Fixed on ESG

COP30 took place in Belém, Brazil, at the heart of the Amazon, setting the stage for high-stakes climate negotiations amid one of the planet's most critical ecosystems. This episode of Fixed on ESG examines the summit's defining outcomes: the formal acknowledgment that the 1.5°C target is no longer attainable without overshoot, debates over fossil fuel phase-outs, and the shifting balance of influence as emerging markets assert a s...

Access to medicine is a vital issue at the crossroads of global health issue, corporate responsibility, and ESG investing. Join us as we unpack barriers to equitable access, explore how pharmaceutical companies and ESG-focused investors are addressing these challenges, the emergence of patient reach is as a measure of progress,...

As the International Maritime Organization (IMO) presses to implement their groundbreaking Greenhouse Gas Fuel Intensity Standards across the shipping industry, we examine the scope and likely impacts of these net-zero regulations. Get our take on the credit implications to the industry—including progress on the transition to a...

EU ESG regulations significantly impact companies operating within the EU, necessitating precise actions and accountability. This episode of Fixed on ESG outlines the key institutions responsible for shaping EU ESG regulatio...

With climate-related events increasing in frequency and severity, we discuss the role of insurance in mitigating the economic and social risks. With a focus on the property and casualty insurance sector, learn about insurance's economic role, how insurers are adapting their strategies to protect against losses while offering coverage where it is needed, and the importance of risk mitigat...

This episode of Fixed on ESG unravels the perils of fast fashion, the environmental footprint, transparency challenges, and opportunities for innovation. We highlight the role of different stakeholders across the value chain in driving ch...

Often excluded from ESG portfolios on ethical grounds, the defence sector is at the forefront due to current geopolitical tensions. In this episode of Fixed on ESG, we consider whether defence companies should be included in ESG investments, the rising strategic importance of defence, investment barriers, and the potential for ESG-conscious investors to reconsider their exclusion policies.

PGIM Fixed Income's James Malone, CFA, ESG...

Investors are looking to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as one tool to help guide impactful investments. This episode of Fixed on ESG explores the role of the SDGs as a framework for identifying opportunities, SDG-relate...

Securitised credit is emerging as a key driver in financing the green transition, offering investors opportunities to support ESG initiatives without sacrificing return. This episode of Fixed on ESG navigates how securitisation helps fund green assets, the challenges of measuring financed emissions, and the evolving regulatory ...

Can green bonds—intended to drive sustainability—complicate emissions reporting? This episode of Fixed on ESG explores the complexities of green bonds and their reported emissions. We examine a proposal by the Partnership for Carbon Accounting Financials (PCAF) and highlight issues like vanishing emissions, unallocated proceeds...

With COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan now concluded, the conference ultimately delivered mixed results. In this episode of Fixed on ESG, we analyse the key takeaways from the event, including the geopolitical tensions, financial commitments, and growing Global North-South divide that influenced the outcomes. We also highlight under-th...

There are many top-down tools that attempt to model climate-related credit risks, but risks relating to the transition towards a low carbon economy often stem from complex regulation and hotly debated policy that are not easily captured in simplistic models. In this episode of Fixed on ESG, we focus on the EU autos sector as a ...

The past decade's explosive increase in digitalisation is forecast to continue exponentially in the coming years. This expansion of the digital economy is fueling the need for data centres. But data centre growth may see significant challenges given the large amounts of electricity they require. Uncertainty about how quickly th...

The rising cost of housing has brought into full view the need for more affordable housing solutions. Fannie Mae's new Mission Index aims to assist the housing market by enhancing transparency and supporting disadvantaged borrowe...

Debt-for-nature swaps have come to the forefront as a unique solution for both environmental conservation and debt alleviation. In this episode of Fixed on ESG, we are joined by The Nature Conservancy, an organization that's aided in structuring several of these types of instruments. Together, we examine their role in alleviating the post-pandemic debt surge in developing economies, the environmental benefits of these...

The aviation industry is under the sustainability microscope with recent estimates finding that it contributes to 6% of total global warming. This episode of Fixed on ESG explores the role of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) in mitigating aviation's environmental impact, the contrasting policy approaches in the U.S. and EU, and discusses the potential implications of SAF on ...

Tackling the intricacies of ESG investing in a warming world is a top challenge for today's investors. In the second half of this two-part series, we explore the practical application of temperature alignment in investment strate...

In the face of escalating climate challenges, temperature alignment is taking center stage and helping to reshape climate-conscious investment strategies. In the first of a two-part series, we delve deeper into this innovative to...

The vital role of biodiversity across social and economic dependencies has captured the attention of ESG investors. With biodiversity in focus and a surge of new datasets to inform investment considerations, we explore how biodiv...