Jeff Robertson

“The Quiet Collapse of ESG—and Why Decarbonization is the Only Path Forward” 🔻 Brutal truth: The ESG era is collapsing under its own weight. Glossy scores, fluffy frameworks, and PR-friendly disclosures are being exposed for what they really are: a distraction from what truly matters—decarbonization. Is your company still hiding behind a high ESG rating? The conflict is real. Behind the scenes, regulators and investors are recalibrating. The trust in ESG scores is eroding—fast. And here’s what I’m seeing on the ground: -Companies with “top ESG ratings” still show rising emissions year-on-year. ESG reports are still seen as a check-the-box compliance exercise, not a strategy driver. -Scope 3 is either excluded, under-reported, or marked “not applicable”—even in supply chain-heavy industries. -Teams are buried in data collection and rating questionnaires—but no actual decarbonization strategy exists. 🚨 A client of ours—a well-known FMCG exporter—was recently delisted by a European retailer. Why? They had great ESG ratings… but no science-based targets, no Scope 3 roadmap, and no real GHG reductions. What’s truly wild is this: The very thing ESG was supposed to protect companies from—regulatory risk, investor flight, and market exclusion—is now happening because companies over-invested in reporting and under-invested in action. This isn’t just about sustainability anymore. This is about license to operate, access to markets, capital, and talent. 🧠 The shift is clear: ESG scores ≠ sustainability. Verified GHG reductions = credibility. Absolute decarbonization = competitive advantage. Businesses that are proactively setting science-based targets, measuring Scope 3 emissions, and embedding carbon strategy into procurement, product design, and operations—these are the companies investors want and regulators trust. 📣 The Call to Action: If your ESG report looks great but your emissions are climbing… You’re not ESG-aligned. You’re exposed. 👉 If you’re ready to move from ESG noise to decarbonization strategy, let’s connect. #earthood is helping organizations transform compliance into competitive edge. #decarbonization #esgstrategy #netzero #scope3 #carbonaccounting #sustainability #climateleadership #sciencebasedtargets #transitionrisk #climatefinance #earthood #earthoodies #manufacturing Microsoft India India Kawasaki Motors Pvt. Ltd. kawasaki india pvt Manufacturing Decarbonization Partners Assurance Partners LLP, Singapore | Audit & Assurance

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#Adaptation is an investment in our future In 2024 alone, the world faced 58 climate disasters, each causing over $1 billion in damages. Yet the adaptation finance gap remains as high as $359 billion per year. Every dollar we fail to invest leaves communities and economies vulnerable to escalating risks. New research by World Resources Institute shows that $1 invested in adaptation can yield $10.50 in benefits over 10 years. These gains go far beyond avoided losses, they include better health, stronger economies, and restored ecosystems. At the World Meteorological Organization, we see this every day. From strengthening early warning systems under the “Early Warnings for All” #EW4ALL initiative, to delivering climate services for critical sectors like #agriculture, #energy, #water and #health, our work helps countries turn science into resilience. Adaptation is embedded in our mission because good adaptation is good development. 💡 Adaptation delivers a triple dividend: ✔ Avoided losses from climate impacts ✔ Economic growth and jobs ✔ Social and environmental benefits The bottom line? Investing in adaptation is one of the smartest economic decisions we can make. 📢 It’s time for governments, development partners, and the private sector to close the adaptation finance gap. The cost of #inaction is far greater than the cost of #adaptation. https://lnkd.in/em-8q5EH

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Everyone’s talking net zero… but how many are actually addressing Scope 3? Earlier this week, I posted about the three scopes and why Scope 3 is the most important to address. Today I came across a study that surveyed hundreds of sustainability professionals, mostly in North America and Europe. It’s a good reference to see where the trends are heading. Here’s what I found interesting: - 79% of reporting companies now disclose on all three scopes (up from just 52% last year). - 87% report voluntarily, even without regulations - 47% of companies which have not reported Scope 3 plan to start reporting within two years - 62% struggle with internal data quality - 57% struggle with internal data availability. - Product use and end-of-life remain underreported due to lack of methods and data. While addressing scope 3 emissions is not only about reporting, but it starts there. It good to see that some major companies are taking measures in this regard, but I believe we are still at early, early stages. What do you think? What is the situation in your market? What consists of Scope 3 emissions? Check this out: https://lnkd.in/db2vyUsj Want to learn about the difference between Scope 1, 2, 3 ? Check this: https://lnkd.in/dGDb7nb3 Have you heard of Scope 4 and 5 emissions? Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/drmsCpm4 ➡️ Follow Majd Fayyad for more insights about sustainability and decabronisation. 🔄 Repost and share with your network

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It is official: the The Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market (ICVCM) just approved the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) Program’s improved forest management (IFM) methodology (VM0045, v1.2) as meeting the Core Carbon Principles (CCP) criteria. With this approval, the ICVCM recognizes VM0045 as exceeding the bar for scientific rigor and atmospheric integrity. VM0045 is the methodology we at the American Forest Foundation designed in collaboration with our partners at The Nature Conservancy and TerraCarbon LLC to a) more reliably and accurately set baselines, b) make the inclusion of very small properties possible, and c) greatly reduce the conflict of interest that exists when a project developer can set their own baseline (something which VM0045 makes effectively impossible). It is gratifying to see the official board notes from the IC-VCM where they note that VM0045's "novel" approach was "designed to increase robustness" - because that is, in fact, why we all spent so much time working on it. If you are a developer working on non-industrial private lands (aka "with smallholders"), there is now NO DOUBT what IFM methodology you should use. Like any more rigorous methodology, VM0045 makes developing carbon projects more difficult and more expensive, but we now hope, with this CCP designation, that the market will begin to reward those developers who demonstrate their commitment to quality through the use of this methodology. I also want to congratulate ACR for the IC-VCM's recognition of their IFM methodology version 2.1, which has advanced the quality of IFM credits for projects based on industrial timberlands, and CAR for the recognition of their Mexico Forest Protocol (about which I admittedly know very little). The bottom line is we now have confirmation that Improved Forest Management is capable, across three methodologies (and more to come I'm sure), of producing the highest-quality carbon credits! And a final congratulations to those who worked so hard on VM0045, of which the following is just a small list: David Shoch, Erin Swails, Ben Rifkin, Bronson Griscom, Edie Sonne Hall, Campbell Moore, David Ford, Josh Parrish, Lynn Riley, Elizabeth Vranas, Christine Cadigan, Fran Raymond Price, Ethan Belair, David Antonioli, Blake Troxel, Peter Ellis, John Gunn, Catherine Chamberlain, PhD - there are many others who I am sure I am forgetting!

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🌍 Why every board needs a Transition Plan Scorecard 1️⃣ A transition plan is more than compliance it’s a strategy to thrive in a low-carbon economy. 2️⃣ It helps boards assess how well they’re tackling climate risks and opportunities. 3️⃣ The TPT Scorecard is a practical tool with 20 questions across 4 stages: Assess, Set Ambition, Plan, Implement. 4️⃣ It guides directors in aligning business strategy with climate action. 5️⃣ Completing it helps capture diverse board perspectives and build stronger discussions. 6️⃣ It highlights gaps and challenges, ensuring boards stay future-ready. 7️⃣ It can be used repeatedly, supporting the iterative nature of transition planning. 8️⃣ The results help benchmark your readiness against best practices. 9️⃣ It’s designed to encourage constructive debate, not just tick-box answers. 🔟 Ideally, the whole board should complete it because climate action is a collective responsibility. 👉 A great tool to have in your boardroom conversations. Would you encourage your board to try this? 💬

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🌍 Carbon Pricing: Voluntary vs. Compliance Markets When it comes to carbon credits, not all markets are the same. Understanding the Voluntary Carbon Market (VCM) vs. the Compliance Carbon Market (CCM) is key for businesses, investors, and policymakers. 🔑 Takeaway: • VCM = flexible, lower price, but variable quality. • CCM = mandatory, regulated, higher price, and transparent. Both play a vital role in accelerating the global shift to a low-carbon economy. 🚀 #CarbonMarkets #Decarbonization #Sustainability #CarbonCredits #NetZero #ClimateFinance

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25 Climate Terms You Need to Know 🌍 Addressing climate change requires understanding a wide range of interconnected concepts that define risks, strategies, and opportunities. Some concepts relate to managing impacts that are already unavoidable, while others emphasize reducing emissions at their source. Global agreements establish collective goals, and scientific scenarios outline possible trajectories for the future. Different approaches to greenhouse gases include preventing their release, capturing them at the point of emission, and removing them from the atmosphere. Economic mechanisms such as markets complement the role of natural systems that absorb and store carbon. Equity and fairness are embedded in frameworks that ensure the transition is inclusive and socially balanced. Financing structures are essential to mobilize resources for both long term mitigation and immediate adaptation needs. Production models and resource management frameworks demonstrate how economies can evolve toward more regenerative systems. Scientific institutions provide the evidence base, while international forums negotiate coordinated responses. System interactions highlight how climate change affects stability across food systems, water resources, health, and security. The transition also creates opportunities through renewable energy and new forms of employment. Together, these terms illustrate the complexity of climate action and the need for fluency across science, policy, economics, and society. #sustainability #business #sustainable #esg

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A weak alliance does not mean it cannot be useful. Sustainability professionals often chase perfect partnerships that have complete alignment, shared resources, and seamless synergy. But the truth is that weak alliances often move the needle faster than waiting for strong ones. A weak alliance might be short-lived, lack full trust, and not tick every strategic box. But it creates momentum, conversation, action, and visibility. In the messy middle of sustainability, where regulations evolve, resources are scarce, and stakeholders diverge. What matters is movement, not purity. Weak alliances are not flaws. They are prototypes, experiments, and bridges. In an industry obsessed with winning coalitions and airtight frameworks, the most courageous sustainability leaders embrace imperfection. They say: Let us collaborate anyway. Not because it is ideal. But because it is urgent. So next time you hesitate to partner because the fit is not perfect. Ask yourself: what small change could this imperfect alliance unlock? And remember, legacies are not built on perfect conditions. They are built on imperfect courage.

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