ESG Currents

Weather drives nearly $1 trillion in annual spending-pattern shifts — boosting long john sales in Miami on a 60-degree day while slowing them in Minnesota. In this episode of ESG Currents, Bloomberg Intelligence senior climate analyst Andrew Stevenson speaks with Planalytics CEO Fred Fox about how companies such as Lowe’s are using weather insights to improve bottom-line results.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Modern portfolio theory tells us that company-specific risks can be reduced through the magic of diversification. But what about market-wide risks, like climate change and income inequality? On this week’s episode of the ESG Currents podcast, BI Senior ESG Analyst Rob Du Boff speaks with Jon Lukomnik, managing partner of Sinclair Capital and a pioneer in corporate governance. They discuss how shareholders can use ESG analysis and corporate engagement to minimize systematic risks that threaten all investments. This episode was recorded on July 31.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Extreme weather is taking toll on farm output worldwide, with record droughts and wildfires driving up prices in markets for cocoa, cattle and coffee. In this episode of ESG Currents, Bloomberg Intelligence senior climate analyst Andrew Stevenson is joined by Dave Farnham, chief data scientist at ClimateAi, to discuss how better data can help minimize climate costs.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The IMO's draft net zero framework's implications for new marine fuels and technologies as well as the top challenges for shipowners and fuel producers are explored in the latest ESG Currents episode. Strong demand will develop for hydrogen-derived fuels, with ammonia likely to be the "scalable solution," Tristan Smith, Professor of Energy and Transport at UCL Energy Institute tells Conrad Tan, Bloomberg Intelligence ESG integration analyst. Smith, whose institute is known for its research guiding international shipping decarbonization, also explains why liquid natural gas could be a dead end for the shipping industry.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As government support for climate solutions wanes, attracting private capital becomes even more critical. On this episode of ESG Currents, BI senior analysts Gail Glazerman and Rob Du Boff speak with the Green Impact Exchange’s co-founders Daniel Labovitz (CEO) and Charles Dolan (president) about their new equity-trading platform designed to connect sustainability-minded companies and investors. They discuss the pressure points in impact finance and how products like equitized carbon credits may offer solutions. This episode was recorded on Aug. 31.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Amid the backlash against ESG, it’s essential that investors and other market participants be able to separate the signal from noise. In this episode of ESG Currents, Bloomberg Intelligence’s Director of ESG Research Eric Kane is joined by the entire BI ESG team to discuss the key issues shaping ESG in the second half of 2025. Chris Ratti, Conrad Tan, Gail Glazerman, Andy Stevenson, Yasutake Homma, Margot Wentzel, Rob Du Boff, Grace Osborne, Melanie Rua and Shaheen Contractor share insights on sustainable debt issuance, physical risk, regulatory uncertainty, the resilience of ESG in Japan, new and existing efforts to reduce CO2 via compliance, and much more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Climate-related disasters have caused $18.5 trillion in damages since 2000, and the risks keep growing. In this episode of ESG Currents, Bloomberg Intelligence’s director of ESG research Eric Kane speaks with Ron Dembo, founder and CEO of Riskthinking.AI, about the radical uncertainty of climate change, how his firm models physical climate risk, how investors can use the data and why the biggest signals might be hiding in the tails.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ryan Gellert, CEO of Patagonia, known for prioritizing the planet over profit, shares insights into the company's unique ownership structure. He discusses the challenges and opportunities of leading a mission-driven company while integrating sustainability into corporate strategy. Gellert elaborates on Patagonia's innovative approaches to balance environmental responsibility and profitability, and reflects on his personal leadership philosophy. The conversation also touches on the importance of transparency and customer engagement in fostering eco-friendly practices.

Debt-for-nature swaps are gaining traction as a way to restructure sovereign debt in exchange for conservation commitments. In this episode of ESG Currents, Bloomberg Intelligence director of ESG research Eric Kane and senior ESG associate Melanie Rua speak with Slav Gatchev, who leads The Nature Conservancy’s Sustainable Debt team, and Jake Harper, senior investment manager for Alternative Debt at Legal & General. Together, they discuss how these deals are structured, the role of new market standards in improving investor confidence and takeaways from landmark transactions in Ecuador and Gabon. Legal & General has invested nearly $500 million across four swaps, while TNC’s work has unlocked over $1 billion for conservation.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The climate transition is expected to require significant capital expenditures, with private equity being an important vehicle. In this episode of the ESG Currents podcast, Vikram Raju, head of Private Equity Climate Investing for Morgan Stanley Investment Management, joins Bloomberg Intelligence’s senior ESG analyst Shaheen Contractor. They discuss the financial viability and risks of climate-focused investments, the complexities of measuring impact, investment themes with untapped potential and more.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.