All climate change articles – Page 7
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NewsTPR to tighten supervision to steer schemes’ climate response
The Pensions Regulator is aiming to set “clear expectations” of what it wants to see from pension schemes, while increasing supervision ahead of the new requirements to comply with environmental, social and governance legislation under the Pension Schemes Act 2021.
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NewsSchemes enable more CO2 than entire UK carbon footprint
ESG spotlight:A roundup of the latest news on environmental, social and governance initiatives, including analysis showing the UK’s pensions market would be in the top 20 global carbon emitters if it was a country, and a study concluding that less than 1 per cent of fund assets are Paris-aligned.
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NewsCushon launches new private markets investment strategy
On the go: Master trust Cushon has launched a new investment strategy that will see a 15 per cent allocation to private markets, in an attempt to “reduce investment risk”.
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NewsTrustee body calls for FCA action on manager voting policies
On the go: The Association of Member Nominated Trustees has called for regulatory action from the Financial Conduct Authority after a review found that a majority of fund managers “promise no meaningful action” in their climate change voting policies.
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NewsDWP tells schemes to prioritise stewardship
Pension schemes may see the end of stewardship ‘box-ticking’ under new proposals brought forward by the Department for Work and Pensions.
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NewsLGPS must consider net-zero impact to avoid social downturn, MPs say
MPs have called on Local Government Pension Scheme funds to mitigate the economic and social risks that a shift to a net-zero economy may have on the communities most affected by the green transition, averting a repeat of the mistakes made during the downturn of industry in the 1980s.
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NewsGreen finance roadmap still missing key details
The government has published its “roadmap to sustainable investing”, laying out a number of new reporting requirements. However, some experts have warned that the plan does not go far enough to make a real difference.
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NewsNest invests in UK solar farm
On the go: Master trust Nest has acquired a solar farm in Reading through its partnership with Octopus Renewables, meaning that one in three of the UK’s workforce is invested in the site.
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NewsAction needed to bolster TCFD uptake despite growing support
On the go: The rate of climate-related financial disclosures has increased more in the past year than in any previous year, the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures has reported, but warned that “significant work” remains.
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NewsPLSA publishes ESG case studies, TPP excludes 150 companies
ESG spotlight: A roundup of the latest news on environmental, social and governance initiatives, including the launch of practical case studies to help schemes achieve climate goals, and The People’s Pension divesting £226m from companies that failed to meet standards.
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PodcastsPodcast: Schemes’ trustees cannot ignore social factors risks
Podcast: Climate change and environmental issues are front of mind for many pension schemes right now, but with the Covid-19 pandemic highlighting social inequalities at home and abroad, the social aspects of ESG investment cannot be ignored. For this episode of the Pensions Expert podcast, we talk to Stefan Lundbergh, director at Cardano, and John Howchin, secretary-general of the Council on Ethics for Sweden’s national pension funds, about why socially aware investing is so important for pension funds of all sizes — and how trustees can go about taking action.
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NewsSmart: Trust is key to ensure TPR’s powers are applied fairly
On the go: Member-nominated trustees have “nothing to fear” from the Pensions Regulator’s newly introduced criminal sanctions, chair Sarah Smart told the Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association’s annual conference.
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NewsClimate awareness now ‘business as usual’ for schemes, Aon says
On the go: Managing climate change is now “business as usual” for pension funds, while other factors surrounding political instability have diminished in importance, Tim Manuel, co-head of responsible investment at Aon, told the Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association’s annual conference.
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NewsAdaption: How schemes can tackle climate and social issues together
As the COP26 conference draws near, the summit’s theme of ‘adaptation’ has raised questions around how schemes can align their environmental and societal commitments to protect the planet’s ecology and communities.
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NewsOpperman lauds ‘transformational’ climate requirements
Pensions minister Guy Opperman has lauded the government’s “utterly transformational” approach to climate reporting requirements, while promising legislation on “simpler statements” and the “statements season” in the near future.
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NewsPPF 7800 surplus jumps £25bn in September
On the go: The latest update of the PPF 7800 Index shows the aggregate surplus of the 5,318 defined benefit schemes measured jumped by more than £25bn to £108.8bn at the end of September, up from £83.2bn at the end of August.
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NewsMost pension schemes falling short on climate commitments
On the go: An overwhelming number of large UK pension schemes are yet to make net-zero commitments ahead of the COP26 summit, pensions campaign group Make My Money Matter has revealed.
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News‘Greenium’ concerns remain around second green gilts issuance
On the go: The second issuance of the government’s green gilts is expected on October 18. While the first issuance was significantly oversubscribed, concerns about the “greenium” have deterred some pension schemes from investing.
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NewsNew index fund aims to help schemes build Paris-aligned portfolios
On the go: Willis Towers Watson has teamed up with index provider Qontigo to launch the Stoxx Willis Towers Watson Climate Transition Indices, which they say will enable investors to address climate risks in their portfolios with a forward-looking evaluation of Paris-aligned equity valuations.
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NewsPodcast: Mandating net zero could ‘cut straight through’ fiduciary duties
Podcast: The government mandating default funds be aligned with ‘net zero’ would be a way around concerns about fiduciary responsibility, but there are questions about what this would mean in practice. Stuart O’Brien, partner at Sackers, and Gareth Stears, pensions technical consultant at Aries Insight, discuss environmental, social and governance issues, social housing, and the Pensions Regulator’s controversial criminal powers.