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Good morning, this is Kasmira, and this week, our eyes are on the WTO as it moves closer to appointing its next chief after the US aligned with other countries and declared its support for Nigeria’s Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

In news that will impact the sustainable finance community, the EU has once again delayed plans for new rules aimed at curbing “greenwashing” after a pushback over how to label gas and biofuel activities. And why, when it comes to nature, we should all consider ourselves asset managers.

photo journaliste

Kasmira Jefford

08.02.2021


Today’s reason for hope


Photo article

Why Solar company stocks are thriving. Solar stocks have been enjoying a strong run thanks to the move towards decarbonisation. But after some painful lessons from the past, will this surge be more sustainable than prior booms? At least in the near term, the underlying drivers propelling clean tech look sturdy thanks to both supportive policies in both Europe and the US and a push towards green electric grids.

Bloomberg (EN)

Trade, sustainable business & finance news


🇺🇸 US backs Nigeria’s Okonjo Iweala for WTO chief role. Biden’s administration declared its “strong support” for the twice former Nigerian finance minister, who is set to be the first woman to lead the global trade body and the first director-general from Africa. In other WTO news, China has appointed a new ambassador to the organisation.

Geneva Solutions (EN)

📖 EU sustainable finance rules delayed. The European Commission has delayed until April the publication of new rules on sustainable finance taxonomy aimed at cracking down on “greenwashing” because of the sheer number of comments received and a threat of opposition by some member states over gas and biofuels.

Euractiv (EN)

🌱 When it comes to nature, ‘we are all asset managers’, says Cambridge University economist Partha Dasgupta in a major report commissioned by the UK government about the underappreciated economics of biodiversity. Too often, nature’s resources are treated as infinite, with Dasgupta arguing that we need to look at natural capital as we would other forms of capital.

Axios (EN)

Here's what else is happening


Image of the day


Photo article

The ten first female members of the National Council elected in 1972 and the two members who moved up in December 1971 and June 1972 (Sahlfeld und Meyer): Elisabeth Blunschy, Hedi Lang, Hanny Thalmann, Helen Meyer, Lilian Uchtenhagen, Josi Meyer, Hanna Sahlfeld (standing from left to right), Tilo Frey, Gabrielle Nanchen, Liselotte Spreng, Martha Ribi and Nelly Wicky (sitting from left to right), pictured in July 1972. (Keystone/Str)

Fifty-year milestone for women's rights in Switzerland. On 7 February, 1971 women in Switzerland won the right to vote and stand for election at the federal level, more than a century after the first demands for universal suffrage in the country. While marking a decisive step, Eleonore Lepinard, a sociology professor at Lausanne University, told news agency AFP the memorialising is "something that should in many ways be a national shame, because it came so late". The anniversary should be used to shine a spotlight on "areas where gender differences remain substantial", she says.

The Local CH (EN)

Next on the agenda


10 February | Venture competition kickoff. This virtual event marks the launch of this year’s “venture” Swiss start-up competition for budding entrepreneurs. The initiative is organised by EPFL, ETH Zurich, McKinsey & Company, Knecht Holding, Innosuisse.

Venture (EN)

9-11 February | GreenBiz 21. Organised by the media and events group GreenBiz, this annual event for sustainable business leaders, will convene more than 1,200 professionals online. Geneva organisations, including the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, will be taking part. Registration fees apply.

GreenBiz (EN)

9 February | Aligning finance for the net zero economy. Part of a ‘thought leadership’ series organised by EIT Climate-KIC and UNEP FI, three experts will present their papers aimed at inspiring financial actors around climate alignment.

UNEP FI (EN)

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