Futuregrowth's Head of Sustainable Investment Practices on climate change and sustainability.

A digital revolution is underway, but where is the revolution in transparency for our land, air and water? A new road, a power plant, a factory - promise progress, but at what cost? The true price is paid in displaced communities and rivers choked with industrial waste. For every major development project, an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is conducted, which is supposed to be a tool for accountability by answering critical questions about water security, livelihoods, long-term risks and so on. The sad reality is these reports remain inaccessible; buried in complex PDFs, locked in government offices, or not translated into easily understandable formats. In the Digital Age, there is no excuse. When environmental information is hidden, it not only suppresses data but also compromises public participation, informed consent, and ultimately, transparency. We must ask: if a project serves the public, why is its full impact hidden? How can consent be given by staying in the dark? What do we lose for what we gain? True development balances infrastructure with justice, sustainability and the right to know. It ensures the digital revolution empowers every citizen with the information they need to protect their life, livelihood and environment. On this #AccessToInformation Day, let’s remind ourselves: Without transparent access to environmental information, there can be no true climate justice. #AccessToInformation #a2i #Rti #PRAANbd #FairFinanceBD Fair Finance Asia

𝙒𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙣 1/5𝙩𝙝 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙜𝙚𝙩𝙨 𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙠, 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙 𝙞𝙨 𝙛𝙖𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤 𝙙𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙤𝙣 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙢𝙞𝙨𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙎𝙪𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝘿𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙡𝙤𝙥𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙂𝙤𝙖𝙡𝙨, warns the UN report. 🚩 🌍 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 𝗦𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗚𝗼𝗮𝗹𝘀 (𝗦𝗗𝗚) 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 : 🔹 Only 𝟯𝟱% 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁𝘀 are on track or making moderate progress. 🔹 𝟭𝟴% 𝗼𝗳 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗱 since 2015. 🔹 Progress is strongest in 𝗘𝗮𝘀𝘁 & 𝗦𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗔𝘀𝗶𝗮 and among a few fast-moving developing countries. 🔹 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗰 𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 continue to lead, but even they face challenges on climate, biodiversity, and sustainable consumption. 🔹 Bright spots: global gains in 𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀, 𝗺𝗼𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝗯𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗱𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗱, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗹 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀. 🔹 Areas most in need of acceleration: 𝗳𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝘀, 𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝘆, 𝗱𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗷𝗼𝗯𝘀 & 𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲/𝗯𝗶𝗼𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. 💡 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: The gap between ambition and delivery is widening, but this also creates 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 — especially in financing sustainable development, improving ESG data systems, and driving climate-positive business models. 👉 For professionals in sustainability, consulting, and finance, the report is a reminder: 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹, 𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝘆 𝗴𝗮𝗽𝘀. #SDGs #Sustainability #SustainabilityConsulting #ESG #GlobalGoals #ImpactInvesting #SustainableFinance #ClimateAction #SustainabilityCareers

Resilience. That was the theme of this year's #SiftedSummit where I was invited for a discussion on the future of sustainability investing. It is a fact that climate does not attract the same amount of capital right now as it did a few years ago, and quite a few investors have decreased their ambitions in the space. So, key question was - where does that leave us? We all know the climate crisis has not been solved. Far from it. I still have high belief some of our most interesting companies will be built in this space in the coming years. Because we need it. I can see first hand how important the work we are doing at Syre really is. It is not charity, it is building a profitable business model while scaling circularity in a sector causing so much damaging waste and emissions. I had a very good discussion with fellow panelist Matthew Blain at Voyager Ventures who made an interesting point that although many investors have stepped away from climate investing, they are in fact investing a lot in climate while calling it something else. Under headlines such as energy transition, resilience, and sovereignty, there are many climate based companies receiving funding. I was describing how I am looking a lot to China to find many leading climate technologies and some impressive scaling capabilities. As with any business - cost competitiveness is key to win in the market, as it leads to growth. And growth leads to more climate impact. Thanks also to Paul Heiden at Optics11 - Fiber optic sensing solutions and Freya Pratty for a very interesting discussion, having me leave London with a cautiously optimistic outlook. After all, true resilience lies in maintaining that clear mission – keeping the grit and continuing to innovate even when markets, funding, or realities change. Sifted

𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐊𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐚 𝐅𝐚𝐚𝐬𝐛𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫. 𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐠𝐥𝐨𝐛𝐚𝐥 𝐟𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭: 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 How can climate finance reach the people and innovators who need it most? Join Karina Faßbender Founder & Managing Director of Circle Innovation, for this masterclass as she explores pathways to unlock climate finance for local communities, innovators, and small businesses. She dives into critical questions, such as: - How can climate finance be made more accessible to local actors? What role can community-driven solutions play in the effective use of climate finance? - How can design thinking and cocreation open doors to funding? - Which partnerships work best to scale local climate resilience projects? - What challenges do new climate solutions face in accessing finance, and how can they be overcome? 𝐉𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐮𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐰𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐠𝐞 𝐠𝐥𝐨𝐛𝐚𝐥 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧. 👉 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐧𝐨𝐰: https://lnkd.in/gKv3iUUi  Karina Faßbender Circle Innovation Thiongo Ndungu Dr. Jeremiah Rogito Gates Foundation Kenya Climate Innovation Center (KCIC) Netherlands Agricultural Network FSD Africa FSD Kenya Rabobank Rabo Foundation ACRE Africa One Acre Fund AGRA FAO Pranav Singh Brian Owino Elsie L. The International Climate Tribune Shell Foundation Mary Mutemi Emma Bundi

🌍 “Climate Investments are Not Charity, they Can Be Very Profitable: Karan Mehta” Green Frontier Capital Karan Mehta’s recent article in SustainabilityNext challenges a common myth: that climate-focused investments are acts of goodwill. In reality, they’re among the most strategic and profitable opportunities of our time. 💡 The global transition to a low-carbon economy isn’t just a moral choice, it’s a market transformation. Those who invest early in clean tech, carbon solutions, and sustainable infrastructure are positioning themselves for long-term gains. What stood out for me: ✅ Climate risk = Financial risk, ignoring it costs more. ✅ Policy, innovation, and finance must align to scale solutions. ✅ Patience + performance = the winning formula for climate capital. The message is clear: Sustainability is not a side project; it’s the future of profitable investing. 📖 Read the full article: https://lnkd.in/guPNVSMk 📩 Subscribe to the SN Newsletter for urban transformation stories: https://lnkd.in/dKJs_B43 💡 Share your mobility innovation with us and get featured: benedict@sustainabilitynext.in #ClimateFinance #SustainableInvesting #GreenEconomy #ImpactInvestment #CleanTech #ClimateAction #Sustainability #ESG #ProfitWithPurpose #FutureOfFinance  

Mirroring some of the messaging from New York Climate Week, changing the narrative has been a key theme of this year’s Building Bridges conference in Geneva (#BuildingBridges25). In the face of headwinds, there are calls for a greater emphasis on the practical benefits that sustainability can bring. As Generation Investment Management’s David Blood put it, ‘We need to control the narrative about why we’re going to make this transition – cheaper, healthier and more job creation. It’s a huge opportunity.’ Pictet Group’s Marie-Laure Schaufelberger, CFA backed that up with a call to take sustainability away from ideology and to connect it more directly to ‘people’s livelihoods and investments’. CPP Investments | Investissements RPC ’s Richard Manley suggests a pivot from sustainability to investability. ‘That’s the most opportune way to galvanize this agenda – competitiveness, efficiency, resilience, bankable, insurable. We haven’t made clear what it is we’re seeking to do, which is to make sure that the businesses we own can not only survive but thrive over the long-term’. That makes a lot of sense. The way that the sustainable finance ecosystem is staying the course reflects the fact that the economics work and that sustainability/long-term investability is embedded and becoming mainstream. There are plenty of challenges to address and more ahead, but perhaps we can help ourselves by being clearer about our purpose and the benefits that will bring. David Harris Lorenzo Saa Catalina Secreteanu Patricia Torres Leandro Nick Miller Sylvain Guyoton Thomas Yagel Marion Leslie Hortense Bioy, CFA Rahul Ghosh Jaakko Kooroshy Chris Perceval Rhian-Mari Thomas OBE James Alexander Sarah Teacher Impact Investing Institute Jamie Broderick Faith Ward Sacha Sadan

#GPIC2025 🌍 | Insights from Day 1 Our consultants Zsofia Kovacs and Sofia B. caught this great summary from Mark Nicholls, Independent sustainable finance Writer and Editor, wrapping up the first day of the GCF Private Investment for Climate (GPIC) Conference in Abu Dhabi. Mark captured the key themes shaping the future #climatefinance from the urgency of making every public dollar work harder, to unlocking trillions in emerging markets for the climate transition. He highlighted how climate investments are key opportunities for growth, jobs, and innovation, especially in areas of adaptation, resilience, distributed generation, and #climatetech. You can listen to his summary below for a snapshot of today’s discussions and stay tuned as the GCF continues engaging with global partners on scaling blended finance solutions for climate impact.

Companies are tackling the climate challenge and creating Value. According to Boston Consulting Group (BCG) Climate Survey 2025, AI is reshaping how organisations tackle complex tasks with speed, scale, and precision. At Ekonava Impact Partners, we’re bringing that transformation to Financial Institutions in Africa. Our AI-powered platform evaluates Environmental & Social Management Systems against IFC Performance Standards, giving ESG teams clarity in minutes, not weeks. Explore how Ekonava can help you de-risk portfolios and unlock sustainable growth. #AIforESG #SustainableFinance #ImpactInvesting #DeRisking #AfricaInnovation #IFCStandards

Huge thanks AXA Research Fund and CEPR - Centre for Economic Policy Research for inviting me to this great conference at Paris School of Economics on a sensitive topic: “Addressing the #Risks and Responses to #Climate #Overshoot”. Congrats to all speakers for highly stimulating debates. Happy to share below (and in comments) a few take-aways, of course non-exhaustive: 🔵 In an increasingly transactional world, with less global #governance, we need new pathways to drive #sustainability action. “Coalitions of the willing” are key for #Europe to move forward. 🔵 #Carbon & #biodiversity come as a bundle, requiring specific frameworks for analysis and action. We need #science (including economic & social sciences!) to better understand their links. 🔵 Continuous #dialogue between all #stakeholders is of crucial importance, mixing researchers, policymakers, businesses & civil society to elaborate and implement joint solutions. 🔵 Beyond #ESG reporting, companies must focus on impact by fostering market acceptance of sustainability innovations, identifying real market opportunities and scaling them into tangible #business. 🔵 While companies delay the shift towards sustainable business models, “sunk costs” increase risks of stranded assets, which will abruptly loose value when #transition becomes inevitable. 🔵 Beyond #AI, #GreenTech is a key front in the technological race among the world’s leading economies: #resource efficiency & #decarbonization are drivers to strengthen sovereignty. 🔵 Central #banks now acknowledge that climate change poses direct risks to their core mandate of ensuring financial stability. They boost collaborative work in the framework of #NGFS. 🔵 Climate & nature #finance are still far from scale: for carbon, annual flows reach one trillion Euros, vs an estimated need of 10 trillions / year, according to the Climate Policy Initiative. 🔵 Sustainability & trade are inseparable. With the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism #CBAM, carbon-intensive imports will face higher costs to prevent unfair competition. 🔵 Carbon offsetting (#compensation) comes with large controversies. It cannot replace insetting (internal transformation of a company to cut / remove emissions within its value chain). 🔵 Although part of the long-term solution towards #NetZero, technological solutions for carbon removal from the atmosphere are still early-stage, expensive and not available at scale. 🔵 #Nature is key: photosynthesis is what is capturing #carbon at scale. Hence the need for healthy #ecosystems and more efforts to accelerate Nature-Based Solutions #NBS worldwide. Ulrike Decoene Julia D. Eloi Astier Catherine Chazal Victor Poirier Gilles Moec Aurélie FALLON SAINT-LO Beatrice WEDER DI MAURO Laurence Tubiana Franck Courchamp Natacha Boric Matthias Kalkuhl Elsa Cheminet Renaud Coulomb Irene Monasterolo Wavestone Nomadeis

Investing in climate innovation in emerging markets and particularly in India, I have witnessed a shift from imported tech to locally-rooted applied technology business models driving clean energy, e-mobility, climate-smart agriculture and the built environment. These are further aided by regulatory environment which always enable and accelerate adoption and scale local innovation that truly unlocks scale in diverse markets. This week we launch LeapFrog Investments Transition Ledger 2026—essays from global leaders Mike Berners-Lee, Steve Howard and Damilola Ogunbiyi share their thoughts on structural shifts in growth markets around the energy transition. Souleymane Ba and I share our excitement on backing innovations built in our markets that demonstrate climate solutions scale when grounded in local realities - #GroundedInnovation Grateful to our Climate Advisory Council and team for making this possible. The transition is underway—and it’s hopeful when capital meets grounded innovation. Read it here: https://lnkd.in/eNV6TtQb #ClimateInvesting #EmergingMarkets #GroundedInnovation