Quick learning bites to start your day 🌟

• Renewables Meet Demand: For the first time, the projected growth in global renewable electricity generation for 2025 is expected to cover the entire increase in global electricity demand. (Source: IEA via Renewable Energy Institute)
• Low-Carbon Milestone: In 2024, low-carbon power sources (renewables plus nuclear) generated over 40.9% of global electricity for the first time since the 1940s. (Source: Ember)
• Solar Surge: Global solar generation doubled over the past three years, reaching over 2000 TWh and accounting for 6.9% of global electricity in 2024. (Source: Ember)
• Sustainable Finance Tech: AI and advanced data analytics are becoming key trends in sustainable finance for 2025, increasingly used to enhance ESG data accuracy, risk management, and reporting. (Source: Capgemini Australia, 3Bee)
• Aussie Tuna Triumph: Australia's Southern Bluefin Tuna purse seine fishery has become the first in the world to achieve Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) sustainability certification, marking a major recovery milestone for the species. (Source: MSC, Seafood Media Group)

Longer reads to satiate your curiosity 📈

ESG Developments & Market Trends

• Trump Agenda Drives Record Outflows From Global Sustainable Funds, Morningstar Says: Recent analysis suggests potential policy shifts under Trump drove record outflows from global sustainable funds in late 2024/early 2025, particularly impacting clean energy sectors. (Note: Original analysis published Apr 2025, based on Q4 2024 data)
• Global ESG Assets Predicted to Hit $35 Trillion by 2030 Despite Challenging Environment, Forecasts Bloomberg Intelligence: Bloomberg Intelligence now predicts global ESG assets will reach $35 trillion by 2030 (down from a previous $40 trillion forecast), citing regulatory hurdles and US market contraction, but still highlighting sector resilience.
• Sustainability and ESG investments will keep expanding under Trump, analysts say: Countering the outflow narrative, some analysts predict ESG and sustainability investments will continue expanding, potentially driven by factors beyond specific US policies and regulations.

Policy & Climate Action

• Trump trade, energy policies cloud US clean power outlook: Potential changes to US trade and energy policies under a Trump administration are creating uncertainty for the future growth and investment landscape of the US clean power sector.
• The great sustainability stall: Why climate actions are slowing despite increasing risks: Despite escalating climate risks, there are concerns that the pace of corporate climate action is slowing down, potentially due to economic instability and competing priorities.
• Global breakthrough to tackle shipping emissions: Countries have agreed a global deal to tackle shipping emissions, after nearly ten years of negotiations.

Innovation & Corporate Initiatives

• World's first low-carbon concrete rating system launched: The Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA) has introduced a global rating system (AA-G) to identify the carbon footprint of cement and concrete, aiming to drive sustainable procurement.
• Energy, Water & Data: Could Google Make AI Sustainable?: As AI's capabilities grow, so do its energy and water demands. This article explores initiatives, like those at Google, aiming to mitigate the environmental footprint of AI development and deployment.

Australian Focus

• Australia's Southern Bluefin Tuna fishery achieves world-first sustainability certification: Marking a significant recovery for a once-threatened species, Australia's Southern Bluefin Tuna fishery has achieved prestigious MSC sustainability certification.
• Australia's 2025 State of Net Zero Investment Report: Despite global anti-ESG sentiment, a recent Investor Group on Climate Change (IGCC) report shows Australian institutional investors are largely maintaining or increasing their commitment to climate action and net-zero goals.
• CEFC given extra support to help renewable energy transition: The Australian Government recently committed an additional AU$2 billion capital allocation to the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) to further support the nation's transition to net-zero emissions.

‍