Corporate America has increasingly leaned in on ESG issues, but not everyone thinks business should get involved, including several prominent presidential candidates and our guest this week, Scott Shepard, director of the National Center for Public Policy Research’s Free Enterprise Project, which bills itself as the “original and premier opponent of the woke takeover of America.” Shepard joins BI analyst Rob Du Boff on this ESG Currents podcast episode to discuss his concerns over ESG, the risk of political bias at the SEC, and how he's is taking his fight to other shareholders. This episode was recorded on Aug. 16. 

Corporate America has increasingly leaned in on ESG issues, but not everyone thinks business should get involved, including several prominent presidential candidates and our guest this week, Scott Shepard, director of the National Center for Public Policy Research’s Free Enterprise Project, which bills itself as the “original and premier opponent of the woke takeover of America.” Shepard joins BI analyst Rob Du Boff on this ESG Currents podcast episode to discuss his concerns over ESG, the risk of political bias at the SEC, and how he's is taking his fight to other shareholders. This episode was recorded on Aug. 16.

Financial markets can no longer ignore the impacts of climate change, shifting consumer expectations, and increasing regulatory scrutiny. These forces are reshaping industries, redefining risk, and creating new opportunities for long-term value creation. Through conversations with industry leaders, investors, and subject-matter experts, we explore where sustainability is translating into measurable financial outcomes.

Financial markets can no longer ignore the impacts of climate change, shifting consumer expectations, and increasing regulatory scrutiny. These forces are reshaping industries, redefining risk, and creating new opportunities for long-term value creation. Through conversations with industry leaders, investors, and subject-matter experts, we explore where sustainability is translating into measurable financial outcomes.

Sustainability Currents

The War on Woke

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/65f0640e-edfb-40ac-a5e6-b0a60022b667/transcript

Bloomberg Intelligence’s ESG Currents is now Sustainability Currents, reflecting a broader focus on the investment risks and opportunities emerging from themes including climate change, water scarcity, consumer expectations, and regulatory scrutiny. In this special episode marking the relaunch, BI’s director of Sustainable Finance Research, Eric Kane, brings together the full team for its 2026 midyear outlook. Melanie Rua, Andrew John Stevenson, Rob Du Boff, Gail Glazerman, Grace Osborne, Conrad Tan, Yasutake Homma, Chris Ratti, and Shaheen Contractor discuss key themes ranging from climate adaptation and resilience, sustainable debt, the ESG implications of AI, shareholder activism, water scarcity, sustainable-labeled funds and much more.

Bloomberg Intelligence&rsquo;s ESG Currents is now Sustainability Currents, reflecting a broader focus on the investment risks and opportunities emerging from themes including climate change, water scarcity, consumer expectations, and regulatory scrutiny. In this special episode marking the relaunch, BI&rsquo;s director of Sustainable Finance Research, Eric Kane, brings together the full team for its 2026 midyear outlook. Melanie Rua, Andrew John Stevenson, Rob Du Boff, Gail Glazerman, Grace Osborne, Conrad Tan, Yasutake Homma, Chris Ratti, and Shaheen Contractor discuss key themes ranging from climate adaptation and resilience, sustainable debt, the ESG implications of AI, shareholder activism, water scarcity, sustainable-labeled funds and much more.

Climate, AI and Other Key Themes for 2H

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/c024d1b6-657f-4708-86a6-b4960096c019/transcript

Water underpins nearly every sector of the economy, yet institutional investment remains limited. On this week’s episode of the ESG Currents podcast, Alexander Loucopoulos, partner at Sciens Water, joins Bloomberg Intelligence thematic strategist Melanie Rua to discuss how private capital can turn fragmented water markets and long-term infrastructure needs into investable opportunities. They discuss what sets water apart from other real assets, how AI-driven power demand is increasing pressure on water systems, where regulation is creating investment opportunities, and why local expertise matters when investing across utilities, treatment, reuse and infrastructure. Recorded July 21.

Water underpins nearly every sector of the economy, yet institutional investment remains limited. On this week&rsquo;s episode of the ESG Currents podcast, Alexander Loucopoulos, partner at Sciens Water, joins Bloomberg Intelligence thematic strategist Melanie Rua to discuss how private capital can turn fragmented water markets and long-term infrastructure needs into investable opportunities. They discuss what sets water apart from other real assets, how AI-driven power demand is increasing pressure on water systems, where regulation is creating investment opportunities, and why local expertise matters when investing across utilities, treatment, reuse and infrastructure. Recorded July 21.

Sciens Water on Making Water an Investable Asset

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/7d4634d5-7c78-4809-81a5-b48f00d018dc/transcript

Geopolitical tensions, commodity-price volatility and policy uncertainty have made energy dealmaking more complex, but they haven’t brought it to a halt. On this week’s episode of the ESG Currents podcast, Jalal Nadeem, a faculty member at the Institute for Mergers, Acquisitions and Alliances and an M&A deal-structuring expert, joins Shaheen Contractor, Bloomberg Intelligence senior sustainable finance research analyst, to explore the evolution of energy transactions. They discuss where M&A activity is emerging across the energy transition, why innovative deal structures are becoming more common, how AI is reshaping negotiations and what investors should watch as the landscape continues to shift.

Geopolitical tensions, commodity-price volatility and policy uncertainty have made energy dealmaking more complex, but they haven&rsquo;t brought it to a halt. On this week&rsquo;s episode of the ESG Currents podcast, Jalal Nadeem, a faculty member at the Institute for Mergers, Acquisitions and Alliances and an M&amp;A deal-structuring expert, joins Shaheen Contractor, Bloomberg Intelligence senior sustainable finance research analyst, to explore the evolution of energy transactions. They discuss where M&amp;A activity is emerging across the energy transition, why innovative deal structures are becoming more common, how AI is reshaping negotiations and what investors should watch as the landscape continues to shift.

Geopolitics and the Changing Energy M&A Landscape

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/68b2cf3e-d8c7-435f-9589-b48800bfada7/transcript

The War on Woke

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