Eco-Business

So-called 'debt-for-nature swaps' have regained prominence in recent years as part of efforts to raise finance for conservation efforts across biodiverse developing countries.

Environmental issues are subordinate to the strategic imperative of countering US influence. That could ultimately weaken the relationship amid shake-ups in global trade.

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.

Ant Group at Singapore Fintech Festival 2023

Aimed at banks with sizeable sustainability-linked loan books, International Capital Market Association’s latest guidelines for so-called sustainability-linked loan financing bonds seek to incentivise accountability for eligible loans.

By Robin Hicks

By Ng Wai Mun

By Robin Hicks

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SDGs Showcased on Billboards in Times Square, New York City

There are growing calls for more corporate disclosure, but if firms release sustainability reports just to meet the needs of external stakeholders, including regulators, it is unlikely to motivate internal changes to business operations. By Douglas Stuart and Irene Marie Herremans

Beyond investors, consumers should also be empowered to critically use sustainability reports to assess a company's sustainability credentials. Here are five steps they can take to start reading reports using GRI standards. By Hendri Yulius Wijaya

The pop superstar claims she can offset the immense carbon footprint of her private jet but the only way for the superrich to reduce their climate impact is to fly less and choose more sustainable forms of transport. By Benja Faecks and Eleanor Scott

Sportswear, athleisure and sneakers are big business. But they depend on fossil fuel-based materials, and recycling them is particularly tricky. By Alexandra Sherlock and Rebecca Van Amber

By Michael Skey

By Richard Black

By Christina Ng

By Robin Hicks

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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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A protest for climate justice in the Philippines

The new head of Japan and Southeast Asia for ClientEarth tells the Eco-Business Podcast how the law can be used to hold polluters to account in the world's biggest emitting region. She also says it's time the legal profession faced scrutiny for greenwashing.

Japan-based academic Kim Schumacher, who coined the term "competence greenwashing", believes that the pursuit of societal harmony might be standing in the way of Asia calling out greenwashing. He tells the Eco-Business Podcast how exaggerated ESG claims are likely to be tackled in 2023 and beyond.

Pretending to be an ESG guru while actually knowing little or nothing about environmental or social issues is known as competency greenwash

Former Monetary Authority of Singapore sustainability chief Darian McBain and recruiter Paddy Balfour tell the Eco-Business podcast why people are exaggerating their ESG expertise and why that's a problem in a key region for sustainable development.

Greenwashing has become a growing problem

Greenwashing has become a big problem for consumers, investors and regulators as brands spend millions on marketing their sustainability credentials. Eco-Business asked expert communicators Janissa Ng and James Lorenz why greenwashing is so dangerous, and what can be done to stop spin in sustainability communications.

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