Here is today’s sustainability news, research and analysis for technology partners, renewable energy and green IT companies, management consultants, CIOs, chief sustainability officers (CSOs) and c-suite members.
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A. Sustainable Technology, Talent, Partnerships and Alliances
1. Cloud Companies Pitch Emissions Reporting Framework: A voluntary climate disclosure framework funded by Amazon, Google and Meta has passed public review with few objections, bringing closer an update of guidelines for reporting on corporate emissions from supply chains and other indirect sources, Bloomberg reported.
2. Generative AI for ESG Strategies: Alexy Thomas, a partner at EY India's technology consulting practice, offers generative AI tips for ESG strategies in a podcast.
3. Edge Computing Benefits: Edge computing provides seven potential sustainability benefits, a Schneider Electric survey found.
4. Right to Repair: Apple has vowed to support California's Right to Repair bill -- known as SB 244, TechCrunch reported.
5. Remote Energy Management and Monitoring: FlexGen Power Systems has opened a new 24x7 Remote Operations Center (ROC) in Durham, North Carolina. The ROC allows FlexGen to monitor and manage energy storage assets across the country.
6. Partnership - Clearloop and Microsoft: Clearloop, a provider of carbon solutions that accelerate decarbonization of the electric grid, and Microsoft are partnering to "expand equitable access to clean energy int he Mississippi delta," the two companies said. Among the proof points: Microsoft is directing climate action and decarbonization investment to a 6.6-megawatt (MWdc) facility in Panola County, Mississippi—a community at the cross-section of the Mississippi Delta and the Appalachian Foothills—with the Panola II Solar Farm. The effort will prevent approximately 400 million pounds of carbon from entering the atmosphere and generate enough energy to help power approximately 1,000 area homes annually, the two companies said.
7. Partnership - AWS and GE: The GE Vernoa digital business and Amazon Web Services (AWS) signed a multi-year agreement to help industrial companies and utilities "accelerate digital transformation using cloud-based Proficy software solutions," the companies said.
8. Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Stations: The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) has selected Blink Charging to supply various EV charging solutions, including Level 2 (L2) charging equipment and DC Fast Chargers (DCFC) for both public and commercial fleet applications.
9. Carbon Capture - Cash Burn Rate Concerns?: LanzaTech's revenues are rising, but the carbon capture company faces a cash burn headwind, according to Dan Victor, CFA, president of Posto Asset Management.
10. Sustainability vs. Resilience: Nearly two-thirds of companies regularly deprioritize sustainability for resilience, according to Gartner research. Here's how to prioritize sustainability in the age of continuous disruption, according to Sabu Mathai, a research director with the Gartner Supply Chain Practice.
11. Carbon Removal Hubs: Direct air capture hubs in Louisiana, Texas are receiving federal funds. But the emerging technology is criticized as an excuse to allow more oil and gas production, Bloomberg said.
12. ESG - Financial Software: BuildESG has expanded its BuildRI software suite. This upgrade further provides "lenders with visibility into the responsible investment and ESG processes, programs, and policies of alternative investment managers," the company said.
13. Top 25 Sustainability Consultants: Here are 25 sustainability executives to know in the consulting industry, according to The Consulting Report.
B. Sustainability M&A, Investments and Funding
1. Investments - ESG: Top asset manager BlackRock reported a further decline in its support for shareholder resolutions on environmental and social themes, citing corporate progress on the areas and poor crafting of the measures by filers, Reuters reported.
2. All M&A Activity: Our M&A database has now tracked 121 mergers and acquisitions so far in 2023. See all M&A deals involving sustainability listed here.
C. Regional and Global Sustainability Policies and News
1. Australia: The country could face economic losses of as much as A$423 billion ($274 billion) in reduced productivity if global action fails to halt extreme climate change, one of a raft of challenges in the coming decades along with an aging population and waning growth, Bloomberg reported.
2. Great Britain: Net zero can be achieved in Great Britain if the "government acts fast," a GE Vernoa study asserted.
3. Europe: Volatile prices are prompting European homes and factories to go green faster than expected, The Wall Street Journal reported.
4. India: The country will need to invest $12.7 trillion in its energy system, or more than three times its gross domestic product, to reach net zero emissions by mid-century and help the world avert disastrous planetary warming, according to BloombergNEF.
5. Singapore Bond Sale: Singapore started its green bond sale to raise as much as S$2.8 billion ($2.1 billion) by reopening an existing 50-year maiden note it sold in 2022, adding resources to its climate-change efforts, Bloomberg reported.
D. Sustainability and Green Technology Conference Calendar
- Google Cloud Next 2023 Partner and Customer Conference (August 29-21, San Francisco)
- Sustainability Live 2023 (Sept. 6-7, London, United Kingdom)
- ICSD 2023 Sustainability Conference (September 6-7, Rome, Italy)
- Sustainability Reporting Europe 2023 (September 6-7, London, United Kingdom)
- Reuters Impact 2023 (September 6-7, London, United Kingdom)
- Complete Calendar of Sustainability Conferences
E. Previous Updates & Future News
1. Did You Miss Yesterday's Daily Update?: Here is our previous sustainability, green IT and renewable energy news for technology partners.
2. Future Updates: Send Us Your News Tips. Please email me the details.
