"Impact Investors Can Catalyze A Just Transition To Net-Zero Emissions", 28 Oct 2021

At [the] heart [of COP26] is the worldwide effort to formalize steps to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050... Reaching our net-zero emissions future will reshape markets, industries and, importantly, entire communities. Achieving the energy transition while doing right by those communities most affected by climate action is known as the “just transition,” a concept rooted in justice and human rights. Among other key objectives, funding the just transition is a critical challenge. Impact investors’ approach is particularly well-disposed to address the challenge... Transformation on this scale is inherently disruptive. While essential for the health of our planet, the actions required to complete this transformation come with an array of risks to workers and communities. These arise at both ends of the transition spectrum... [There are] many positive opportunities coming from investing in the energy transition—financial, social, and environmental. For example, in 2019 the Connecticut Green bank reported that its $40.7 million in green investment attracted an additional $312.7 million in private investment in the state, [and] the creation of over 3,300 direct, indirect, and induced job-years... If we can better marry the human rights-based approach with impact investing, we give ourselves the best possible chance of achieving an enduring and equitable just transition. The United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights are a key tool...