Profundo - Climate change

Home

Climat change is still 'hot', mainly due the influence of Al Gore's documentary and the recent climate meeting on Bali. The awareness that many things have to be organized differently in order to stop the current change in the global climate, becomes more and more aware. How we can transport people, transport commodities, fulfill our needs for energy and food, what kind of houses and offices are being built: all these areas need an investement in newer products, technologies and productproceedings. Everybody has to make a contribution: consumers, governments and corporations. Banks and other financial institutions have another responsibility, they have to supply the needed capital for innovative products and production proceedings which we need to fight the climate change.

Profundo analyses the CO2 intensity of productionchains and the investment- and creditgrants of financial institutions. Profundo looks for innovative possibilities for corporations to make a real change and contributions to stop the climate change.

Date	Projects
9 June 2007 Asset managers, Banks, Climate change, Coal, Oil & gas, Renewable energy	Assessing climate impacts of Dutch banks Study on the investments by Dutch banks in producers of oil, gas and coal and in renewable energy sources. Client: Friends of the Earth Netherlands (Milieudefensie) Document(s): Financial Times: Bank is a climate laggard, say Friends of the Earth, 11 June 2007 The Guardian: Green campaigner sees red over those eco-unfriendly big banks, 7 July 2007 Report Milieudefensie: Investing in Climate Change - Dutch Banks Compared 2007, June 2007 Press release Friends of the earth Netherlands: Climate Change? Not with my money, 9 June 2007 Press release Friends of the Earth netherlands: Dutch customers start moving to climate-conscious banks, 22 June 2007 Social Funds: ABN Amro: Honored for its Global Sustainability Work and Called Out for Its Climate Change Finance, 29 June 2007
19 January 2007 Banks, Climate change, Coal, Oil & gas	French bank financing of the international oil, gas and coal production sectors Study into the investments by French banks in the production of fossil fuels. Client: Les Amis de la Terre
19 December 2007 Banks, Climate change, General, Human rights, Oppressive regimes, Weapons	Mind the Gap - Benchmarking credit policies of international banks A benchmark of the credit policies of the 45 largest international banks in the world, with regard to 7 sensitive sectors - agriculture, weapons, forestry, fishery, oil & gas, mining and dams - and 7 crucial issues - biodiversity, climate change, toxics, labour, human rights, rights of indigenous people, and taxes. The policies were compared with existing international regulations and standards: international agreements and conventions, guidelines framed in multi-stakeholder initiatives, etcetera. Client: BankTrack Document(s): The Banker: Article on the benchmark of the credit policies of the 45 largest international banks in the world, 1 February 2008 Press release BankTrack: Mind the Gap: BankTrack rates credit policies of 45 banks, 19 December 2007 Report BankTrack: Mind the Gap - Benchmarking credit policies of international banks, December 2007 Executive summary: Mind the Gap - Benchmarking credit policies of international banks, december 2007 Executive summary: Mind the Gap - Benchmarking credit policies of international banks, december 2007 (Portugese) Press Release Business Day Metro France: Le secteur bancaire en retard sur les critères environnementaux, 28 December 2007
5 November 2008 Banks, Climate change	Toolkit Climate Policy for Banks A practical toolkit for banks in which all elements of an effective climate policy are discussed, including practical examples. Client: Friends of the Earth Netherlands (Milieudefensie) Document(s): Brochure Milieudefensie: Towards an Effective Climate Policy, November 2008
5 November 2008 Banks, Climate change, Pension funds	Voting policy Dutch banks and pension funds on climate change resolutions Study on the voting policy of Dutch banks and pension funds on resolutions demanding a stronger climate change policy from companies. Client: Friends of the Earth Netherlands (Milieudefensie)
19 November 2008 Banks, Climate change, Coal, Oil & gas	Greenhouse gas emissions financed by Canadian banks Comparative quantative research of the greenhouse gas emissions caused by the financing of oil-, gas- and coal producers by 7 Canadian banks. Client: Rainforest Action Network Document(s): The Edmonton Journal: Banks add tonnes to carbon footprint, study says, 20 November 2008 Press release RAN: Rainforest Action Network study ranks financed emissions of Canadian banks, 19 November 2008 Report RAN: Financing Global Warming: Canadian Banks and Fossil Fuels, November 2008 Summary report RAN: Financing Global Warming: Canadian Banks and Fossil Fuels, November 2008
10 April 2009 Biofuels, Climate change, Palm oil, Soy, Timber	50 Companies with a large Forest Footprint In this report 50 companies with a major global forest footprint are selected. The companies are not belonging to the Fortune Global 500, but nevertheless are leading producers in five sectors which are known to have a significant impact on forests worldwide. These sectors are: forestry worldwide, oilpalm in Southeast Asia and elsewhere, and soy,beef and bio-ethanol in South America. Client: Global Canopy Programme
30 November 2009 Climate change, Government regulation, Palm oil, Sustainable management	Dutch CDM projects in the palm oil sector The aim of this paper is to provide an overview of the Clean Development Mechanism projects executed in the palm oil sector in Malaysia and Indonesia which are approved by the Dutch government. Client: Greenpeace Netherlands
11 May 2010 Climate change, Pension funds, Sustainable management	Pension funds in a changed climate This note, additional to the seminar Pension funds in a changed climate on may 28th 2010, discusses practical opportunities for pension funds to make an active climate policy. The possibilities to take climate change into account whitin assect classes investments are discussed first. Second, being a shareholder in many companies, pension funds can try to get recognition for a good sustainability policy in those companies. Furthermore, they can invest in companies, technologies and products that stop climate change. Client: Association of Investors for Sustainable Development (VBDO), Netherlands Society for Nature and Environment (SNM), Oxfam Novib
27 April 2010 Banks, Climate change, General, Human rights, Weapons	Close the Gap: Benchmarking investment policies of international banks Close the Gap is an extensive research project on the quality of lending and investment policies of major international banks. The aim of the project was to evaluate to what extent banks have incorporated sustainability criteria into their lending and investment policies. Seven key business sectors and nine sustainability issues were taken into account. In addition, the project reviews the performance of banks on transparency and accountability. The policies of 49 banks from 17 countries are scored on a scale from 0 to 5, using a benchmark developed by BankTrack in cooperation with Profundo. The results are available on the website of BankTrack as well as in the report. Client: BankTrack Document(s): Report: Close the Gap: Benchmarking investment policies of international banks Press release: BankTrack calls upon banks to Close the Gap on investment policies
30 March 2010 Climate change, Nuclear energy	Alternatives for the production of medical isotopes Are there alternatives for the use of nuclear reactors for the production of medical isotopes? As a nuclear reactor has significant disadvantages because of safety and environmental issues, this report commissioned by Greenpeace, takes a closer look at the advantages and disadvantages of alternatives for nuclear reactors and the period needed for each alternative to become commercially available. Client: Greenpeace Netherlands Document(s): Report: Alternatives for the production of medical isotopes
31 May 2010 Banks, Climate change, Human rights, Sustainable management	English translation of chapters 4 and 5 of the Dutch “Fair Bank Guide” The English translation of the research paper, by Profundo, that is the foundation for the website Fair Bank Guide. This website enables bank customers to check whether their bank has a good policy on various important social- and environmental issues. The paper contains a translation of chapters four and five that include nine issue policies and eight sector policies. Client: Oxfam Novib
14 June 2010 Banks, Climate change, Oil & gas	Financing of the Deepwater Horizon platform On the 20th of April 2010 the semisubmersible platform Deep Horizon, in the Gulf of Mexico close to the USA, sank because of an explosion. Eleven platform workers died and seventeen got injured. The drill rod also broke and because of that hundreds of barrels of oil leaks into the ocean. The drill rod is very difficult to fix, so by now the oil spill means an environmental disaster. Profundo researched which companies invested in oilconcern R&B Falcon, the company that ordered the platform in 1999. Client: BankTrack
9 March 2010 Climate change, Human rights, Oppressive regimes, Sustainable management, Weapons	International actor research for campaigning Presentation of Jan Willem van Gelder, director of Profundo, for social movement NiZa. About the way organisations can research the international actors that may cause a lot of social problems. Client: Netherlands institute for Southern Africa (NiZA)
15 June 2009 Banks, Climate change, Human rights, Oppressive regimes, Weapons	European banks financing controversial companies This report provides an overview of the financing (loans and stock emissions) attracted since June 2005 of 13 banks to 16 companies and projects, which are all involved in human right abuses, pollution of the environment, production of controversial weapons and investments in countries with repressive regimes. Update of the financial information presented in the report Bank Secrets of Netwerk Vlaanderen (december 2007) and the website Bankgeheimen.be. Client: Netwerk Vlaanderen Document(s): Press release: Banktrack members unveil banks´ secrets Report European banks financing controversial companies
12 February 2010 Banks, Climate change, Human rights, Oppressive regimes, Weapons	Integration of Bankgeheimen.be with Banksecrets.eu This reports provides an overview of the financing (loans, bonds issuances and stock emissions) attracted since June 2005 by the following eight companies and projects involved in human right abuses, pollution of the environment, production of controversial weapons and investments in countries with repressive regimes by the new website Banksecrets.eu. Update of the financial information presented in the report Bank Secrets of Netwerk Vlaanderen (December 2007) and the website Bankgeheimen.be. Screenshot Banksecrets.eu: Client: Netwerk Vlaanderen
1 February 2009 Climate change, Human rights, Oppressive regimes, Sustainable management, Weapons	Evaluation of the Milieudefensie report 'Sustainability in companies 2007-2009' Evaluation of the Milieudefensie report 'Sustainability in companies 2007-2009'. This evaluation focusses on identifying the results of the project MVO 2007-2009 of Milieudefensie, analysing and reviewing the relevance of these results for the Netherlands and the South, idetifying the added value of the cooperation between Milieudefensie and Oxfam Novib and giving input for future strategies and corporate decisions. Client: Friends of the Earth Netherlands (Milieudefensie)
2 April 2009 Banks, Climate change, Coal, Export Credit Agencies	Foreclosing the Future: Coal, climate and Public International Finance Study about the financing of coal plants and other companies that contribute to global warming. Profundo collaborated to this research of the Environmental Defence Fund. Client: Environmental Defense Document(s): Foreclosing the Future: Coal, climate and Public International Finance Press Release: Investment in coal-fired power plants hinders the fight against global warming
22 January 2010 Banks, Climate change, Human rights, Oppressive regimes, Sustainable management, Weapons	Fair Banking Guide, 4th update Fourth update of the Fair Banking Guide. The website of the Dutch Fair Banking Guide enables bank customers to check wether their bank has a good policy on various important social and environmental issues. Different banks can also be compared on their policies. The aim of the project is to stimulate social responsible investing by Dutch banks. Profundo wrote researched the report on which the website is based. Client: Amnesty International Netherlands, Dutch Animal Protection Organisation, FNV Mondiaal, Friends of the Earth Netherlands (Milieudefensie), Oxfam Novib Document(s): Report Fair Banking Guide 4th update Press release: All 12 banks have improved their environmental policy (Source: Fair Banking Guide) Press Release: Milieudefensie: Nederlandse bedrijven kunnen het veel beter doen in het buitenland
8 April 2010 Banks, Climate change, Human rights, Oppressive regimes, Sustainable management, Weapons	Fair Banking Guide, 5th update Fifth update of the Fair Banking Guide. The website of the Dutch Fair Banking Guide enables bank customers to check wether their bank has a good policy on various important social and environmental issues. Different banks can also be compared on their policies. The aim of the project is to stimulate social responsible investing by Dutch banks. Profundo wrote researched the report on which the website is based. Client: Amnesty International Netherlands, Dutch Animal Protection Organisation, FNV Mondiaal, Friends of the Earth Netherlands (Milieudefensie), Oxfam Novib Document(s): Press release: Dutch banks for clear agreements for sustainable energy Report Fair Banking Guide 5th update
1 June 2009 Climate change, Timber	Global Forest Footprints Study about the way businesses around the world contribute to deforestation and what the risks are of inaction and the opportunity for change. Profundo contributed to this research. Client: Forest Footprint Disclosure Document(s): Global Forest Footprints
28 July 2009 Aluminium, Climate change, Copper, Human rights, Oppressive regimes	Mining Matters In this report, mining practices in ten developing countries are reviewed with regard to labour rights, human rights and the environment. Also the responsibility of the Netherlands, as importer of tin and copper for example, is being researched. The report is established with involvement of Profundo. Client: Friends of the Earth Netherlands (Milieudefensie) Document(s): Report Mining Matters
1 June 2010 Banks, Climate change	Bankers under pressure Report about the role Belgian banks play in climate change by investing in activities that harm the environment. It is researched how climate friendly certain banks are, but there are also recommendations for the Belgian government. Client: Netwerk Vlaanderen Document(s): Report Bankers under pressure (in Dutch) Press Release: Netwerk Vlaanderen calls to halt investments in coal plants
1 July 2010 Banks, Climate change, Human rights, Oppressive regimes, Sustainable management, Weapons	Fair Banking Guide, 6th update Sixth update of the Fair Banking Guide, this research shows that the bonus policies of most banks are still inadequate. The website of the Dutch Fair Banking Guide enables bank customers to check wether their bank has a good policy on various important social and environmental issues. Different banks can also be compared on their policies. The aim of the project is to stimulate social responsible investing by Dutch banks. Profundo wrote researched the report on which the website is based. Client: Amnesty International Netherlands, Dutch Animal Protection Organisation, FNV Mondiaal, Friends of the Earth Netherlands (Milieudefensie), Oxfam Novib