Have users of carbon credits reduced emissions faster or slower than non-users? Our latest report contradicts the notion that companies have used carbon credits as an alternative to investing in climate mitigation activities within their businesses. 

Using MSCI Climate Change Metrics and the Net Zero Investment Framework, we assessed listed companies in developed and emerging markets to see how well they were aligned with the goals of the Paris Agreement and global net-zero emissions by 2050.

APAC firms are increasingly disclosing value-chain emissions and climate targets, reflecting progress in climate transparency. Smaller companies, however, lag in this area, and potentially face growing investor and regulatory pressure for disclosures. 

Based on MSCI Low Carbon Patent Scores, Asia-Pacific companies are leading the charge in low-carbon technology, with superior patent-quality scores in renewable-energy and energy-efficiency technologies.

What’s behind the varying emissions-disclosure rates across the APAC region? We assessed the individual markets to see who’s making progress and also analyzed the numbers by market capitalization.

Scaling up renewable-energy and energy-efficiency solutions are key steps in driving the transition away from fossil fuels in energy systems. Our analysis of low-carbon patents, fuel mix and renewable-energy targets may help identify where the opportunities lie. 

As more emerging-market countries consider launching emissions trading schemes, we examine how effective they could be in helping to track corporate emissions reduction progress and analyze the effect on country-level emissions trends. 

Companies are increasingly setting climate targets, but who’s keeping an eye on them? Using key indicators recommended by SBTi and GFANZ, we present a framework to assess whether firms are taking the necessary steps to achieve their targets.

Just how much impact will the inclusion of gas in the EU Taxonomy have on the reported-level of EU Taxonomy-aligned revenue in portfolios? Gaps in company disclosures and the stringency of requirements suggests it could be minimal.

What challenges do companies face in setting science-based net-zero targets under the SBTi corporate net-zero standard? This information also could help institutional investors mitigate portfolio exposure to carbon risks.

The SEC has proposed new requirements for U.S.-listed companies to disclose information on climate-related risks. We believe the framework may represent an opportunity to facilitate the transparency and standardization of climate-related goals.

The SEC’s climate-disclosure proposals did not set a “materiality threshold” for Scope 3 emissions, and the commission is considering either quantitative analysis for a uniform approach or letting companies determine materiality. How might each affect transparency?

The SEC proposed requirements for U.S. companies to disclose certain climate-related risks, beginning in 2024. To assess whether companies are prepared to meet these requirements, we looked at the emission-disclosure rates of a large sample of U.S. equities.

Companies are increasingly setting “net-zero” climate targets. In this guide, we offer an analytical framework to assess decarbonization targets, including net-zero targets. We find that it is not always easy to make valid comparisons.

The process of achieving the UN SDGs is estimated to unlock a USD 12 trillion of market opportunities by 2030. Are private sector firms aligning their business models with the SDG themes? Despite a higher revenue exposure to the SDG related solutions relative to global peers, most Japanese firms may have not set the framework to tap the profit potentials of the themes. The downward trend in R&D per sales among the firms with climate change solutions and the limited revenues derived from...

Are Improved Returns for Japanese Companies Smoke and Mirrors? Following decades of recession and slow growth, Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe introduced a revitalization plan – dubbed Abenomics – in 2012 to address the key barriers of economic growth. In particular, the third “arrow” of Abenomics, the growth strategy, focused on a series of government‐driven initiatives impacting corporations and capital markets. Among them was the establishment of Japan’s Stewardship Code and Corporate...

Kansai, Hokuriku, and Kyushu, three companies with ambitious nuclear restart plans (64%, 69% and 79% of installed nuclear capacity), recorded higher than average radioactive waste intensities per unit of power generated, suggesting they may be more exposed to risks of future costs and unforeseen liabilities from radioactive waste leakages. Further, Kansai and Kyushu had the weakest cash flow to CAPEX ratios among the peer group (-22% and 17% in FY2010-14) – suggesting less buffer against...