Investor Group on Climate Change News

IGCC welcomes CEFC investment mandate

Andrew Cox — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 22:32:26 GMT

The Investor Group on Climate Change, which represents institutional investors of over $900bn across the economy, welcomes the announcement of the investment mandate for the Clean Energy Finance Corporation.

The Clean Energy Finance Corporation is one important element of a comprehensive climate policy framework, which includes a carbon price to drive low cost abatement; a Renewable Energy Target to support energy generation; and, financing vehicles that seek to attract private capital to low carbon investments and build capacity in investment markets.

"Organisations like the CEFC can attract and support private sector interest in low carbon investment and address gaps in financial services markets," said Nathan Fabian, Chief Executive of the IGCC. “We think co-financing will quickly become a crucial part of the lowcarbon investment landscape.”

Click here to download a copy of the media release

New reports show increasing climate risks for investors

IGCC Secretariat — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 16:32:23 GMT

New IGCC reports by the Australian National University on the Mining and Minerals, Property and Construction and Oil and Gas sectors show increasing climate risks for investors. Reports also show that cost effective mitigation and adaptation opportunities are available.

At the Conference of Major Superannuation Funds yesterday in Brisbane, IGCC launched three new reports examining climate change risks and opportunities for investors in Australian industry sectors.

In a first for investors seeking to understand climate impacts, the reports combine comprehensive analysis of climate change risks and adaptation opportunities with energy and carbon risks and mitigation opportunities. The reports show that companies and their investors are already facing climate risks and that they will increase.

Click here to download a copy of the media release

Investors welcome support for renewable policy stability

IGCC Secretariat — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 19:24:53 GMT

The Investor Group on Climate Change (IGCC) today welcomed the Federal Government's decision to maintain the Renewable Energy Target at current 2020 levels. Maintaining the RET will support investor confidence in Australia's renewable energy infrastructure.

“Policy stability and predictability are key to maintaining investor confidence in renewable energy,” said Nathan Fabian, Chief Executive of the IGCC.

IGCC also welcomes Federal Government support for a later review of the RET in 2016. Investors see every policy review as risking a change in policy direction, so clear Government support for the current RET policy.

Click here to download a copy of the media release

First Global Investor Forum on Climate Change to take place in Hong Kong

IGCC Secretariat — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 18:43:16 GMT

The First Global Investor Forum on Climate Change on 13-14th June 2013 marks a historic moment in the growing efforts of the international investor community to address climate change. For the first time, members of the four international climate change investor groups, representing over US$20 trillion assets under management globally, will be present in one location, together with leading asset owners, insurance companies and institutional investors from across Asia.

GIC consists of four members: the Asia Investor Group on Climate Change (AIGCC), the Investor Group on Climate Change (IGCC), the Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change (IIGCC) and the Investor Network on Climate Risk (INCR) representing Asia, Australia/New Zealand, Europe and North America respectively.

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Investors welcome CCA support for policy stability

IGCC Secretariat — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 21:09:09 GMT

IGCC welcomes today's Climate Change Authority (CCA) Renewal Energy Target (RET) recommendations in favour of stability in Australia's low carbon policy regime.

“A stable RET, as part of a stable climate policy environment, is critical to support the allocation of investment capital to Australia's low carbon economic transition,” said Mr. Nathan Fabian, Chief Executive of the IGCC.

“By recommending maintenance of the 41,000 GWh large scale renewable target and reducing the frequency of future RET reviews, the CCA has avoided undermining the confidence of investors in the clean energy sector.”

Click here to download a copy of the media release

Modest Doha outcome in line with investor expectations

IGCC Secretariat — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 15:36:56 GMT

The Investor Group on Climate Change (IGCC) today noted the outcomes from the Doha climate talks as the achievement of an important set of procedural objectives and a modest step towards a more ambitious international agreement in 2015.

“While doing little to directly reduce climate risk to our investments, Doha’s modest outcomes are in line with investor expectations and support future international progress on climate change,” said Nathan Fabian, Chief Executive of the IGCC.

“The Doha outcome confirms that Australia is on the right track with its domestic climate change regulations and that any retrograde changes would be out of step with international progress.”

Click here to download a copy of the media release

WORLD’S LARGEST INVESTORS CALL FOR MORE DECISIVE ACTION BY GOVERNMENTS ON CLIMATE CHANGE

IGCC Secretariat — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 04:07:41 GMT

Representing trillions in assets under management, global investor groups issue open letter to governments in wake of US President Obama’s re-election and Chinese leadership change London/New York/Hong Kong/Sydney, November 20th 2012

Groups representing the world’s largest investors today published an open letter addressed to governments of the world’s largest economies calling for a new dialogue on climate change policy in order to avert dangerous climate change and its resulting economic impacts. The letter, announced ahead of international climate negotiations starting on 26th November in Doha calls for:

Clear, consistent and predictable policies that encourage low carbon investment;
knowledge sharing between governments on effective climate and clean energy policies, building on successful existing national and regional measures;
stronger international agreements that send clear market signals about the future of climate policy and reductions in greenhouse gas emissions

Click here to download a copy of the press release
Click here to download a copy of the letter

Linking carbon schemes improves predictability of pricing

IGCC Secretariat — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 13:31:55 GMT

The Investor Group on Climate Change (IGCC) welcomed today's announcement by the Government of a link between Australia's emissions trading scheme and the European emissions trading scheme (EU ETS).

Linking of the two carbon pricing schemes will create a more liquid market, will support price discovery and is expected to lower the cost of abatement in the long run.

While the medium term price curve for local companies is now less certain due to the removal of a price floor, linking with the EU ETS will provide a more predictable, longer dated price curve, which is an important input for investment decision making.

Click here to download a copy of the media release

6th episode of the UpSide Series with Tom Burke of E3G

IGCC Secretariat — Tue, 07 Aug 2012 15:35:16 GMT

How do you green Rio Tinto, one of Australia's largest industrial polluters? Katerina Kimmorley talks to Tom Burke of E3G.

5th episode of the UpSide series - Dr Cameron Hepburn

IGCC Secretariat — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 13:11:39 GMT

Will China cause or save the rest of the world from catastrophic climate change? Katerina Kimmorley talks to Dr Cameron Hepburn, Senior Research Fellow at the Grantham Institute.

05. The Upside – Dr Cameron Hepburn from Hunter Gatherer on Vimeo.

CLIMATE CHANGE INVESTOR GROUPS PUBLISH SECOND REPORT ON GLOBAL INVESTOR PRACTICES RELATING TO CLIMATE CHANGE

IGCC Secretariat — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 02:16:38 GMT

Majority of investors have boosted their commitment to addressing climate change; investors have started making changes to their investment strategies based on climate risk

The Australia/New Zealand Investor Group on Climate Change ("IGCC"), the North American Investor Network on Climate Risk ("INCR") and European Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change (“IIGCC”), have today jointly published a report detailing the investment practices of asset owners, such as superannuation funds and asset managers, such as primary fund managers towards climate change issues.

Conducted by Mercer, the report details the results of the second global survey of investment practices, based on survey responses from 42 asset owners and 51 asset managers with collective assets totalling more than $12 trillion. The survey sample is comprised mostly of member organisations of the three climate change investor groups.

Click here to download a copy of the media release
Click here to download a copy of the report

Investors see big picture on carbon pricing and welcome commencement

IGCC Secretariat — Sun, 01 Jul 2012 02:24:35 GMT

On the eve of the commencement of carbon pricing in Australia, institutional investors see the policy that will reduce emissions and redirect investment to low carbon alternatives as a necessary and positive economic reform.

“There are many benefits that institutional investors see in the current carbon pricing policy for Australia. They include the efficiency of using a cap on emissions and a price to reach Australia’s 2020 emissions reduction target and the fact that the policy framework can respond to the need for deeper emissions cuts in future,” said Chief Executive of the Investor Group on Climate Change, Nathan Fabian.

Click here to download a copy of the media release

1st episode of the UpSide series - Anthony Hobley

IGCC Secretariat — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 14:07:34 GMT

Katerina Kimmorley talks to Anthony Hobley, Global Head of Climate Change at Norton Rose, about how Australia has learned from the mistakes of the EU ETS, and what a carbon price will look like in Australia.

Global investors call for action on methane emissions from global gas industry

IGCC Secretariat — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 11:46:18 GMT

Sydney - June 14th 2012 - The European Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change (“IIGCC”), the North American Investor Network on Climate Risk (“INCR”) and the Australia/New Zealand Investor Group on Climate Change (“IGCC”) have today issued a joint statement calling on companies and governments to take effective action to minimise methane emissions from rapidly growing unconventional oil and gas production made possible by hydraulic fracturing.

Click here to download a copy of the media release

Click here to download a copy of the statement

CEFC to increase low carbon investment opportunities and build investor confidence

IGCC Secretariat — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 19:39:02 GMT

The Investor Group on Climate Change (IGCC) today welcomed the release of the CEFC report and said the CEFC will increase the number of low carbon investment opportunities in Australia and attract new private investment to the sector.

The CEFC will help overcome the barriers to investment in renewable energy and low carbon technologies that have limited the flow of funds from private investors in these areas to date.

For IGCC members, CEFC will contribute to a more diverse and competitive investment environment in Australia in future, allowing the opportunity to invest in profitable, local, low-‐carbon assets.

Click here to download a copy of the media release

GLOBAL INVESTOR SURVEY TO FOCUS ON LOW-CARBON INVESTMENTS

IGCC Secretariat — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 20:18:35 GMT

London / Boston / Sydney, 22 February 2012 – The 2012 Global Investor Survey on Climate Change has now been launched.

Now in its second year, the survey examines how institutional investors are responding to climate change risks in their portfolios by assessing investment strategies, policies, company engagement practices and importantly, investment decisions.

New in 2012 will be a comprehensive assessment of low-carbon investments. The survey will examine investment in carbon markets, energy and water infrastructure, energy efficient assets (including real estate assets) and technologies, sustainable agriculture / forestry and emission sequestration.

Click here to download a copy of the media release

Climate Bond Standard released, open for business; Goal to Assure Integrity of Green Claims for Investors, Governments

IGCC Secretariat — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 12:01:50 GMT

LONDON, 24 November 2011 – The Climate Bonds Initiative today released the final approved text of the prototype Climate Bond Standard.

The Standard will be a screening tool for investors and governments to support investment in delivering a Low Carbon Economy. Bonds complying with the Standard will be certified as ‘Climate Bonds’undefined a mark that assures their contribution to the delivery of a Low Carbon Economy. In its first iteration, the released version lists wind energy investments currently eligible with an expansion to solar energy and other renewable energy investments to follow in the coming months.

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New analysis reveals water management trails climate change on the boardroom agenda, despite significant near-term risk and opportunity

IGCC Secretariat — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 04:12:05 GMT

The Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) Water Disclosure global report launched today finds that 57% of the 190 publicly listed organizations that participated in the survey report board-level oversight of water policies, strategies, or plans. By comparison, a report released by CDP in September 2011 showed that 94% of Global 500 companies report board-level oversight of climate change, suggesting that corporate understanding of water as a business concern trails that of climate change. This is surprising, given that the majority of reported water-related risks and opportunities are recognized as near term.

Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited (DTTL), one of the principal sponsors of this project, supported CDP on analyzing the data and developing the contents of the report.

Click here to download a copy of the media release

Click here to download the report

Investors welcome carbon price and clean energy future

IGCC Secretariat — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 18:42:19 GMT

The Investor Group on Climate Change (IGCC) today welcomed the passage of the Clean Energy Future bills through the Senate and looks forward to greater regulatory certainty and investment opportunity.

Investors need a long term, transparent and certain regulatory framework to address carbon emission risks in their investment portfolios and the Clean Energy Future package provides it.

Chief Executives of IGCC member organisations made the following comments about passage of the Clean Energy Future package.

Click here to download a copy of the media release

Only 4% of top ASX200 & NZX50 responding companies reported carbon pricing as a high impact risk

IGCC Secretariat — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 11:26:16 GMT

Melbourne, Australia, 7 November 2011. Only 4% of ASX200 and NZX50 responding companies reported that carbon pricing was a high impact risk to their business, while overall 33% of responding companies rated the risk as medium or above according to the latest report from the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) written by Deloitte Australia.

The CDP Australia & NZ Report 2011 is the sixth annual assessment of climate change disclosures made by ASX200 and NZX50 companies to investors through the CDP. 50% (up from 47% last year) of companies on the ASX200 responded to the CDP questionnaire asking them to measure and disclose what climate change means for their business, while 42% (down from 46% in 2010) responded from the NZX50.

Click here to download a copy of the media release

Click here to download the CDP Australia & NZ Report 2011