Dow, the global chemical company aims for carbon neutrality by 2050. However, analysis by Planet Tracker suggests Dow’s mid-term climate strategy is not ambitious enough to align with the well-below 2°C pathway, instead aligning closer to a 3°C warming scenario by 2030.
Based on Planet Tracker’s assessment, to meet the well-below 2°C pathway by 2030 and its 2050 carbon neutrality goal, Dow would need to set more ambitious reduction targets, clearly link its investments to emissions reductions, and improve transparency in its sustainability initiatives.

Financial markets spend much of their time focused on risk and return metrics. The generally accepted relationship is that one needs to take on more investment risk to realise a higher return. If the investor is unwilling to take on risk, they should expect to receive the risk-free rate – e.g. a risk-free bond. But this assumes efficient pricing. Planet Tracker believes that the risks of synthetic chemicals are not being correctly priced by financial markets. A reassessment of the risk premium applied to producers and users of these substances looks wise.

Planet Tracker joins with Vizzuality for a “nature footprinting” study which highlights the urgent need for corporations to improve supply chain traceability.

Planet Tracker and Vizzuality have partnered on a “nature footprinting” study, highlighting how external analysis can expose a company’s environmental risk hotspots, even without full procurement data. This report features Nestlé as a case study and underscores the critical role transparency plays across supply chains. With technology advancing, companies that don’t adopt advanced traceability systems are exposed to rising reputational risk.

As COP16 nears, the expectations for financial institutions to step up their efforts are higher than ever. The need for established frameworks, clear direction from governments, and the mobilisation of private finance are central to the discussions. COP16 presents an opportunity to refine the role of financial institutions in the global biodiversity agenda, ensuring that private finance is not only aligned with but actively driving the conservation efforts needed to address the biodiversity crisis. This blog explores what financial institutions need to know before the UN Biodiversity (COP16).

Report from Planet Tracker urges investors to address the financial risks associated with toxic chemicals, which are key drivers of environmental damage, as well as being responsible for chronic and acute impacts on human health.

The release of novel entities — artificial chemicals and other human-made pollutants — into the biosphere, has accelerated to a point that they have exceeded their planetary boundary, threatening the Earth operating system, along with humanity. Planet Tracker’s latest report, ‘Novel Entities – A Financial Time Bomb’, presents a detailed analysis of the risks of one of Earth’s nine boundaries, novel entities. The report highlights their risk to both human and planetary health and warns investors of the significant financial risk they face from not considering their potential impact.

LyondellBasell could be aligned with a 1.5 °C warming scenario by 2030. LyondellBasell aims to achieve Carbon Neutrality by 2050, targeting a 42% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions and a 30% reduction in Scope 3 emissions by 2030, from a 2020 baseline. While Planet Tracker believes LYB is likely to meet its 2030 targets, the company could strengthen its position by enhancing its transparency, especially on financial disclosures related to climate-related risks and the expected impact of its investments on emissions reductions.

SABIC is expected to be on a 2°C pathway by 2030 according to analysis by Planet Tracker. The company aims for carbon neutrality by 2050, targeting a 20% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions by 2030 from a 2018 baseline. However, Planet Tracker’s analysis shows that SABIC lacks a specific Scope 3 emissions target, which accounts for 70% of its footprint, and therefore the company will miss the alignment with the latest Paris Agreement ambition.

Artificial intelligence (AI) continues to attract considerable attention in financial markets. While much of the spotlight is on the competitive opportunities offered by AI strategies, soaring demand has caused supply chain challenges. However, water resources are rarely viewed as an important constraint. If the water consumption of data centres is not dramatically reduced, it will be an increasingly important factor in their location.

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