This week in ESG
Here’s what’s been making the headlines in the world of sustainability and responsible investing.
Key highlights
🧪 Global plastics talks collapse – hope for a global plastics deal have been dealt a blow. After three years of UN-led talks, negotiations collapsed when the US joined a small group of oil-producing nations in objecting to caps on plastic production and attempts to limit the release of toxic chemicals.
♀️ Gender pension gap closes – good news closer to home: new Department of Work and Pensions data shows that the average state pension received by men and women has almost closed – now sitting at just 1%. We're closing what’s historically been a big difference in favour of men.
Read more on why the gap matters in our article: Closing the female advice gap: why Financial Awareness Day matters more than ever.
✉️ Anti-ESG pushback in the US – 23 Republican US states published a letter to the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) threatening legal action, challenging its latest Net Zero target standards and their impact on the oil and gas sector.
🍃 Amazon invests in renewables – Amazon Web Services (AWS) signed a new 80-megawatt wind power deal to help meet growing demand in India. The project is set to begin operations by mid-2027.
📉 Setback for offshore wind leader – Danish renewables giant Ørsted saw its shares plummet after Trump issued a stop-work order on an almost-complete offshore wind farm near Rhode Island, citing national security concerns. The move is seen by some as political retaliation after Denmark agreed a climate deal with California.
Chart spotlight - climate damage grows
Source: Office of Budget Responsibility; Swiss Re, July 2025
Why this matters
Climate change isn’t just an environmental issue – it’s an economic one. As climate change continues to create even more extreme and frequent weather events, the economic and financial impact of such turmoil also continues to rise.
The chart above shows the insurance losses caused by weather-related incidents globally, with losses for the last ten years (2015-2024) rising by an incredible 38% compared to 2010-2019. Without significantly lowering emissions, and enhancing mitigation efforts, this upward trajectory is set to continue – with direct implications for insurers, investors, and the wider economy.
Parmenion ESG fund insights
While global headlines shape the big picture, here’s a look at what our ESG team has been working on behind the scenes.
Our specialist ESG investment team, supported by our independent Ethical Oversight Committee (EOC), continually research the ESG fund universe. As part of this work, we’ve recently been reviewing a new ESG alternatives fund: Trium ESG Emissions Improvers.
Find out more in our article: Parmenion ESG Growth Solutions – a fund Due Diligence update on ESG funds.
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Parmenion accepts no duty of care or liability for loss arising from any person acting, or refraining from acting, as a result of any information contained within this article. All investment carries risk. The value of investments, and the income from them, can go down as well as up and investors may get back less than they put in. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future returns.
