made back in 2015
The Paris Agreement, signed by nearly 200 countries just a few months ago, marks a significant global shift away from investment in fossil fuels to renewable energy. 2015 was a banner year for the development of clean energy; although the pace has slackened somewhat in 2016, financial heavyweights continue to grow their “green” investments.
The Paris Agreement has been touted as the antidote to global warming; with countries agreeing to jointly reduce greenhouse-gas emissions, climate change will be dealt a severe blow. But the success of the treaty rests largely with individual nations and how successful they are in implementing policies for the short- and long-term.