Amanda White

Asset managers can dramatically reduce the carbon footprints of their funds through stock selection without the need to alter sector weightings or their overall investment strategy, according to a report by Mercer and Trucost for the WWF, that also found asset owners could encourage the active management of carbon risk in portfolios.

The investments committee and committee of actuaries of the $38 billion UN Joint Staff Pension Board will recommend the introduction of new asset classes, including emerging markets equity and debt, real return assets and private equity in a presentation to the board in July.

The $200 billion China Investment Corporation (CIC) will have between $4 and $6 billion invested in hedge funds by the end of this year, and will develop in-house expertise including long/short under Felix Chee, special adviser to the CIO, as part of a wider recruitment drive which includes more than 30 new positions.

Cleantech investments is one area in the private equity and venture capital space which is continuing to show strong growth, according to a report by London-based alternatives research house Prequin.