Unlocking growth in the 21st century:

As Lord Nicholas Stern said in Hong Kong earlier this month, “a new climate economy will be the growth story of the 21st century”. With this in mind, we explore how investors and brands can unlock it this month.

Investor awareness on climate risks varies significantly across geographies, as WWF HK’s Head of Environmental Finance Jean-Marc Champagne & senior research analyst Sam Hilton note. They share key points from their new report on climate risks and actions for institutional investors.

Water risks are just as crucial. WWF has upgraded the Water Risk Filter tool; expanded data sets and a new response section are just some of the additions. WWF’s Water Risk Filter Manager Ariane Laporte-Bisquit expands.

As for brands, growth means going beyond savings & their walls, which is what Dell is doing. Their Director of Social & Environmental Responsibility, Jason Ho, shares key water actions and strategies. Meanwhile, check out which brands are leading on green supply chains as IPE’s Erin Wong & Helen Ding from the Green Supply Chain Project share results from the 5th Corporate Information Transparency Index.

Any climate economy needs to include China and Asia. A big growth opportunity is the Belt & Road Initiative, which as Professor Asit Biswas & Cecilia Tortajada from the National University of Singapore say can benefit countries from enhanced infrastructure connectivity. At the same time, Asia needs to scale up adaptation; see our key takeaways from the 6th APAN Climate Adaptation Forum.

With only 12 years before a climate change tipping point, unlocking this new climate economy should be everyone’s priority.