BlackRock CEO Says Climate Is Reshaping Finance. What Does That Mean?

On this week’s Energy Gang podcast: What happens now that the world’s biggest capitalist is embracing a climate-centric investment strategy?

BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager, is suddenly putting sustainability and climate risk at the center of its investment strategy. 

“Investors are increasingly...recognizing that climate risk is investment risk. These questions are driving a profound reassessment of risk and asset values. And because capital markets pull future risk forward, we will see changes in capital allocation more quickly than we see changes to the climate itself,” BlackRock CEO Larry Fink stated in his yearly investment letter.

BlackRock manages over $7 trillion in assets. This new strategy could have a far-reaching impact on the world of finance — and put climate risk at the top of investor considerations.

Plus, activists are targeting banks like Chase and Citibank by hitting them on the consumer finance side. We check in on the divestment movement as it gains momentum.

Then, a look at some lesser-known but still formidable greenhouse gases: refrigerants. How much of a problem are they?

Finally, California looks beyond lithium-ion batteries. The state is looking to fund the next generation of ideas in energy storage. What are those technologies, and how will they be deployed?

Resources:

This podcast is brought to you by Energetic Insurance. Energetic’s EneRate Credit Cover policy is an easy button for commercial solar  similar to a FICO score in residential solar. This enables savvy developers and investors to quickly finance commercial solar projects and turn around portfolio refinancings more rapidly. Find out more.

This podcast is brought to you by KORE Power. KORE Power is a leading manufacturer of high-density, high-voltage energy storage solutions for utility, industrial, microgrids and mission-critical markets. Find out more