Issue 54: Singapore vs the Kempen blacklist; ESG progress through the back room

In this issue: The disagreement between Singapore and Dutch fund manager Kempen reflects deep-seated divisions between the East and the West on climate matters, while regional fund managers effect sustainability progress through behind-the-scenes engagements.

Singapore

Dutch fund blacklists Singapore for not being green enough

Want to understand why environmental negotiations, both commercial and political, can be so contentious between the developed West and Asia? Look no further than Dutch asset manager Van Lanschot Kempen’s blacklisting of Singapore state-backed assets over the nation’s environmental and biodiversity performance.