TheGreenBillioness Newsletter - Premiere Issue

News Spotlight

• Unloved clean energy stocks rise as Fed signals rate cuts in 2024. Slumping clean energy stocks have sprung to life in the wake of the Federal Reserve’s forecast for three interest rate cuts in 2024. Full Story: Yahoo Finance 

• 20 Major US Cities Most and Least Threatened by Climate Change

  By 2050, climate change will have the biggest negative impact on urban areas located in the Sun Belt. Full Story: Planetizen 

• Climate Change’s $150 Billion Hit to the U.S. Economy. Consequences will worsen unless more is invested in clean energy and cities adapt to changing environments, a federal report finds. Full Story: WSJ

• White House announces new steps toward launching its climate corps for young people. After facing setbacks in Congress, the Biden administration has unlocked funding to launch its American Climate Corps, a new federal program that looks to employ thousands of young Americans in the clean energy, conservation and climate resilience sectors. Full Story: CNBC

• Greta Thunberg slams COP28 deal as 'toothless, insufficient, another betrayal’. As the dust settles on the climate deal struck in Dubai last week, prominent climate activists are making their position clear: COP28 was yet another betrayal. Full Story: euronews 

Sustainable Finance 

• Sustainable investing: five themes for 2024. Pragmatism is the watchword as we look forward to the topics that may shape sustainable investing in the new year. Here are the five themes to watch. Full Story: Alianz

• Sustainable Finance in the EU: Upcoming Regulations and Disclosure Requirements for Financial Institutions in 2024. According to an analysis by ESG Book, ESG regulations have increased globally by 155% in the past decade. Full Story: Guidehouse

• Microsoft Signs Deal for up to 3 Million Tons of Carbon Removal with Nature-based Startup Chestnut. Microsoft and nature-based carbon removal startup Chestnut Carbon announced today a 15-year offtake agreement, with Chestnut providing Microsoft with potentially more than 3 million tons of nature based credits from its U.S.-based afforestation project. Full Story: ESGToday

• TotalEnergies Invests $300 Million in India Renewables Market with new Adani Green Energy Joint Venture. India-based renewable energy developer and operator Adani Green Energy Limited (AGEL) announced the completion of a joint venture with French energy giant TotalEnergies, including a $300 million investment by TotalEnergies for a 50% stake in a portfolio of more than 1 GW of solar and wind projects. Full Story: ESGToday (02/01)

• HSBC Backs Apparel Impact Institute’s Fashion Supply Chain Decarbonization Fund. Fashion sustainability-focused nonprofit Apparel Impact Institute (Aii) announced today that HSBC has joined as a philanthropic funder of its $250 million Fashion Climate Fund (FCF). Full Story: ESGToday

Technology & Solutions

• Schaeffler received a loan of 420 million euros from the bank of the EU to focus on sustainable tech. Full Story: AMN 

• All4Labels and ACTEGA Partner for the Further Development of a Unique and More Sustainable Decoration Technology. Full Story: WhatTheyThink

• Read about the Sustainable Living in the Age of Technology. Full Story: Medium

• Technology Magazine explores the world's Top 10 influential tech companies which are leading the way in sustainability initiatives. Full Story: Technology Magazine

• The convergence of AI, sustainability and cloud technologies in 2024 underscores a commitment to innovation for state and local governments. Full Story: AmericanCityandCounty

Q&A

• Q1: When was the concept of 'Sustainability' first introduced in an environmental context?

• Q2: When did scientists first confirm that human activities could influence climate change?

  _{Kindly peruse the content below to access the answers.*}

RECs

• Meatless Monday Challenge: Go vegetarian for a day to reduce your carbon footprint.

• Zero-Waste Audit: Choose a room and find ways to reduce waste. Start with this simple guide.

• Transportation Tweak: Opt for biking, walking, or public transit for a day.

• Eco-Reading Hour: Spend an hour with a sustainability-focused read. Start with this impactful documentary.

• Support Local and Sustainable: Buy from a local, eco-friendly business.

The Q&A Answers are:

• A1: The concept of 'Sustainability' was first introduced in the environmental context in 1987 by the Brundtland Commission in their report "Our Common Future." The commission, led by former Norwegian Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland, defined sustainable development as "meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs."

• A2: The realization that human activities could influence climate change dates back to 1896 when Swedish scientist Svante Arrhenius first theorized that the combustion of fossil fuels could lead to increased carbon dioxide (CO2) levels in the atmosphere, and consequently, global warming. His groundbreaking work laid the foundation for future climate change research.

Did you Know?
Did you know that according to a 2022 report by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), renewable energy could meet 90% of global electricity demand by 2050? This shift could reduce CO2 emissions by up to 70%, significantly impacting the fight against climate change and promoting sustainability.

With Inspiring Climate Activists

Greta Tintin Eleonora Ernman Thunberg is a Swedish environmental activist (Born in 2003) renowned for her impassioned call to action against climate change. At the tender age of 15, Thunberg sparked international attention by staging a solitary school strike outside the Swedish Parliament, demanding immediate action to address the looming climate crisis. Her unwavering determination and poignant speeches resonated with millions around the globe, inspiring a global school strike movement and galvanizing a generation to demand environmental justice. watch her Ted Talk here.

Main Events in 2024
Here are some of the major sustainability and climate change events scheduled for 2024:

1. WEF (January 15–19, 2024): Focused on "A Long-Term Strategy for Climate, Nature, and Energy," this gathering is known for bringing together global leaders to discuss pressing issues in Davos.

2. Innovation Zero (April 30 to May 01, 2024): An event showcasing the latest in climate technology and convening entrepreneurs, investors, and policymakers to push forward net-zero emissions solutions.

3. World ESG and Climate Summit (June 18-19, 2024): This summit brings together global leaders, experts, and stakeholders to address challenges and opportunities related to sustainability and ESG practices.

4. Climate Week NYC – We Can (October 23-31, 2024): An annual event that showcases climate action and accelerates the transition to a net-zero future with world leaders, policymakers, businesses, and citizens.

5. COP29 (November 6-18, 2024): The 29th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, set to take place in Baku, Azerbaijan.

   *also read Top 10 must-attend sustainability events in 2024.

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