How big is sustainable investing?
$30.3 trillion is invested globally in sustainable investing assets. Data published in new GSIA report – Global Sustainable Investment Review 2022 – the 6th edition of this landmark publication.
Put another way, sustainable investing represents one in three dollars of the total U.S. assets under professional management. The report also notes that retail and high- net worth individuals are increasingly using this approach, investing $4.6 trillion in sustainable investment assets; a 50% increase from 2018.
The sustainable finance market size is projected to cross a valuation of US$ 60,35,620.4 million in 2024. The industry is projected to surpass a valuation of US$ 3,76,83,566 million by 2034.
The global Environmental Social and Governance ESG Investing Market size is expected to record a CAGR of 9.4% from 2023 to 2032. In 2022, the market size is projected to reach a valuation of USD 17.2 Trillion. By 2032, the valuation is anticipated to reach USD 46.5 Trillion.
More than three quarters (77%) of individual investors globally say they are interested in investing in companies or funds that aim to achieve market-rate financial returns while also considering positive social and/or environmental impact.
Popularity growth in ESG investing
Global ESG fund assets reached about $2.5 trillion at the end of 2022, up from $2.24 trillion at the end of the third quarter, according to Morningstar. The nearly 12 percent jump in assets was almost double the growth of the broader global fund market.
Using environmental, social and governance metrics is now mainstream, according to 89% of investors who responded to a survey published Wednesday by Bloomberg Intelligence.
The Growing Importance of ESG Factors
Firstly, there is a growing awareness of environmental issues, such as climate change, pollution, and resource depletion. Investors are becoming more conscious of the long-term risks associated with companies that do not prioritize sustainability.
Sustainable investing has moved out of the niche and into the mainstream. In fact, it's so far into the mainstream that PwC Luxembourg's first European Sustainable Finance Series report predicts that the boundary between traditional and sustainable investments could all but disappear, especially in Europe.
Report Coverage | Details |
---|---|
Market Size Value in | USD 15.32 Billion in 2022 |
Market Size Value by | USD 63.94 Billion by 2030 |
Growth rate | CAGR of 19.6% from 2022 to 2030 |
Forecast Period | 2022-2030 |
Do 85% of investors consider ESG?
Overall, the survey found that 85% of investors think ESG leads to “better returns, resilient portfolios and enhanced fundamental analysis.” Among executives surveyed, 84% said ESG helps them “shape a more robust corporate strategy,” according to Adeline Diab, BI's director of ESG strategy and research.
“BlackRock has been the biggest contributor of inflows into ESG funds over the past five years, including the past couple of years,” said Hortense Bioy, Morningstar's global director of sustainability research. And that's “despite the ESG backlash in the US.”
- Royal London Emerging Markets ESG Leaders Equity Tracker Fund. ...
- BlackRock Global Funds ESG Multi-Asset Fund. ...
- Federated Hermes Global Equity ESG Fund. ...
- Vanguard ESG Developed World All Cap Equity Index Fund. ...
- BlackRock Strategic Funds ESG Euro Bond Fund.
However, there are also some cons to ESG investing. First, ESG funds may carry higher-than-average expense ratios. This is because ESG investing requires more research and due diligence, which can be costly. Second, ESG investing can be subjective.
The Rise of Green Investments
Today, the demand for ESG investments is higher than ever. According to a 2021 survey, the majority of ESG investors started prioritizing ESG practices within the past five years, and most plan to continue investing in ESG companies.
ESG Integration
ESG Integration is an especially popular sustainable investment strategy among asset owners who believe that sustainable companies are more likely to be successful long term, and will generate higher returns.
The category started to fall out of favor in 2022 as conventional energy prices soared. Political backlash against ESG led by Republican politicians in the United States, as well as suspicions of greenwashing involving claims that are not substantiated, have also tarnished the luster of ESG funds.
ESG Is Banking's Next Big Thing!
The voice of consumers and employees is becoming increasingly influential when it comes to ESG practices. In a survey by PwC, a striking 83% of consumers expressed the belief that companies should actively engage in creating ESG best practices.
We expect growth in ESG investing to continue through 2022, and well beyond.
Critics portrayed ESG investing as primarily motivated by political concerns and a potential drag on returns. Additionally, some critics have raised concerns about the complexity and reliability of ESG metrics.
Is ESG investing going away?
investing is not going away … it's shrinking.
The business community is experiencing significant shifts around ESG priorities driven not just by Covid-19 but also by the economic downturn, social unrest and extreme weather events. “For consumers, ESG issues are influencing what companies they work for, buy from and invest in.
The term ESG first came to prominence in a 2004 report titled "Who Cares Wins", which was a joint initiative of financial institutions at the invitation of the United Nations (UN).
It is more and more becoming the standard in the investment industry, especially in Europe, where most of the sustainable fund's assets are concentrated. The most common approach to investing sustainably is through ESG integration - by explicitly and systematically factoring ESG issues into the investment decision.
In the '60s, ESG became much more mainstream, around the same time as the evolution of the mutual fund industry, the civil rights movement, and the protesting and boycotting of companies involved in or in support of the Vietnam War.
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