Cool Effect’s Post

Some great ways to help make your 2024 a year of impactful climate action!

Nature-based solutions can play a significant role in combating climate change by removing excess carbon dioxide from the atmosphere; yet, investments in reforestation and other nature-based projects are lagging due, in large part, to inadequate quantification and confirmation of carbon removals and other ecosystem benefits that typically flow from nature-based investments—including increased resilience to climate impacts, according to a new report from Stanford Law School’s Law and Policy Lab, the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability, and the Bezos Earth Fund. SLS Professor and report faculty lead David J. Hayes commented, “Policymakers and investors are looking for proof that nature-based solutions can deliver measurable and verifiable carbon emissions reductions and removals—and they are not getting it...". The “Investing in Nature to Fight Climate Change and Help Communities Thrive” report lays out a game plan for fixing current measurement and monitoring deficiencies for nature-based solutions, building on the White House’s release of its National Strategy to Advance an Integrated U.S. Greenhouse Gas Measurement, Monitoring & Information System. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/gGYASMKc

Essential Watching! Dive into the captivating University of Oxford's great carbon market debate and explore the question: Is it over for offsetting? Don't miss this thought-provoking discussion that delves deep into the complexities of carbon markets and offsetting. Watch now to gain valuable insights and perspectives on the future of climate action. Join the conversation and broaden your understanding of crucial environmental issues. Click the link to watch the debate: https://lnkd.in/ecn-Za-x #EssentialWatching #CarbonMarket #ClimateAction #OxfordUniversity #Debate #Offsetting #EnvironmentalIssues

In a recent video, Paul Drummond, Climate and Environment Research Lead, highlights three critical takeaways from his trip to New York: 1️⃣ Methane emissions remain in focus: Why cutting-edge satellite monitoring of global methane emissions has the potential to revolutionise how companies and investors manage emissions. 2️⃣ The maturation of voluntary carbon markets: Despite previous setbacks, carbon credits could be poised to evolve into a more sophisticated market as companies increasingly seek to offset challenging emissions in their operations and supply chains, while avoiding accusations of greenwashing. 3️⃣ Shedding light on the theme of adaptation: Exploring the previously overlooked concept of adapting to the physical risks and impacts of climate change, which has been a significant focus in Climate Week conversations and is expected to gain more prominence in 2025. #newyorkclimateweek #greenwheel For professional investors. No investment strategy or risk management technique can guarantee returns or eliminate risks in any market environment.

Delve into the intricate world of carbon pricing, where economics meets environmental stewardship. This comprehensive guide navigates the complexities, illuminating key trends and strategies in the global battle against climate change. Explore the evolving landscape of carbon markets, from innovative policies to emerging technologies reshaping our approach to sustainability. Gain insights into the economic incentives driving green investments and the transformative potential of pricing carbon emissions. #CarbonNeutralWorld #SustainableEnviornment #PlasticCredits

".....the climate finance gap cannot be filled without drastic increases in private capital, which some estimates suggest will need to account for at least  $2.61 trillion per year (WRI)" The VCM (voluntary carbon market) amounted to a bit over $2bn (0.08% of the capital needed). Even if corporate offsetting grew 20x it would still be a tiny fraction of the total need for investment in climate action. And please let me remind you, the nature based solutions portion of the VCM delivers many more benefits than just carbon: water security, food security, biodiversity, ecosystem integrity, livelihood and culture. Each of these ecosystem services are each extremely valuable in their own right (we just happen to be terrible at pricing them!). We can.....no....we must grow the NBS portion of carbon markets 100x (that will then provide 10% of the total needed. Remember, a large portion of emissions (close to 30%) comes from degradation and deforestation - stopping this is more important than reducing emissions from a factory. And when it comes to emissions from human activity, just because you outsource the cleaning of your office to a cleaning firm, it does not mean there is no cleaning going on. It means that there is efficiency in the system. Economic activity will always have some emissions (a lot of emissions, for some sectors for decades to come, actually). We have specialist firms, which deliver climate action, at scale, to compensate, at planetary level.

“Many companies set their goals without realising how much work it would be to meet them, <…> likening it to the feel-good effect of buying a puppy at Christmas” Ouch… For a topic with such fundamental societal and environmental impact, I would like to think (hope?) that a bit more due diligence goes into committing serious amounts of capital & effort - corporate boardroom & government chamber alike? The kind of reversals & departures illustrated in this Financial Times article are detrimental to both the feasibility and the legitimacy of effective Climate policy.

What are the most effective ways to talk about the link between extreme weather and climate change? How can businesses, in the U.S. and globally, advance climate justice? Is it possible to remake our global trading system so that it becomes a significant driver of sustainability? These are some of the topics that will be explored at panel discussions organized by #YSE as part of a #ClimateWeekNYC program series hosted by Yale Planetary Solutions. https://yse.to/gd #YaleAtClimateWeek

Today is #EarthDay - marked on 22nd April since 1970 to demonstrate support for environmental protection. It's a great reminder that our world is too small for us to be able to dump our trash without consequence. This year the focus is on microplastics - it was University of Newcastle that first published research a few years ago that showed that we each eat about a credit card's worth of plastic each week, embedded in our food. More recently, others have shown that the situation is even worse, with things like bottled water packed with microplastics. This week also sees the US Climate Action Summit taking place in Washington DC. The US (and Europe, for that matter) has lagged China by a long way in investing in renewable energy and industrial decarbonisation - two massively important levers in *reducing* operating costs for many businesses over the medium to longer term, whilst simultaneously creating new employment opportunities in the near term. America's Inflation Reduction Act has had a huge impact on activity here in the USA - and the underlying politics mean that this legislation is very likely here to stay irrespective of the outcome of the election. Anyone that knows us will appreciate that our primary focus is catalysing investment - after all, projects must be built and commissioned to have an impact - so follow us for details of the most excting initiatives we're seeing in the US and around the world. Meanwhile, for those interested in the Climate Action Summit, more details below. #Climate #impact #sustainability #Economics #Costsaving #Renewables #Energy #Microplastics https://lnkd.in/e8wHdngE

The counterpoint to greenwashing is “greenhushing” - where companies are doing good work on sustainability but don’t talk about it because they’re afraid of triggering a backlash. The result is that sustainable investors are deprived of relevant - dare I say material? - information that they are entitled to when making investment decisions. If you’re not busy today at 11 am, come listen as Green Impact Exchange hosts an engaging conversation about this and other challenges to sustainable investing, and how and why people are pushing back against the pushback on sustainability. #ClimateWeekNYC #sustainabilty #sustainableinvesting