Granular measurement of our environmental footprint
Carbon negative
Intentional investment in sustainability
The impacts of climate change are systemic, unprecedented and already apparent. Extreme changes in weather patterns will have an effect on all of us, but underserved and lower-income populations will be affected disproportionately. While some of the effects of climate change are obvious, such as crop viability and general livability, others are more subtle, such as the potential impact on insurance, property risk, and real estate trends. Some of these changes are highly undesirable and may lead to forced migration and social unrest. Unless significant changes are made, we will likely need to prepare for these challenges and possibly more.
Impact investing for climate change solutions offers investors the ability to pursue competitive financial returns while also supporting environmental sustainability and the preservation of our planet’s natural resources.
Measuring climate impact: net-carbon negative
As of 12.31.22 Source: RBC GAM US. Comparison of the carbon footprint for the Bloomberg Barclay s U.S. Aggregate Index vs. Impact Bond, per $1M invested. The comparison is based on the representative account, which is the account in the composite that most closely reflects the current portfolio management style for this strategy. Impact is measured using the investment team’s proprietary impact measurement methodology. For more information on the impact measurement methodology, please contact us at https://institutional.rbcgam.com/en/us/contact/. The Bloomberg Barclay s U.S.Aggregate Index is an unmanaged index that measures the performance of U.S. investment-grade fixed income securities. An inv estor may not invest directly in this index. We define net carbonnegative as occurring when the fund’s avoided GHG emissions exceed the fund’s GHG emissions produced, calculated per million dollars invested (unit = t CO2 equivalent/$M invested). Calculations are inclusive of all fund assets, excluding treasury. GHG emissions (t CO2 eq.) are inclusive of Scope 1 and 2 emissions, and may consider Scope 3 emissions when applicable and available. Multiple data sources are used for GHG emissions data and include: reported data from issuers, reported and estimated data from third party vendors, and sector-and industry-level data from government and academic entities. Gaps in data may exist as climate data and disclosures continue to evolve. Our calculation methodology considers relevant standards and practices, and is proprietary to the Impact Investment team. We will regularly review and enhance our data inputs and calculation methodology to reflect improvements in climate data availability and quality, and advancements in the measurement of climate impact. For more information and details on our methodology, please contact us at https://institutional.rbcgam.com/en/us/contact/
Impact Measurement is Key
Measurement of the positive and negative impacts of any investment is critical to understanding its actual environmental footprint. Passive fixed income strategies tend to be carbon-heavy – but carbon negative investment strategies are possible, as demonstrated by this comparison of a $1M investment in the RBC Impact Bond Strategy versus a $1M investment in the general fixed income market:
Climate Focused Sustainable Development Goals
We seek to mitigate risk and invest in high impact climate solutions to create resilient portfolios over the long term. To do this, we invest in projects that promote:
- renewable energy
- clean air and water
- land preservation
- efficient resource use
- environmental remediation projects
These investments can be guided by focusing on a subset of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, a global agenda to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity for all by the year 2030.
Related reading:
Our approach to climate change