New joint investor statement to World governments on the Climate Crisis

NILGOSC and 456 other global investors managing more than US$41 trillion in assets have released a new joint statement to all world governments urging a global race-to-the-top on climate policy and warning that laggards will miss out on trillions of dollars in investment if they aim too low and move too slow. This represents the largest collective assets under management to sign on to a global investor statement to governments on climate change since the first statement in 2009.

 The 2021 Global Investor Statement to Governments on the Climate Crisis delivers the strongest-ever investor call for governments to raise their climate ambition and implement meaningful policies, or risk missing out on a massive wave of investment in tackling the climate crisis. In particular, the 2021 statement asks for climate-related financial reporting to not only be improved, but be mandatory, and clearly recognizes the “climate crisis”. It also reflects the devastating impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, and calls for resilient economic recovery plans that support the just transition to a net-zero emissions future that is underway.

The investor signatories call on all governments to undertake five priority actions before COP26 in November:

1. Strengthen their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) for 2030 in line with limiting warming to 1.5°C;
2. Commit to a domestic mid-century, net-zero emissions target and outline a pathway with ambitious interim targets including clear decarbonization roadmaps for each carbon-intensive sector;
3. Implement domestic policies to deliver these targets, incentivise private investments in zero-emissions solutions and ensure ambitious pre-2030 action; including: “the removal of fossil fuel subsidies by set deadlines, the phase out of thermal coal-based electricity generation by set deadlines in line with credible 1.5°C temperature pathways, the avoidance of new carbon-intensive infrastructure (e.g. no new coal power plants) and the development of just transition plans for affected workers and communities.”
4. Ensure COVID-19 economic recovery plans support the transition to net-zero emissions and enhance resilience; and
5. Commit to implementing mandatory climate risk disclosure requirements aligned with the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) recommendations.

David Murphy, Chief Executive of NILGOSC, commented “Whilst NILGOSC is a local, Northern Ireland based, organisation we are concerned about the global response to climate change as it is this that will affect the returns of our investment portfolio. The world is currently not on a trajectory to meet the objectives of the Paris Agreement and we therefore support this initiative of global investors calling for further ambition from world governments ahead of COP26.