Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future

Making money green: Australia takes its first steps towards a net zero finance strategy

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, November 8, 2023

This article is part of a series by The Conversation, Getting to Zero, examining Australia’s energy transition.

Key Points: 
  • This article is part of a series by The Conversation, Getting to Zero, examining Australia’s energy transition.
  • Just north of Jamestown in South Australia, 70 kilometres east of the Spencer Gulf and next to a wind farm of nearly 100 turbines, stands the world’s first big battery.
  • Australia aspires not only to transition its economy to net zero emissions, but to become a green energy superpower.

The size of the green finance challenge

  • These financial flows need to grow by 21% a year, on average.
  • Without this enormous increase, the economic transition will not happen in time to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.
  • Successive Australian governments have been slow to grasp this reality, and we are now playing catch-up with many other countries.

Australia releases its strategy

  • The Australian government’s Sustainable Finance Strategy, released by Treasurer Jim Chalmers last Thursday, lays solid foundations for this recovery.
  • Yet more needs to be done if Australia is to achieve the strategy’s stated ambition to be a global sustainability finance leader.
  • The strategy is arranged around three core pillars.
  • Read more:
    How to beat 'rollout rage': the environment-versus-climate battle dividing regional Australia

    Large companies will also be required to disclose their net zero transition plan, if they have one.

Fighting greenwashing

  • ASIC Deputy Chair Karen Chester believes the economic cost and loss of investor confidence caused by greenwashing “cannot be overstated”.
  • Her organisation has set out guidelines to help financial institutions identify it.
  • These bonds are designed to establish standards for lending and borrowing for all green finance; they will also help the government to fund projects such as electric vehicle charging infrastructure.

What’s missing from the strategy?

  • And Australia ranks only 30th in a list of countries on its share of talent for green finance.
  • If the financing of the transition were a bicycle race, Australia has now caught up to the global peloton.


Alison Atherton is a member of the Australian Sustainable Finance Institute's Capability Reference Group Gordon Noble does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Emory University Hosts Webinar With Dr. Daniel Goleman and Dr. Susan Bauer-Wu on the Dalai Lama's Vision for a "Compassion Revolution"

Retrieved on: 
Friday, November 3, 2023

The webinar will address the meaning behind the Dalai Lama’s entreaty, how citizens might help bring it about, and highlight the work of Emory’s Compassion Center as it responds to the Dalai Lama’s challenge.

Key Points: 
  • The webinar will address the meaning behind the Dalai Lama’s entreaty, how citizens might help bring it about, and highlight the work of Emory’s Compassion Center as it responds to the Dalai Lama’s challenge.
  • Twenty-five years ago, in the presence of Emory University Presidential Distinguished Professor, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Emory signed the Emory-Tibet Partnership.
  • By 2017 the collaboration had evolved into a robust, global center of education and research called The Center for Contemplative Science and Compassion-Based Ethics (aka, Emory Compassion Center).
  • The Emory Compassion Center works alongside scientists, educators, contemplatives, and philanthropists to pioneer programs at the intersection of science and spirituality.

Paradigm for Parity® Recognizes Trane Technologies’ Deidra Parrish Williams & Britt Smith as 2023 Women on the Rise

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, October 5, 2023

Trane Technologies (NYSE:TT), a global climate innovator, is pleased to announce Deidra Parrish Williams and Britt Smith have been named as 2023 Women on the Rise by Paradigm for Parity® .

Key Points: 
  • Trane Technologies (NYSE:TT), a global climate innovator, is pleased to announce Deidra Parrish Williams and Britt Smith have been named as 2023 Women on the Rise by Paradigm for Parity® .
  • View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20231005221036/en/
    Britt Smith and Deidra Parrish Williams recognized as 2023 Women on the Rise by Paradigm for Parity®.
  • (Photo: Business Wire)
    “We are extremely proud to see Deidra and Britt recognized with this prestigious award,” said Mairéad Magner, senior vice president and chief human resources officer, Trane Technologies.
  • This recognition is well-deserved, and we applaud their leadership.”
    Deidra Parrish Williams leads corporate citizenship at Trane Technologies, which includes oversight of the company’s Sustainable Futures strategy.

New carbon budgets for G20 members set a hard limit for a soft landing

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, September 5, 2023

UTS researchers have devised current decarbonisation pathways for each G20 country and the EU27 region, using technically high-resolution energy scenarios.

Key Points: 
  • UTS researchers have devised current decarbonisation pathways for each G20 country and the EU27 region, using technically high-resolution energy scenarios.
  • The scenarios are the first and most detailed of their kind, with each pathway broken down into sub-pathways for 19 industry and service sectors.
  • ISF Research Director Associate Professor Sven Teske says, "This carbon budget is a hard limit for a soft landing.
  • "It first sets out what must happen in G20 economies across all sectors and contains a clear ask to adopt the Carbon Index.

Coterra Energy Reports Second-Quarter 2023 Results, Announces Quarterly Dividend

Retrieved on: 
Monday, August 7, 2023

Coterra Energy Inc. (NYSE: CTRA) (“Coterra” or the “Company”) today reported second-quarter 2023 financial and operating results.

Key Points: 
  • Coterra Energy Inc. (NYSE: CTRA) (“Coterra” or the “Company”) today reported second-quarter 2023 financial and operating results.
  • Common Dividend: On August 7, 2023, Coterra's Board of Directors (the "Board") approved a quarterly base dividend of $0.20 per share, which will be paid on August 31, 2023 to holders of record on August 17, 2023.
  • Coterra plans to publish its 2023 Sustainability Report in the fourth quarter of 2023.
  • Coterra will host a conference call tomorrow, Tuesday, August 8, 2023, at 9:00 AM CT (10:00 AM ET), to discuss second-quarter 2023 financial and operating results.

Supermarket shelves were empty for months after the Lismore floods. Here's how to make supply chains more resilient

Retrieved on: 
Monday, June 19, 2023

But the past few years have made life harder for many who live there, with Black Summer bushfires, the COVID pandemic and intense flooding.

Key Points: 
  • But the past few years have made life harder for many who live there, with Black Summer bushfires, the COVID pandemic and intense flooding.
  • While it’s often assumed Australia’s strong agricultural sector means we are secure, these successive disasters show the danger of this assumption.
  • In Lismore, they were empty for weeks or up to four months for major supermarkets.

Shorter supply chains are stronger supply chains

    • During the floods, food supply chains bent or broke.
    • As a local food business owner told us:
      We are not making any money at the moment, just working to maintain customers.
    • First, we must think of food as a local system rather than a linear supply chain.

Communities move fast while government often moves slowly

    • In the wake of the floods, an inquiry found a worrying lack of preparedness or ability to respond by the state government.
    • As one helper told the ABC:
      Everywhere is closed – that’s why we wanted to open the farmers’ market, because everyone’s out of supplies.
    • Everywhere is closed – that’s why we wanted to open the farmers’ market, because everyone’s out of supplies.
    • The people running local food exchanges and pop-up kitchens served and delivered food to those who couldn’t access food on their own.

Food insecurity is on the rise – and worsened by disasters

    • But it’s surged even higher as the nation weathers the economic fallout from the pandemic and rising living costs.
    • In 2022, Foodbank reported that one-third of Australian households had problems with finding enough to eat.
    • Our study found food charities in the Northern Rivers were also disrupted by the floods.

We should build up community food networks and regional circular economies


    Even before the floods, Lismore was one of the most disaster-prone areas in Australia. This won’t be the last major shock the region faces. So what can we do? Our recommendations to boost food resilience include:
    • And last year’s floods in South Australia cut the vital Trans-Australian railway, which transports 80% of WA’s food.
    • If we harness community networks, innovative solutions and drive policy change, we can build a more resilient and secure food system for the Northern Rivers – and beyond.
    • In 2023 this includes the Northern Rivers Community Foundation and Plan C. Sheriden Keegan receives funding from Plan C and Northern Rivers Community Foundation.
    • Somayeh Sadegh Koohestani works for Institute for Sustainable Futures and received funding in 2023 from Northern Rivers Community Foundation and Plan C.

Using electric water heaters to store renewable energy could do the work of 2 million home batteries – and save us billions

Retrieved on: 
Sunday, June 4, 2023

But as we work towards fully electric households powered by renewable energy, have we overlooked a key enabling technology, the humble electric water heater?

Key Points: 
  • But as we work towards fully electric households powered by renewable energy, have we overlooked a key enabling technology, the humble electric water heater?
  • About half of Australian households use electric water heaters, while the rest use gas.
  • Electric water heaters offer a cheap way to store large amounts of energy, in the form of hot water.
  • Our research at the UTS Institute for Sustainable Futures has found Australians could use household electric water heaters to store as much energy as over 2 million home batteries of that kind.

Cutting emissions

    • Back in 2010, a resistance electric water heater typically produced around four times more emissions than its gas equivalent.
    • Heat pump emissions were about the same as for gas.
    • By 2040, once the transition to a renewable electricity system is largely complete, emissions from resistance and heat pump water heaters will be much lower than for their gas counterparts.
    • We found that replacing gas with electric water heating would not only help us get to net-zero emissions sooner, it would save us money.

Boosting grid stability

    • But to maintain a stable electricity system, we need to match demand with the fluctuating supply from renewable sources.
    • Electric water heaters offer a much cheaper way to store large amounts of energy and provide the demand flexibility the grid needs.

Back to the future for water heating

    • In recent decades we’ve moved away from off-peak electric hot water, as incentives dwindled and more homes connected to natural gas.
    • As we electrify our hot water, which technology should we embrace: resistance or heat pump?
    • Our research explored the trade-off between highly flexible resistance water heaters versus highly efficient but less flexible heat pumps.

Coterra Energy Reports First-Quarter 2023 Results, Announces Quarterly Dividend and Provides Update on Share Repurchase Program

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, May 4, 2023

Coterra Energy Inc. (NYSE: CTRA) (“Coterra” or the “Company”) today reported first-quarter 2023 financial and operating results.

Key Points: 
  • Coterra Energy Inc. (NYSE: CTRA) (“Coterra” or the “Company”) today reported first-quarter 2023 financial and operating results.
  • As we look ahead, Coterra will remain disciplined and focused on value creation through consistent, profitable growth.”
    Net Income (GAAP) totaled $677 million, or $0.88 per share.
  • As of March 31, 2023, Coterra had total long-term debt of $2.2 billion with a principal amount of $2.1 billion.
  • Coterra will host a conference call tomorrow, Friday, May 5, 2023, at 9:00 AM CT (10:00 AM ET), to discuss first-quarter 2023 financial and operating results.

Coterra Energy Reports Fourth-Quarter and Full-Year 2022 Results, Provides 2023 Outlook and Updates Shareholder Return Strategy

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, February 22, 2023

Coterra Energy Inc. (NYSE: CTRA) (“Coterra” or the “Company”) today reported fourth-quarter and full-year 2022 financial and operating results.

Key Points: 
  • Coterra Energy Inc. (NYSE: CTRA) (“Coterra” or the “Company”) today reported fourth-quarter and full-year 2022 financial and operating results.
  • Adjusted net income (non-GAAP) for fourth-quarter 2022, excluding non-recurring items, was $905 million, or $1.16 per share.
  • Coterra's 2022 return strategy targeted 50%+ of Free Cash Flow (non-GAAP) paid via cash dividends (base + variable).
  • Coterra will host a conference call tomorrow, Thursday, February 23, 2023, at 9:00 AM CT (10:00 AM ET), to discuss fourth-quarter and full-year 2022 financial and operating results and its 2023 outlook.

Nine Schools Named National Winners of Saint-Gobain North America’s 2022 Sustaining Futures, Raising Communities Program

Retrieved on: 
Friday, November 18, 2022

Saint-Gobain North America today announced the winning schools of its 2022 Sustaining Futures, Raising Communities charitable giveaway contest, where schools across Georgia, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania competed to receive $250,000 in donated building materials solutions and program materials to transform educational spaces in their schools.

Key Points: 
  • Saint-Gobain North America today announced the winning schools of its 2022 Sustaining Futures, Raising Communities charitable giveaway contest, where schools across Georgia, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania competed to receive $250,000 in donated building materials solutions and program materials to transform educational spaces in their schools.
  • These schools were among the 30 finalists selected from many schools who responded to the Companys open call for applications to its Sustaining Futures, Raising Communities program in June and July.
  • Our shared ambition for improving the lives of our community and making the world a better home inspired our commitment to impacting future generations through our Sustaining Futures, Raising Communities Program, said Mark Rayfield, Chief Executive Officer of Saint-Gobain North America and CertainTeed.
  • We know that environments with better acoustical performance, better lighting and air quality students learn better and achieve greater results.