{"id":14624,"date":"2024-02-03T14:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-02-03T21:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gemstatepatriot.com\/blog\/?p=14624"},"modified":"2024-09-23T23:22:37","modified_gmt":"2024-09-24T05:22:37","slug":"more-esg","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gemstatepatriot.com\/blog\/more-esg\/","title":{"rendered":"More ESG"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>While the Natural Asset Companies have been successfully put on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/sustainability\/climate-energy\/nyse-pulls-plan-environmentally-sustainable-asset-class-2024-01-17\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">hold<\/a>, at least for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ag.idaho.gov\/newsroom\/idaho-joint-letter-to-sec-commissioners-regarding-natural-asset-companies-and-notice-of-withdrawal\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">now<\/a>, there has been another Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) scheme in the works. Originating out of the United <a href=\"https:\/\/corpgov.law.harvard.edu\/2018\/10\/04\/un-sustainable-development-goals-the-leading-esg-framework-for-large-companies\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Nations<\/a>, ESG began with the idea that <a href=\"https:\/\/corporatefinanceinstitute.com\/resources\/esg\/esg-environmental-social-governance\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">investors<\/a> should determine how businesses operate on an environmental, social, and governance framework, or its sustainability practices. Now, the new scheme is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.natureaction100.org\/request-for-proposals-nature-action-100-company-benchmark\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">expecting<\/a> those corporations to stem nature and biodiversity loss. The World Economic Forum (WEF) has a short <a href=\"https:\/\/www.weforum.org\/projects\/nature-action-agenda\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">video<\/a> of examples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/esgclarity.com\/nature-action-100-launches-at-cop15\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Launched<\/a> in 2022, the posh name for this, Nature Action <a href=\"https:\/\/www.natureaction100.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">100<\/a>, was conceived by the Launching Investor <a href=\"https:\/\/www.natureaction100.org\/partners\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Group<\/a>, a conglomerate of different investment and asset management groups worth $24 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.esgtoday.com\/24-trillion-investor-group-launches-engagement-campaign-targeting-100-companies-to-address-biodiversity-nature-loss\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">trillion<\/a>, and even the Church Commissioners for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.churchofengland.org\/about\/leadership-and-governance\/church-commissioners\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">England<\/a>. Other partners include <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ceres.org\/about-us\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Ceres<\/a>, the investors group on climate change <a href=\"https:\/\/www.iigcc.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">IIGCC<\/a>, Planet <a href=\"https:\/\/planet-tracker.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Tracker<\/a>, and Finance for Biodiversity <a href=\"https:\/\/www.financeforbiodiversity.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Foundation<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Through a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.natureaction100.org\/media\/2023\/09\/Nature-Action-100-Letter-Sept-2023-1.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">letter<\/a>, Nature Action 100 engaged with 100 companies whom it deems as major drivers of nature loss, exploiters of resources, and contributors to soil, water, and solid waste pollution, requesting them to &#8220;align their business model with the targets and goals of the &#8220;Global Biodiversity <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbd.int\/gbf\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Framework<\/a>&#8221; and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.financeforbiodiversity.org\/at-cop15-investors-announce-nature-action-100-to-tackle-nature-loss-and-biodiversity-decline\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">restore<\/a> nature and ecosystems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some of those company <a href=\"https:\/\/www.natureaction100.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">sectors<\/a> include pharmaceuticals; agricultural chemicals; household and personal goods; food, ranging from meat and dairy producers to processed foods; forestry and packaging, including forest management and pulp and paper products; and metals and mining. Companies that have been <a href=\"https:\/\/www.natureaction100.org\/companies\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">tagged<\/a> for ravaging the earth include some familiar names like Cost-co, Home Depot, Kellogg, Kimberly Clark, Lowes, McDonalds, Nestl\u00e9, Pepsi, Sherwin-Williams, Target, Tyson, Walmart, and Weyerhaeuser, all of which will be <a href=\"https:\/\/www.natureaction100.org\/request-for-proposals-nature-action-100-company-benchmark\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">analyzed<\/a> for compliance. The message is clear, if you don&#8217;t do this, we won&#8217;t invest in you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The goal for these companies is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.globalelr.com\/2023\/07\/nature-action-100-gives-first-insight-into-engagement-priorities-with-companies\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">integrating<\/a> natural capital considerations into their ESG programs. A variation of natural asset companies, natural <a href=\"https:\/\/www.worldbank.org\/en\/topic\/natural-capital\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">capital<\/a> is <strong>&#8220;<\/strong>a conceptual <a href=\"https:\/\/earth.org\/what-is-natural-capital\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">approach<\/a> that looks at nature through the prism of economics&#8221; requiring &#8220;Better stewardship&#8221;. Thus, companies must pledge to place nature above all production.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Initial <a href=\"https:\/\/www.globalelr.com\/2023\/07\/nature-action-100-gives-first-insight-into-engagement-priorities-with-companies\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">expectations<\/a> are that these companies will outline a plan that includes six <a href=\"https:\/\/www.natureaction100.org\/investor-expectations-for-companies\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">actions<\/a>: Ambition, Assessment, Targets, Implementation, Governance, and Engagement. So, for now, it is just developing a plan to meet investor demands. Similar benchmarks were created for Climate Action <a href=\"https:\/\/www.climateaction100.org\/net-zero-company-benchmark\/methodology\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">100+<\/a> in which there are already 170 companies <a href=\"https:\/\/www.climateaction100.org\/whos-involved\/companies\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">participating<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Instead of corporations steering the agenda on the climate, as with wind and solar power, this agenda focuses on corporations preventing the reduction of nature&#8217;s assets and biodiversity through its production of goods. In this WEF <a href=\"https:\/\/www.weforum.org\/event_player\/a0P68000001Kd0vEAC\/sessions\/setting-the-agenda-for-nature-action\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">video<\/a>, this concept is discussed. At the 4&#8243; mark Elizabeth <a href=\"https:\/\/www.unep.org\/people\/elizabeth-maruma-mrema\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Mrema<\/a> sensationally declares that earth has lost millions of species, 83% of land is lost, and 85% of wetlands have been destroyed, thus driving the need for this transition. Oh, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=NmrRbgMl_HQ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">humanity<\/a>! It is a mystery how anyone is surviving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The panel also references &#8220;nature based solutions&#8221; which are &#8220;are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.iucn.org\/our-work\/nature-based-solutions\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">actions<\/a> to protect, sustainably manage, and restore natural and modified ecosystems&#8221; which is what these investors are commanding from the companies. It ends with a discussion on how to &#8220;sell&#8221; this to the world and sucking the younger generation into being social activists to sell it, starting with the education system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Isn&#8217;t the threat of monetary loss unless these companies comply, as Kjerstin <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Kjerstin_Braathen\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Braathen<\/a> states at the 22:40 mark in the video, a form of&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.justia.com\/criminal\/offenses\/white-collar-crimes\/blackmail\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">blackmail<\/a>? Or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.criminaldefenselawyer.com\/crime-penalties\/federal\/Extortion.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">extortion<\/a> with investors making a threat with the intention to cause harm through economic loss? It all just sounds dirty and corrupt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ms. Braathen also acknowledges, as she smiles, that this transition will cause some &#8220;pain&#8221; with resulting shortages in energy and &#8220;inflationary pressures&#8221; at the 22:41&#8243; mark. Geez lady, thanks a lot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It will also be just a matter of time before these corporations will put expectations on <a href=\"https:\/\/insight.kellogg.northwestern.edu\/article\/esg-risks-can-lurk-in-supply-chains-too\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">suppliers<\/a> for the same practices. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.walmartsustainabilityhub.com\/nature\/what-walmart-is-doing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Walmart<\/a> is already on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.walmartsustainabilityhub.com\/project-gigaton\/nature\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">board<\/a>. Taking these actions won&#8217;t cost companies anything, the cost of this insanity is, and will be, borne by the consumer. This is just another example of how the corporate world has taken hold of how lives are being transitioned. Bring on the seaweed.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>While the Natural Asset Companies have been successfully put on hold, at least for now, there has been another Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) scheme in the works. Originating out of the United Nations, ESG began with the idea that investors should determine how businesses operate on an environmental, social, and governance framework, or its [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":14625,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[243],"tags":[398,1203,663],"class_list":["post-14624","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-opinions-op-eds","tag-environmentalists","tag-esg","tag-sustainable-development","cat-243-id"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gemstatepatriot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14624","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gemstatepatriot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gemstatepatriot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gemstatepatriot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gemstatepatriot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14624"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/gemstatepatriot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14624\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14626,"href":"https:\/\/gemstatepatriot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14624\/revisions\/14626"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gemstatepatriot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14625"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gemstatepatriot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14624"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gemstatepatriot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14624"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gemstatepatriot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14624"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}