With their traditional sense of proportion, the markets have taken note of the gigantic potential of AI (Artificial Intelligence) and ML (Machine Learning) technologies. Even their most enthusiastic critics are struggling to establish the limits of what it will be possible to do with these tools.
Every economic agent is now called upon to consider the impact that AI will have on their business. But the question also arises in the area of climate change, especially as there are real differences of opinion at the moment. At this stage, some see AI as more of a threat than an opportunity.
While water seemed inexhaustible almost everywhere in Europe, climate change and the increase in periods of drought have made a scarce commodity a critical resource. To tackle the crisis, major investments are needed, as well as a profound change in our consumption habits.
The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) was signed in law by President Biden on 16 August 2022 after House Democrats approved the biggest-ever federal investment against climate change with a 220 to 207 vote. The package targets USD 369bn of spending on energy and climate change. To illustrate the monumental size, some are pointing out the spending will be four times more than Obama’s Recovery Act of 2009 for climate initiatives. The impact will be far-reaching – even pushing some technologies, in our view, past tipping points. The legislation aims to cut emissions by at least 40% by 2030.
The Sixth Assessment Report on climate change from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the third part of which was published earlier this month, has not been an easy read. Global CO2 emissions rose by +6% to 36.3bn tons in 2021, more than offsetting the reduction in 2020 due to Covid-19. The sustainable recovery much touted by governments has so far yet to come to fruition.
The development of the Clean Energy sector has historically been significantly impacted by previous energy crises. The war in Ukraine and its major impact on energy markets will be no exception. Sadly, it took a tragedy at our doors for us to come to realize that renewables and energy efficiency are not only about climate change, but also about our independence, freedom, and future prosperity.
There are mixed feelings coming out of the COP26. On the one hand, there were multiple new agreements and declarations that progress in the fight against climate change. On the other, they do not yet go far enough: we’re only just keeping the 1.5°C scenario alive. Pre-COP 26, we were on course for 2.7°C warming and the announcements during the conference put us somewhere between 1.8 °C and 2.4°C, depending on which study and organisation you believe. Of course, the devil is in the detail and the implementation. There is an enormous amount of work to be done to convert these commitments into action and to work out how these commitments will be policed.
While the financial sector is often accused of greenwashing, it is important to remember that responsible investments can only be made with truly sustainable companies. This is why sustainability reporting standards for companies are essential.
It has been over a year since our daily lives were modified by the COVID-19 pandemic. The shutdown of our countries’ activities has already had heavy effects on the economy, education, mental health, and has brought to light models that are probably here to stay, at least in some forms.
We have been informed of the fraudulent use of the identity of Quaero Capital and of its employees in order to offer investment services and financial products at high returns and in an extremely aggressive manner. The fraudsters may have e-mail addresses or domains that use the Quaero Capital name but in fact have no connection with Quaero Capital and are not authorised to act on our behalf. It should be noted that Quaero Capital never conducts banking and will not solicit investment business from the public, nor will we ever ask members of the public to open an account with us or transfer money to us.
If you receive a communication as referred to above, we recommend that you exercise extreme caution, and would encourage you to check carefully the contact details of the people offering these services. In case of unusual contacts or inappropriate requests, please contact us at the following email address info@quaerocapital.com.
