Category Archives: International business

“ESG rating disagreements” – new research paper

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Rating agencies disagree substantially about how they assess individual firms. Without agreement on what constitutes good ESG performance, market participants can be misled by these ratings.

The authors of this paper found ESG disagreement is most pronounced for firms with high levels of ESG disclosure, contrary to the argument that disclosure reduces disagreement. While thousands of companies now claim to integrate ESG issues in their business strategy and operations, it is not clear whether those claims are merely cheap talk.

Ratings could help investors and other stakeholders to choose companies that exhibit their preferred ESG outcomes. Having rating agencies focus on ESG outcomes could motivate companies to show real outcomes in their disclosures rather than highlighting the adoption of policies or initiatives that might not generate any real effects.

Lot of work still needs to be done to develop rules and norms that determine what characterises good ESG performance.

Authors of the research paper:

Dane Christensen, @GeorgeSerafeim, @AnywhereSikochi . More on https://bit.ly/3ooKChi

Citation:

Christensen, Dane M. and Serafeim, George and Sikochi, Anywhere, Why is Corporate Virtue in the Eye of the Beholder? The Case of ESG Ratings (February 26, 2021). The Accounting Review. DOI: 10.2308/TAR-2019-0506

My new publication: “Public-Private Partnership in Energy Infrastructures: Experiences in Latin America”

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Energy infrastructures in Latin America deserve a particular study with regard to Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs). Its different regulatory frameworks and degrees of institutional and operational maturity, make them to have a unique map of risks, policies and best practices. My publication on “PPPs in the Energy Infrastructures: experiences in Latin America” thus is proposed. The demographic increase and the economic growth of the Latin America countries emphasize the need for large investments in infrastructure to reduce the gap, which are also linked to their plans for sustainable development, climate action and interconnection to the infrastructures of the region (for example, electrical networks, gas pipelines and gasification terminals), and the regional energy markets. It is expected that the Public-Private Partnerships can funnel these investments. To do this, governments must create an environment in which the private sector can grow, by developing transparent regulatory frameworks. These reforms should gain the confidence of investors in these countries, which now compete with the other countries in a globalized world, to attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) to their energy markets. All this leads to reforms in each country in order to establish a more attractive environment to do business. A new field of opportunities opens up, driven by the national and international expansion plans of the private sector, and the search for better returns by the large investment funds in a context of low interest rates. In this scenario, the International Financial Institutions (IFI) must continue supporting infrastructure development.

Publication available on http://www.scioteca.caf.com/handle/123456789/1225

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My study: The finance, sustainability and energy nexus

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CapturaThe study highlights the importance of promoting and coordinating the collaboration of the different financial actors to address the priority sustainability challenges (sustainable finace). It analyses the different mechanisms that are facilitating the integration of climate change policies and emphasizes the interest of considering the financial sector, in the coordination of policies, such as the implementation of new Laws on Climate Change and Energy Transition.

The study analyses the different mechanisms that are facilitating the integration of sustainability policies in the financial sector driven by the  and the Sustainable Development Goals. The G20 and UNEP FI are driving the finance, sustainability and energy nexus through different initiatives which are covered in the work (e.g. TCFD, GFSG, CFSG, PRI, PSI, SSE, PIF). The analysis highlights the importance of other initiatives related to green and climate bonds (green finance), sustainable banking, standards, reporting, indexes, methodologies and sustainability associations.

The inclusion of green securities in the stock market would foster new possibilities for channelling investments, financing debt and opening the door to new sustainable business models nationally and regionally. The analysis highlights the importance of promoting and coordinating the collaboration of the different financial actors to address priority challenges such as climate change, through consulting and involving key actors such as banking regulators, stock exchanges, financial institutions, insurance companies, institutional investors, credit agencies, corporations and relevant ministries.

The complete Spanish version is accessible on http://bit.ly/2prIEBo
An executive summary in English is accessible on http://bit.ly/2pIEq5A

My book “Internationalization, Sustainable Development and Renewable Energy: Latin America”.

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“The book makes a multidisciplinary analysis (trade, electricity market, sustainable development, regulation, technology, market agents, investments and financing) of the renewable energy sector in Latin America.“

The work starts with an introductory chapter presenting the need for internationalization of the renewable energy sector, which has a natural development market in Latin America. It then shows the needs, threats and opportunities of the Latin American Electricity Markets. It subsequently proceeds to analyse the sustainable development question in the energy sector, which allows us to enter into the issues associated with climate change and univWIP Cover Frontal Resized ENersal access to energy, focusing the analysis on Latin America. From here, the job carries out a critical study of the different renewable energy support mechanisms in the region. Afterwards, it studies the national R&D programs. The writing continues with the agents of the market and the roles and issues they find in their value chain within the region. From it, the book introduces the subject of investment, uncovering the ultimate problem, as well as the origin and destination of the investment flows that Latin America has received in renewable energy. Before finalizing, it analyses the financial instruments used for investment in renewable energy. Finally, the work ends with two real business cases of investment in power plants, which are financially modelled (Project Finance and Project Bonds). As a final conclusion, the writing highlights business opportunities, obstacles and solutions, all influencing the development of renewable energies in the region.

“The book is a vivid example of the great importance of the coordination among different sectors and areas (e.g. financial, monetary, fiscal, political, economic, business, technological, social, etc.), which have different cycles and operations, in order to face the major challenges of mankind today.”

Available now on Amazon here

Follow me on twitter: @MiguelChamochin

Climate change and hydropower generation: the Latin America case

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According to news published by the World Meteorological Organization in February 2014, parts of the world have witnessed a series of extreme weather conditions in the first six weeks of 2014, continuing a pattern that was set in December 2013.

Much of the U.S. has experienced cold waves and major winter storms, whilst California remains gripped by drought. The United Kingdom has seen its wettest December-January period on record, with severe, widespread and prolonged flooding. A combination of strong winds, storms and high tides caused damage and flooding in other coastal areas of Europe. There has been unusually heavy snowfall in the Southern Alps. Monthly mean temperatures were extremely high from eastern Mongolia to eastern China. In the Southern hemisphere, Australia, Argentina and Brazil experienced extended heat waves.

Source: Japan Meteorological Agency Tokyo Climate Center

In Argentina, the period of unusual heat, which started in December 2013, continued through January and into February, especially in central and northern regions, with a number of local heat records being set. Parts of Brazil experienced the hottest January on record. An energy blackout early February affected six million people and hit eleven states of Brazil, six of which are scheduled to host the 2014 World Cup next June. Apparently a peak of demand caused by a heat wave had the grid down.

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