Sustainability Now

When policy and markets move in different directions, the results can be surprising. In this episode, we explore five sustainability and climate trends we'll be watching in 2026. From AI-boosted clean tech and central banks enforcing climate risk rules, to investors reckoning with physical hazards in private equity and the rise of state ownership in strategic sectors. We unpack how materiality is maturing, policy is pivoting, and capital is flowing into what works.Host: Bentley Kaplan, MSCI Sustainability & ClimateGuest: Liz Houston, MSCI Sustainability & Climate

The EU Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR) is a corner stone of the EU’s plan to cut carbon emissions and achieve its climate goals. But it has undergone numerous changes, with the most recently announced on Nov. 20. Our question was whether these revisions preserved the SFDR’s stated purpose: promoting transparency and ensuring comparability in how sustainable a financial product truly is. We explored that question and more in this episode, which covers the changes the EU Commission made to the SFDR.Host: Mike Disabato, MSCI Solutions & ClimateGuest: Simone Ruiz-Vergote, MSCI Solutions & Climate

Oil spills, labor violations, data breaches. When controversy strikes, should investors pull out, or hold their nerve? We unpack fresh analysis on what happens when portfolios steer clear of scandal-prone firms and the surprising impact on returns.Host: Bentley Kaplan, MSCI Sustainability & ClimateGuest: Drashti Shah, MSCI Custom Index Solutions

The energy transition is underway, but it’s not a smooth ride. In this episode, we unpack why progress has been so uneven, from surging EV sales to rising coal demand. We explore how tech, cost, and policy are shaping risks and opportunities for investors.Host: Gabriela de la Serna, MSCI Sustainability & ClimateGuest: Anthony Chan, MSCI Sustainability & Climate

We are in the era of data centers. They are being built with the speed and intensity of factories during the industrial revolution, and with the same sort of capital attraction. But their high emissions, which are under-reported by companies (we will tell you why!), have left both real estate and tech investors with a dilemma: take advantage of the data center boom or have a portfolio with low emissions. We explore this tension in this episode of Sustainability Now.Helpful Reading: Desire for Data Centers Creates Carbon Dilemma for Property InvestorsHost: Mike Disabato, MSCI Sustainability & ClimateGuests: Tom Leahy, MSCI Solutions; Yoon Young Chung, MSCI Sustainability & Climate.