Just a few short years ago, sustainable finance and sustainable investing were all the rage. The Glasgow Financial Alliance For Net Zero (GFANZ) boasted financial players controlling $140 trillion. 

Things have not been quite as smooth since: There's been extensive pushback, starting from the red states in the US, but spreading from there against ESG. And of course, sustainable finance and sustainable investing are firmly in the crosshairs of the new Trump administration. 

David Blood is the co-founder and senior partner at Generation Investment Management, and he's been a driver behind a number of the most substantial sustainable finance initiatives. He's built a very substantial asset management firm around the concept that sustainable investing will not just do the right thing for the planet and its people, but also provide superior returns. 

David joins Michael on Cleaning Up to argue the case for sustainable investing in 2025 and explain why there's been such a backlash to it. 

Leadership Circle 

Cleaning Up is supported by the Leadership Circle, and its founding members: Actis, Alcazar Energy, Division Kempner, EcoPragma Capital, EDP of Portugal, Eurelectric, the Gilardini Foundation, KKR, National Grid, Octopus Energy, Quadrature Climate Foundation, SDCL and Wärtsilä. For more information on the Leadership Circle, please visit https://www.cleaningup.live. 

Links and more 

• Generation Investment Management Website
• Inside the World's Biggest Investor - Ep138: Carine Smith Ihenacho 
• How China Became a Green Finance Superpower - Ep160: Dr. Ma Jun