ESG Today: Week in Review

This week in ESG news: Green bond issuance hits new record in Q2 2026; 16 U.S, states warn Big 4 accounting firms over “pushing” climate-related reporting; UN report says goal limiting climate change to 1.5°C out of reach; U.S. judge blocks New York’s $75 billion plan to charge oil companies for climate change costs; California releases guidance for companies about to begin mandatory climate-related reporting; Maersk pilots new wind-powered sail to cut shipping emissions; JPMorgan rebrands $11 billion forestry asset management unit to reflect broader nature-based assets focus; Fervo signs record geothermal energy deal with Google, and more.

See below for the highlights of the past week, and get all your ESG news at ESG Today:

Sustainability Goals, Initiatives and Achievements

Goal to Limit Climate Change to 1.5°C Out of Reach: UN Report

Cypress Creek Reveals Microsoft as Long-term Offtaker for New $180 Million Washington Solar Project

Mars Impact Fund Invests $13 Million in Farming Communities, Scientists, Animal Well-Being

Microsoft Pilots New Maritime Sustainable Fuel Book & Claim Purchase with Norden

Maersk Pilots Wind Sail to Cut Container Ship Fuel and Emissions

Google Signs Record Geothermal Power Deal with Fervo

SLB Acquires Data Center Cooling Solutions Provider Kelvion from Apollo for $4 Billion

Amazon Signs New Series of Clean Energy Deals in Sweden

Government & Regulators

UK Loans Over $500 Million to Tropical Forest Preservation Fund

Singapore Delays Sustainable Aviation Fuel Surcharge for Cargo Flights to 2028

Court Blocks New York Law Charging Oil Companies $75 Billion to Pay for Climate Change Costs

EU Approves $5.6 Billion Greek Clean Transition Plan

Sustainability Reporting

California Confirms Series of Reliefs to Ease First Year of Climate Reporting for Companies

Europe’s Sustainability Reset: Simplification is Not a Reason to Slow Down

16 States Warn Big 4 Accounting Firms Over “Pushing Climate-Related Disclosures”

ESG Services and Tools

MioTech, CCX Merge to Form Asian Sustainability Reporting, Supply Chain Data, Green Finance Solutions Provider

Sustainable Finance

RBC Launches New Program to Support Community Solar Deployment

JetZero Secures $100 Million to Advance Ultra-Efficient Blended-Wing Aircraft

Green Bond Issuance Hits New Record in Q2 2026: Moody’s

Sustainable Investing

JPMorgan Rebrands Forest Asset Management Unit to Reflect Broader Nature-Based Assets Focus

Private Equity & Venture Capital

Alantra Launches New $140 Million Energy Transition Fund with Acquisition of Portfolio from Shell Ventures

Gridsight Raises $26 Million to Help Utilities Unlock Grid Capacity with AI

Aligned Climate Capital Launches $500 Million Distributed Solar and Storage Fund

Auxxo Raises Over €33 Million to Back Female-led Startups

CIP Acquires Wind and Battery Project in Australia

Exec Moves

Revaia Hires Marc-Etienne Mercadier to Co-Lead New Energy Transition Fund

HSBC Appoints Nneka Chike-Obi as Head of Sustainability for Global Investment Research