Saudi Arabia approves ambitious plan to move economy beyond oil | The Guardian
China curbs plans for more coal-fired power plants | The Age
Coal producer Peabody Energy files for bankruptcy | Business | The Guardian
Stranded assets in the fossil fuel industry and why they are important
What are stranded assets?
CTI introduced the concept of stranded assets to get people thinking about the implications of not adjusting investment in line with the emissions trajectories required to limit global warming. There have been a number of interpretations, including:
- Regulatory stranding – due to a change in policy of legislation
- Economic stranding – due to a change in relative costs / prices
- Physical stranding – due to distance / flood / drought
The concept has warranted a new programme at the Smith School of Oxford University which considers stranded assets across a range of sectors from an academic perspective. From a financial perspective, accountants have measures to deal with the impairment of assets (eg IAS 16) which seeks to ensure that an entity’s assets are not carried at more than their recoverable amount.
Why are they important?
CTI says: Stranded assets are fossil fuel energy and generation resources which, at some time prior to the end of their economic life (as assumed at the investment decision point), are no longer able to earn an economic return (i.e. meet the company’s internal rate of return), as a result of changes in the market and regulatory environment associated with the transition to a low-carbon economy.
Shareholders face challenges from the potential liability risk of fossil fuel companies | Pensions & Investments
BP argues more aggressive forecasts on changed energy use aren't warranted | Sydney Morning Herald
Innovative idea would fix brown coal problem | Ross Gittins
From Our Perspective: COP21 - what next? | Investments & Pensions Europe
Norwegian industry plans to up fossil fuel production despite Paris pledge | The Guardian
Stranded assets and thermal coal: An analysis of environment-related risk exposure | Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment, Oxford University
The top 100 coal-fired utilities, top 20 thermal coal miners, and top 30 coal-to-liquids companies have been comprehensively assessed for their exposure to environment-related risks, including: water stress, air pollution concerns, climate change policy, carbon capture and storage retrofitability, future heat stress, remediation liabilities, and competition from renewables and gas. The research is designed to help investors, civil society, and company management to analyse the environmental performance of coal companies and will inform specific investor actions related to risk management, screening, voting, engagement, and disinvestment. The research also has clear implications for current disclosure processes, including the new Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures.
Authors: Ben Caldecott, Lucas Kruitwagen, Daniel Tulloch, Irem Kok, James Mitchell | Report
NAB's path to carbon neutrality
The basics of climate change
The term “climate change” refers to changes in long-term trends in climate that have been caused by human activity. Since the Industrial Revolution, the extensive burning of coal and petroleum has resulted in large amounts of carbon dioxide being emitted to the atmosphere. Extensive land clearing has had similar results.
Climate change for board risk committees
Climate change is emerging as one of the most significant risks facing the Australian economy. Increasingly, shareholders, younger employees and investment managers are asking companies about their policies around climate change. Prudent, long-term planning is essential to mitigate its adverse impacts and exploit the opportunities presented by the new environment.
Carbon in the supply chain
Existing supply chain management practices have traditionally focused on cost, service and quality. The new requirement to manage carbon emissions has resulted in carbon being the fourth criteria. With the possibility of a price on carbon, new opportunities arise for companies to exploit a competitive advantage by effectively managing carbon in the supply chain and to work strategically with their suppliers.
Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS) background
The legislation for the CPRS was rescinded by the Abbott Government in 2014, but we provide this information for historical purposes. The Rudd Government proposed an emissions trading scheme in 2008 as its central policy response to persuade Australian businesses to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. The scheme is based on a cap and trade system.
Efficiency Improvements
Many major organisations in Australia require large amounts of energy to operate. Those involved in power generation, smelting and manufacturing consume the most energy. Substantial opportunities exist for organisations to reduce the expenditure on energy through the introduction of energy efficiency improvement programs.
Bloomberg unveils crack team to assess global climate risk | Climate Change News
Enlisting Champions
New sustainability initiatives introduced into organisations require clear communications and energetic support from all levels of employees. This article explores the benefits of enlisting individuals within organisations (known as Champions) who can enthusiastically support and lead initiatives to bring about changes in company thinking and enable organisational change. These Champions emotionally and materially support ideas and projects and will sell these ideas to both the company and to the wider public.
Reducing your carbon footprint
The term “carbon footprint” refers to the amount of pollution an activity generates. It can be ascribed to a manufacturing, a service or a transport activity – or to an individual. It is typically measured by totalling up the quantity of greenhouse gas pollutants emitted by the activity over a year or the life of a product.