Phil Preston
Japan's unfolding catastrophe shows just how unpredictable and beyond our control life can be. So why are so many investors still taking a ‘do nothing’ approach to climate risk?
The key message for investors from the Oscar-nominated film GasLand is that short-term gain from resource exploitation usually comes with a long-term impact on returns.
Those investors who wait for the impacts of climate change to be neatly quantified before factoring it into their decision-making will do so at their own peril.
To maximise its fundraising ability, a green investment bank should look beyond ethical funds and 'green' retail investors and issue bonds that fit the mainstream market. After all, that's where the real money is.
When Coal India listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange recently, the risk of a collapse in demand for coal was far from the minds of eager investors.
Renewable energy project development is one of the key planks in our response to climate change. But let’s be realistic about the role that private investment can, and will, play in this.
While the science is compelling, investment markets do not seem overly concerned about carbon risk. But are markets efficient? And if not, what does this mean for investors?
The release of new scientific data puts a startling end date on our fossil fuel burning activities, with major implications for investment returns.
Our super funds control an enormous amount of investment capital and yet they are dragging the chain when it comes to strategic investment issues like climate change.
The creation of a Green Investment Bank could be vital to Australia's transition to a low-carbon economy. But there are some key elements to get right if this is to be a serious option.
Recent fierce opposition to coal-seam gas projects has highlighted changes in stakeholder management. All boards, not only in resources, should take note of the new national mood.