Eco-Business

ANZ, Commonwealth Bank, NAB, and Westpac loaned US$2.43 billion to finance fossil fuel projects last year, despite having committed to global climate goals. Most of the loans fall under general-purpose corporate lending and bonds, which are harder to track than direct project loans.

Decisive action and renewed cooperation are critical to successful progress on international efforts to mitigate climate change, writes Zerin Osho.

The country’s constitutional court is examining whether government inaction on climate change violates citizens’ rights. Could it set a precedent?

Land cleared to make way for palm oil in Indonesia

Alleged environmental and human rights violations by Indonesia’s second-largest palm oil producer implicate multinationals including Unilever, Olam, BlackRock and Jardine Matheson. The allegations come amid Indonesia’s push for better governance over its palm oil industry, which is the world’s largest. AAL denies any wrongdoing.

Thomson Reuters Foundation

By Molly Lempriere

By Hannah Alcoseba Fernandez

By Gabrielle See

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It could be more effective as a strategy, as compared to divestment. Southeast Asia is already feeling the effects of climate change and needs strategic and effective action by investors. By Mark Konyn

In Asian universities, students often have little say about what happens on campus. As student divestment groups in the region gain momentum, it’s time for universities to listen to what their students have to say about issues that will affect their future. By Sonia Sambhi

Despite the increasing urgency of the climate crisis, many of the world’s most powerful financial actors have continued to invest in the fossil-fuel industry. But a new trend in the law is forcing institutional investors to decarbonise their portfolios – or be held legally accountable. By Bevis Longstreth and Connor Chung

Bangui Wind Farm in Bangui, Ilocos Norte, Philippines

With the urgency of the climate crisis becoming clearer by the day, governments and multilateral lenders must end public financing for fossil fuels and increase their support for renewables as soon as possible. This year's United Nations climate-change conference offers the perfect opportunity to lock in such commitments. By Werner Hoyer and John Murton

By Pius Ginting and Ho Xiang Tian

Policy & Finance

Show your stripes

By Arabesque

By Nora Sausmikat and Katrin Ganswindt

By Nancy Birdsall and Brian Webster

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Pension funds are some of the world's largest investors—holding trillions in assets—billions of which are pumped into fossil fuel companies like Shell, BP, and Total.

In the video, environmental law group ClientEarth compares the oil and gas giant's advertisements on its low-carbon investments to a burger chain claiming that they’re vegan because they’ve got salad on the menu.

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The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas assistant governor tells the Eco-Business Podcast about the regulator’s maiden sustainability report that features an empirical study of climate impacts on banks as well as the nation’s first taxonomy.

Exclusive The world's largest asset manager says it has put sustainability at the core of its investment approach. Eco-Business speaks to Shinbo Won, BlackRock's investment stewardship director in Singapore about what this means for investors, and how companies are responding to increased ESG pressure.

People using ATM machines in Singapore. Image: Robin Hicks/Eco-Business

Fossil fuels, tobacco, weapons—our banks could be spending our money on things we don't want them to. Eco-Business talks to finance expert Mayur Singh about why consumers in Asia should asking banks how they spend their money.

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