Nature is increasingly being viewed as a real economic asset – “natural capital”. Identifying the natural capital assets that can be used most effectively to offset carbon, such as land and forestry, can provide a real advantage in the path to decarbonising investment portfolios. This session examined the portfolio implications of transitioning to net zero with a specific focus on what benefit an allocation to natural capital can bring.
Click here to view Sarah’s slides [vc_quotes layout=”accordion” quotes=”%5B%7B%22name%22%3A%22Sarah%20Bratton%20Hughes%20%22%2C%22job_role%22%3A%22Head%20of%20sustainability%2C%20North%20America%2C%20Schroders%20(United%20States)%20%22%2C%22content%22%3A%22Sarah%20Bratton%20Hughes%20is%20the%20Head%20of%20Sustainability%2C%20North%20America.%20Her%20responsibilities%20include%20leading%20the%20sustainability%20strategy%20and%20ESG%20integration%20in%20North%20America.%20She%20joined%20Schroders%20in%202011%20and%20is%20based%20in%20New%20York.%5CnPreviously%2C%20Sarah%20was%20an%20Investment%20Director%20at%20Schroders%20which%20involved%20supporting%20and%20representing%20the%20Schroders%20Sustainability%20Team%20as%20well%20as%20the%20Schroders%20US%20Small%20Cap%20and%20Schroders%20US%20Small%20%26%20Mid%20Cap%20investment%20capabilities%20to%20clients%20and%20prospective%20clients.%20She%20was%20also%20responsible%20for%20ESG%20integration%20in%20North%20America.%5CnSarah%20was%20an%20Associate%20Product%20Manager%20at%20Schroders%20from%202014%20to%202017%2C%20which%20involved%20supporting%20the%20US%20Equities%20teams%20and%20representing%20the%20Schroders%20US%20Small%20%26%20Mid%20Cap%20and%20Schroders%20US%20Large%20Cap%20investment%20capabilities%20to%20clients%20and%20prospective%20clients.%20She%20was%20a%20product%20executive%20on%20the%20same%20team%20from%202011-2014.%5CnPrior%20to%20joining%20Schroders%2C%20Sarah%20was%20a%20Senior%20Analyst%20Investment%20Performance%20at%20JP%20Morgan%20Asset%20Management%20from%202010%20to%202011%2C%20which%20involved%20supporting%20investor%20and%20client%20inquiries%20relating%20to%20investment%20performance%20reviews.%20She%20was%20also%20a%20Client%20Service%20Associate%20at%20JP%20Morgan%20Chase%20from%202007%20to%202010%2C%20which%20involved%20monitoring%20and%20implementing%20new%20account%20openings%20as%20well%20as%20maintenance%20of%20existing%20accounts.%20Qualifications%3A%20BA%20in%20Economics%20from%20St.%20Francis%20College%3B%20BSc%20in%20Business%20Management%20from%20St.%20Francis%20College.%22%2C%22image%22%3A%2245809%22%2C%22linkedin%22%3A%22https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fin%2Fsarah-bratton-hughes-10174819%2F%22%7D%5D” title=”Speaker” el_class=””][vc_quotes layout=”accordion” quotes=”%5B%7B%22name%22%3A%22Colin%20Tate%20AM%20%22%2C%22job_role%22%3A%22Chief%20executive%2C%20Conexus%20Financial%20(Australia)%22%2C%22content%22%3A%22Tate%20has%20been%20an%20investment%20industry%20media%20publisher%20and%20conference%20producer%20since%201996.%20In%20his%20media%20career%2C%20Tate%20has%20launched%20and%20overseen%20dozens%20of%20print%20and%20electronic%20publications.%20He%20is%20the%20chief%20executive%20and%20major%20shareholder%20of%20Conexus%20Financial%2C%20which%20was%20established%20in%202005%2C%20and%20is%20headquartered%20in%20Sydney%2C%20Australia.%20%5Cn%5CnThe%20company%20hosts%20more%20than%2020%20conferences%20and%20events%20globally%20each%20year%20and%20publishes%20three%20digital%20publications%2C%20including%20the%20global%20website%20and%20strategy%20newsletter%20for%20global%20institutional%20investors%E2%80%AFTop1000Funds.com%2C%20Professional%20Planner%20for%20financial%20planners%2C%20accountants%20and%20private%20bankers%20in%20Australia%20and%20Investment%20Magazine%20for%20Australian%20superfunds%20and%20institutional%20investors.%20One%20of%20the%20company%E2%80%99s%20signature%20events%20is%20the%20bi-annual%20Fiduciary%20Investors%20Symposium%20attended%20by%20global%20asset%20owners%20and%20hosted%20in%20the%20Americas%20and%20Europe.%20%5Cn%5CnConexus%20Financial%E2%80%99s%20events%20aim%20to%20place%20the%20responsibilities%20of%20investors%20in%20wider%20societal%20and%20political%20contexts%2C%20as%20well%20as%20promote%20the%20long-term%20stability%20of%20markets%20and%20sustainable%20retirement%20incomes.%20%5Cn%5CnTate%20served%20for%20seven%20years%20on%20the%20board%20of%20Australia%E2%80%99s%20most%20high%20profile%20homeless%20charity%2C%20The%20Wayside%20Chapel%3B%20and%20he%20has%20underwritten%20the%20welfare%20of%2060%2C000%20people%20in%2028%20villages%20throughout%20Uganda%20via%20The%20Hunger%20Project.%20In%202021%20was%20appointed%20as%20a%20Member%20(AM)%20of%20the%20Order%20of%20Australia%20(General%20Division)%20for%20significant%20service%20to%20the%20community%20through%20charitable%20initiatives.%20%22%2C%22image%22%3A%2245799%22%2C%22linkedin%22%3A%22https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fin%2Fcolin-tate-839a5a181%2F%3ForiginalSubdomain%3Dau%22%7D%5D” title=”Moderator” el_class=””][vc_quotes layout=”accordion” quotes=”%5B%7B%22name%22%3A%22Bess%20Joffe%22%2C%22job_role%22%3A%22Head%20of%20responsible%20investment%2C%20Church%20Commissioners%20for%20England%20(United%20Kingdom)%22%2C%22content%22%3A%22Bess%20Joffe%20is%20head%20of%20responsible%20investment%20for%20Church%20Commissioners%20for%20England%20and%20has%20just%20completed%20natural%20capital%20mapping%20of%20their%20portfolio.%5CnThe%20asset%20owner%20co-founded%20the%20Nature%20Action%20100%2B%20initiative%2C%20which%20is%20a%20biodiversity%20programme%20yet%20to%20be%20launched%20and%20modelled%20based%20on%20Climate%20Action%20100%2B%5CnAs%20a%20member%20of%20the%20Science%20Based%20Targets%20Network%20Corporate%20Engagement%20Programme%2C%20the%20Church%20Commissioners%20will%20also%20play%20a%20role%20in%20co-designing%20nature%20targets.%5Cn%22%2C%22image%22%3A%2246414%22%2C%22linkedin%22%3A%22https%3A%2F%2Fuk.linkedin.com%2Fin%2Fbessjoffe%22%7D%5D” title=”Investor Response” el_class=””][vc_empty_space height=”10px”]
Research from Princeton University plots a Blueprint for how the US can achieve net zero emissions in the next decade showing the key is overcoming execution challenges including the infrastructure deployment and the mobilisation of capital and labour.
A joint report by the International Energy Agency and the Centre for Climate Finance & Investment at Imperial College examines the risk and return proposition in energy transitions. It looks at publicly traded renewable power and fossil fuel companies in advanced and developing economies calculating the total return and annualized volatility of these portfolios over 5 and 10-year periods.
Achieving carbon neutrality by 2060 will require radical changes. Formidable challenges lie ahead, but also investment opportunities with renewables, electric vehicles and energy storage set to benefit.
The challenge for infrastructure asset managers to achieve Net Zero by 2050 is immense. It requires detailed strategic planning, clear interim targets, critical investment, transparent insight and regular reporting, as well as strong leadership and clear governance frameworks.
Leave a Comment
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Login