Morgan Stanley, one of the biggest banks in the US, has announced steps towards its commitment to reaching net-zero financed emissions by 2050, setting sector-specific interim targets for reductions.
The New York-based lender said it will focus on reduction targets related to its business activities starting with the most emissions-intensive sectors in its corporate lending portfolio – car manufacturing, energy and power – and will gradually add more over time.
This will drive the consideration of climate impact in its financing decisions and guide its engagement with clients in these industries. The bank has committed to reducing emissions in these sectors by 35 per cent, 29 per cent and 58 per cent, respectively, it said in a detailed methodology.
“The recent report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change makes clear the urgency of addressing greenhouse gas emissions, and that near-term reductions are necessary if the world is to limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C. Morgan Stanley’s interim net-zero targets set us on that path towards a more sustainable and prosperous future,” Audrey Choi, chief sustainability officer of Morgan Stanley, said in a statement.
“Morgan Stanley is committed to working with our clients to accelerate sustainable efforts by offering leading products, solutions and insights to facilitate their low carbon transition plans.”
The establishment of the Paris Agreement on climate change in 2015 made banks realise the importance of building on their commitments to more sustainable operations. Morgan Stanley became the first major US-headquartered financial services firm to commit to net-zero financed emissions by 2050.
Since then, all of America's six biggest banks – JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, Morgan Stanley, Citigroup, Goldman Sachs and Wells Fargo – have made commitments towards this goal.
The UN Conference on Trade and Development estimated that the value of sustainability-themed investment products hit $3.2 trillion in 2020 – up over 80 per cent from the previous year. This indicates that the capital market is increasingly aligning itself with sustainable development outcomes, including the UN's sustainable development goals.
These products include sustainable funds ($1.7tn), green bonds ($1tn), social bonds ($212 billion), and mixed-sustainability bonds ($218bn).
Morgan Stanley is committed to working with our clients to accelerate sustainable efforts by offering leading products, solutions and insights to facilitate their low carbon transition plans
Audrey Choi,
chief sustainability officer of Morgan Stanley
Morgan Stanley's announcement is part of its commitment to finance $1tn towards the SDGs, including $750bn of financing to drive the climate transition.
“With our net-zero commitment as our 'north star', we are in the process of embedding climate considerations across our risk management and business activities. This approach supports our objective to manage our business for the long term while mitigating risk, focusing on innovation and enhancing shareholder value,” the bank said in its methodology.
Morgan Stanley surpassed expectations in the third quarter, reporting net revenues of $14.8bn and net income of $3.7bn, both up more than 25 per cent year-over-year. Its investment banking unit flourished, boosted by mergers and initial public offering activity.
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Three ways to boost your credit score
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The Details
Kabir Singh
Produced by: Cinestaan Studios, T-Series
Directed by: Sandeep Reddy Vanga
Starring: Shahid Kapoor, Kiara Advani, Suresh Oberoi, Soham Majumdar, Arjun Pahwa
Rating: 2.5/5
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Profile
Company name: Jaib
Started: January 2018
Co-founders: Fouad Jeryes and Sinan Taifour
Based: Jordan
Sector: FinTech
Total transactions: over $800,000 since January, 2018
Investors in Jaib's mother company Alpha Apps: Aramex and 500 Startups
The Breadwinner
Director: Nora Twomey
Starring: Saara Chaudry, Soma Chhaya, Laara Sadiq
Three stars
Day 5, Abu Dhabi Test: At a glance
Moment of the day When Dilruwan Perera dismissed Yasir Shah to end Pakistan’s limp resistance, the Sri Lankans charged around the field with the fevered delirium of a side not used to winning. Trouble was, they had not. The delivery was deemed a no ball. Sri Lanka had a nervy wait, but it was merely a stay of execution for the beleaguered hosts.
Stat of the day – 5 Pakistan have lost all 10 wickets on the fifth day of a Test five times since the start of 2016. It is an alarming departure for a side who had apparently erased regular collapses from their resume. “The only thing I can say, it’s not a mitigating excuse at all, but that’s a young batting line up, obviously trying to find their way,” said Mickey Arthur, Pakistan’s coach.
The verdict Test matches in the UAE are known for speeding up on the last two days, but this was extreme. The first two innings of this Test took 11 sessions to complete. The remaining two were done in less than four. The nature of Pakistan’s capitulation at the end showed just how difficult the transition is going to be in the post Misbah-ul-Haq era.
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
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