Browsing: <a href="/tag/adaptation-science">Adaptation, science</a> <i class="grey">•</i> <a href="/tag/grants-finance">Grants, finance</a>

Investors' reluctance to back projects such as the expansion of the Abbot Point coal terminal isn't just a result of lobbying by Australian activitists, according to Baker & McKenzie carbon lawyer Martijn Wilder.

The recent move by big super fund Unisuper to exclude fossil fuel companies from its socially responsible investment options is just a 'sideshow' and diverts attention from the real issue facing the majority of super fund members – that their retirement asset has huge climate risk exposure that needs mitigation, according to the Asset Owners Disclosure Project.

Businesses need to be able to assure large shareholders they are dealing appropriately with climate risk, says a division of the Commonwealth Bank that manages $169 billion in assets.

Over the next few weeks, banks and fund managers will face increasing scrutiny of their investments in the fossil fuel sector.

A new report names 21 ASX200 companies as divestment candidates due to their involvement in fossil fuel extraction or their downstream exposure to fossil fuels, while listing others for engagement and possible divestment.

Activist Bill McKibben had some useful messages for institutional investors at a Sydney meeting, according to the Investor Group on Climate Change, while Greens Leader Christine Milne says it's time for the Future Fund to exit fossil fuels.

A national climate adaptation facility established five years ago at the behest of COAG will launch its research findings at Parliament House at the end of May and then cease to exist a month later, due to a lack of Federal funding.

• Victorian emissions target repeal bill clears Parliament
  
• Victoria's sustainability commissioner urges 'aggressive' climate change action
  
• Sydney makes progress on green retrofit agreements
  
• Combet issues new energy efficiency grants

• New carbon and energy grants on offer
  
• CO2 Group reports record profit; Trading revenue grows to $38m
  
• New WA climate change-readiness strategy under fire

Australian and international investor groups have demanded that oil and gas companies demonstrate that they are effectively controlling fugitive methane emissions, and they want intensive gas users to exert pressure as well.