Towards a 1.5ºc world: How sustainable finance decarbonized portfolios

The case features Sara Razmpa, head of responsible investment, and Fiona Frick, CEO of Unigestion, at a critical juncture in the Geneva-based asset management firm’s ESG journey: the decision to launch an equities fund that specifically tackles climate change. While Unigestion had launched product families that integrated ESG in the past, this would be a new and more challenging undertaking. The case opens with the two debating between whether to launch a Climate Transition Fund or the more ambitious Paris-aligned Fund. Both methods aligned with the Paris Agreement by placing the portfolio on a 1.5ºC trajectory, with no or limited overshoot, and heading towards net-zero by 2050. However, they differed in their starting points and stringency. Students are placed in the shoes of Razmpa and Frick and need to decide which portfolio to launch – while balancing climate impact, commercial considerations and fund performance. The selection of climate funds is not straightforward. The decision touches on key debate points in sustainable finance: a financial investor’s fiduciary duty, whether to exclude or engage with high emitters and what would be most effective in tackling climate change. Finally, the case includes a practical application exercise where students can construct their own climate-focused portfolio. This is a timely case. There is a growing spotlight on climate change, especially with COP 26 in late 2021. Despite country pledges for net-zero emissions, a UN study found that current fossil fuel production plans set forth by governments worldwide for 2030 is double the level required to limit global warming to 1.5ºC. The financial sector, as a key allocator of capital, has a key role to play. This case can help students better understand the role financial institutions can play in the transformation towards a 1.5ºC world, the nuances of building climate positive portfolios and how to critically analyze different climate strategies and their implications.