Nature’s Balance Sheet: The Value of Nature-based Solutions
Introduction The ‘twin crises’ of climate change and biodiversity loss continue to have devastating impacts across the world. According to the World Economic Forum, the global cost of climate change damage is estimated to be between $1.7 trillion and $3.1 trillion per year by 2050. Similarly, we face an annual global GDP reduction of $2.7 […]
The Rise of Non-Financial Reporting and ESG Investing
This blog is the first in a series where Route2 will examine issues related to responsible investment and ESG data. Within this blog series we will also introduce readers to the approach Route2 is taking to resolve these concerns through our FTSE 350 Value2SocietyTM (V2S) index and company rating project. We will also examine the […]
Pioneering The Future Of Responsible Investment Through Earth Observation Data
A new project within the field of Responsible Investment (RI) strategies has been announced between Satellite Applications Catapult and Route2, the global frontrunner in quantifying Value2Society™. Funded by Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), this new collaboration will enable Earth Observation data, derived directly from satellite technologies, to better inform sustainability-based decision making. This will enhance the range of sustainability data immediately available to investors, guiding […]
The Inequalities of Plastic Waste – Who Should Pay?
Every year, the world produces almost 370 million tonnes of plastic. The UK produces more plastic waste per person than all other countries in the world, bar the USA, equating to 5.2 million tonnes every year – enough to fill Wembley Stadium six times over! With many of us rinsing, sorting and separating our plastics […]
Rethinking the Restoration of Nature
There is an increasing division between nature and wilderness. Perfectly manicured gardens and heavily regulated reserves may represent elements of nature, however, can something so regulated really be described as wild? There is an unquestionable need for ecological restoration with ecosystem degradation estimated to cost between £1.28-2.88 trillion per year, approximately 7.5% of global GDP. […]
Fashion – But at What Cost?
While for many of us slavery is a concept which has been consigned to history, for millions it remains a reality. Modern slavery refers to situations of exploitation that a person cannot refuse or leave because of threats, violence, coercion, deception, and/or abuse of power. According to the International Labour Organisation, 40 million individuals worldwide […]
Human Rights – Going Beyond Minimum Safeguards
When analysing the recent EU regulations on sustainable finance, a recurring and converging theme can be observed alongside the focus on climate and environment – this is human rights due diligence. Human rights due diligence is a way for corporates and investors to proactively manage any potential negative human rights impacts, within which they are involved. On the 12th of July 2020 the EU Taxonomy was introduced – the regulation requires companies and investors to report in alignment with six environmental objectives, […]
The Protectors of Our Planet
There are approximately 476 million people who self-identify as indigenous worldwide. Although the indigenous population makes up less than 5% of the world’s total population, they own, occupy or use up to 22% of the global land area, which includes 80% of the world’s biodiversity. For thousands of years indigenous communities have been caretakers of […]
Into the Blue
Carbon is arguably the most important element; the universal building block for life as we know it. However, carbon dioxide is the primary greenhouse gas produced across the world from human activities, posing a major threat to ecosystems across the world via global warming. Curbing the release of carbon dioxide is vital, to slow the rate of global warming and prevent ecosystem degradation. Across […]
Making Peace with Nature
What is more valuable, a tree, or its equivalent weight in paper products? Is a lake’s value equal to its volume in water bottles on supermarket shelves? Most of us would not know how to approach this question, with the dominant perception of value represented by market prices. In the past few months, notable figures have discussed this […]