Brian Deese on What’s Driving ESG Investing

Climate change impacts and shifts in energy sources affect how the financial sector assesses risks and returns.

Renewable energy sources, like solar and wind, along with zero-carbon resources – primarily nuclear and hydropower – now account for about 40% of US energy supplies. Lower costs and technological advances have made possible their rapid expansion since 2010. Looking ahead, the further development of clean sources of power and storage systems will reconfigure the grid infrastructure to meet an increasing demand for electricity. That rise in demand will come from a changeover to electric cars, more energy-efficient buildings, and other ways by which society will reduce the carbon footprint of industrial...