A high-alpine solar plant on Albigna dam in the Grisons, Switzerland. EU rules will provide clarity to both corporates and investment firms on how environmentally friendly different activities are.(Photo: Keystone/Gaetan Bally)

🇨🇭 EU green finance rules: what they mean for Switzerland. The EU's landmark legislation, which will start being introduced next month, not only affects financial market participants in Europe, but also force any companies selling green investment products inside the EU to step up their game, including Swiss fund and asset managers.

📏 EU pushes WTO reform and Paris agenda in new trade plan. The European Commission last week presented a revision of the bloc's trade policy that included prioritising reforms at the WTO. It wants to push for a "strong environmental agenda" at the organisation, with initiatives that include the liberalisation of trade in selected green goods and services.

🌱 Bill Gates' green manifesto for businesses. In this self-penned piece, the billionaire philanthropist offers four ideas to help businesses take on the climate crisis. The first involves companies providing low-cost capital or other financial concessions to help promising innovators get their ideas "out of the lab and into the market".

Extract of timelapse video showing construction of new building at the Palais des Nations. (Credit: UN Geneva via Youtube)

🚧 Building works at the Palais take shape. The Strategic Heritage Plan, a CHF836.5m renovation of the Palais des Nations complex in Geneva, is gradually taking shape, including the construction of a 24,000 square metre sustainable office building, as shown in the timelapse below. In January, planners handed over the keys for the first section of renovation works to begin on the Palais building itself - the first time it will be receiving an extensive makeover since it was built 83 years ago.

📍 25 February | World Investment Forum Family Business Conference. The conference featuring speakers including US economist Jeffery D. Sachs and UNCTAD senior director James Zhan will discuss how to family businesses with the sustainability agenda.

📍 25 February | Scaling climate partnerships for industry transition. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark and the Mission Possible Partnership will host a one-day virtual event to accelerate public-private cooperation for net-zero industry action.