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Because outside of the governments, politicians, civil servants, lobbyists and pressure groups that thronged the Conference there is a cohort of entrepreneurs that are passionate about reversing climate change, that have fantastic commercially viable and innovative ideas, but who require funding and strategic support to make these ideas a reality.  

And so I want to suggest that as well as taking personal responsibility for our carbon footprint and doing all that we can to minimise our negative impact on Planet Earth, we should also be investing in line with environmental, social and governance principles at all times – and ensuring that 20% of our investments in 2021/22 should be directly targeted at investments that will have a positive environmental impact. 

Africa’s technology adoption is a crucial factor for the smooth adoption of blockchain. Africa has some of the most highly…

The scope of green finance is broad and encompasses initiatives taken by both public and private entities such as financial institutions, governments and international organizations in developing and supporting sustainable impacts through key financial instruments which lay the foundations of sustainable business models and investments.
Projects that fall under the green finance umbrella include the reduction of industrial pollution and lowering the carbon footprint, climate change mitigation, biodiversity conservation, promotion of renewable sources of energy plus energy efficiency, circular economy initiatives, sustainable use of natural resources and many more.
For Africa to tackle the climate menace, it needs concerted efforts from all the above parties for desired outcomes to be reaped.

East African Breweries Plc is seeking to raise KSh11Bn shortly after they retired their KSh6Bn Medium Term Note (MTN) on the 28th of June. (The early redemption was averred as part of their balance sheet and costs of funds optimization).

The five-year tenure – with an interest rate of 12.25 per cent p.a. – was in line with our projection of a near term corporate bond issue.

The rationale behind this was the contemporary high costs attached to the alternative sources of income against the backdrop of the pandemic impact on the macroeconomic environment.

A Primer McKinsey & Company, the global business consulting giant conducted a study on the slow pace of infrastructure development…

In the US, cheap and accessible shale gas is rapidly displacing coal. And in China, concerns about poor air quality and related health issues have caused demand for coal to fall three years in a row, from 2014 to 2016. So is coal demand about to decline globally? Is coal headed for the ash heap of history? Such a development is unlikely.”

The relegation of coal to the dustbin of energy sources, the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) does not believe is likely. They are not the only ones who hold this view.

McKinsey & Company, another highly regarded consulting company, does not believe coal will not have a role in the energy mix of the world going forward. They are not as blunt in expressing their views as their counterparts at the BCG however. McKinsey & Company featured an article on their website proclaiming that the adoption and development of renewable energy will be an evolution that is gradual as opposed to a sudden revolution.

China had been funding the development and exploitation of massive coal reserves in countries like Indonesia and Vietnam under an initiative called the Belt & Road but has come under pressure as the world tries to honour its Paris climate agreements.

This Belt & Road initiative is a strategy initiated by the People’s Republic of China that seeks to connect Asia with Africa and Europe via land and maritime networks with the aim of improving regional integration, increasing trade and stimulating economic growth. 

To realize this vision required the use of natural resources which China does not have entirely but other nations do and would then secure supply of this through the development of resources such as coal mines in developing countries. The Chinese are reportedly developing a US$3 billion coal mine in the Hwange area of Zimbabwe.

The report cited several African countries as the source of mukula rosewood feeding the world’s illegal market. The report points at several high government officials in the countries, including Zambia. The report also calls for instituting a zero export quota on mukula; however, two years down the road after the CITES resolution, much remains to be desired on a commitment to upholding the protection of mukula trees. 

The report raised serious concern about the implementation of the recent international protection granted to the threatened mukula tree by the CITES. 

As of the sitting of the CITES back in 2019, the EIA estimates that over 50 40-foot containers of mukula logs had been illegally exported every single month between 2017 and 2019, and that investigation focused on Zambia alone. 

A strong ESG proposition will enable a company to gain access to new markets and grow existing ones. As was reported in another article, “Doing Good is Good Business” certain aluminium producers were able to increase the margins on their products by eliminating carbon from their products and selling it to customers who are demanding more of that product.
For companies that rely on government contracts, having a comprehensive ESG proposition places them in good stead to receive increased business from governments of nations that are becoming more climate and green conscious.

According to leading business consultants when governing authorities trust corporate actors, they are more likely to award them the access, approvals, and licenses that afford fresh opportunities for growth.

Africa’s largest multinational companies are following the global trend that is in vogue – that of making ambitious goals and undertakings to reduce…