Warren Buffett’s annual letter to shareholders of Berkshire Hathaway is required reading for investors of all kinds, both for its investment insights and Buffett’s folksy wisdom on many subjects.   In his wide-ranging letters, there’s one topic that’s seldom mentioned – climate change. That is until this year, when Buffett warned that wildfire-related losses at […]

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The annual climate conference (COP28) concluded this week, and it succeeded in doing what few thought possible: saying the world needs to end the use of fossil fuels. That achievement is all the more remarkable when you consider the persistent cloud of doom that shrouded the event. Whether it was worries the hosts were mainly […]

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As we look back on 2023, one of the most significant events of the past year was the demise of ESG investing. Or, to be more precise, the end of the term itself. That’s a good thing, because it will open the way to greater clarity and accountability about investment risks. The term ESG has […]

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When it comes to climate regulations, if you’re only watching the SEC you could be caught by surprise. Because while the SEC recently delayed its final rules on climate disclosure until later this year, the European Union (EU) is moving ahead with new rules on climate, sustainability, corporate responsibility and business transparency.   The new rules […]

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Last week marked the 100th day of unjust and unlawful imprisonment for Evan Gershkovich, the Russia-based based correspondent for the Wall Street Journal. He sits in a Moscow jail for reporting truthfully about Vladimir Putin’s Russia. Journalism is a risky enterprise. Reporters whose aim is to tell the truth inevitably anger people, whether covering fashion […]

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Corporate annual meetings – normally staid affairs – could be more dramatic next year thanks to two developments: the universal proxy ballot and the growing clout of retail shareholders. Both factors will put a premium on effective communication by companies and boards. Last week, the SEC approved a new rule requiring companies to use a universal proxy […]

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The headlines marking the end of the COP26 global climate summit were mostly gloomy, much like the weather in Glasgow. Reports focused on unenforceable pledges by countries to cut carbon levels and tepid increases in funding for poor countries most affected by climate change. But there were significant accomplishments last week in Glasgow and beyond. […]

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Company boards spend a good deal of time, as they should, planning for who’ll take over for the CEO. Most have a relatively short list of senior executives who are being groomed and evaluated for the job. You know if you’re on that list and where you rank, and there’s generally a set timeline for […]

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Is a new day dawning at Exxon? Exxon shareholders elected two directors backed by an activist shareholder who called for changes in the oil giant’s response to climate change. It’s the first proxy campaign at a major US company where directors were the target and climate change was the issue. Anne Simpson of the California […]

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