IMPACT INVESTING Q2 2024: Environmental Q2 2024: Environmental | Page 5

From the desk of

Doug Couden, CFA

With companies and investors increasing their public commitments to sustainability related goals, the transition process presents the opportunity for investors to help enact real change. However, meeting these goals means different things for different sectors and different companies - some will need to fundamentally change what they do and how they do it, while others can achieve their targets with more modest shifts.

From Concept to Reality: The Next Phase of the ESG Transition Is Here

Although moving to a more sustainable future is clearly desirable and presents an array of investment opportunities, transition does not come for free and the question of who should bear that cost sits largely unaddressed given the intersection of government and corporate policies. For investors, there is also the question of whether it is better to invest in sectors (and companies) that are more advanced in their transition process or those that are just starting out given the costs and potential return trade-offs involved.

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Chief Investment Officer,

Partner

BakerAvenue's Primary Environmental Screening Factors

  •  30% Energy Management

  • 30% Water Management

  • 16% Sustainable Product

  • 13% GHG Emissions Management

  • 11% Waste Management

  • - 3% Community Rights & Relations

    Sources: Bloomberg, BakerAvenue

    Increased Need for Energy

    Data centers, especially those for A.I. models, require a constant energy source such as natural gas, for 24/7 operation, but renewables will still be significant due to the green electricity commitments of many companies. Goldman Sachs estimates the U.S. will need 47 gigawatts (GW) of new power generation capacity by 2030 to meet data center power demand. This capacity is expected to be divided 60%/40% between natural gas and renewables, balancing the reliability needs of data centers with companies' green energy commitments.

    Long-term financial success demands an investment philosophy that grows and protects financial assets. To achieve this goal, our unique process blends Technical, Macro, and Fundamental Analyses into one comprehensive view.

    Source: EIA, Goldman Sachs GIR.