Capital to Reduce Plastic Pollution
In April last year, the American multinational investment bank Morgan Stanley informed, that a new report from the Morgan Stanley Institute for Sustainable Investing would highlight the groundswell of interest in the nascent field of integrating the changing plastics economy into investment decisions. “Both institutional and individual investors are beginning to recognize that they can help bring innovations to market by connecting capital with companies, products and solutions across the plastics value chain“, the financial services company wrote.
Investors were signaling greater awareness and interest in plastic pollution management as an investment consideration, Audrey Choi, the firm’s Chief Sustainability Officer and CEO of the Morgan Stanley Institute for Sustainable Investing, stated. “From private foundations to multinational companies, institutions are exploring approaches to mitigate the impact of plastic waste.”
As reported, Morgan Stanley addresses the issue through the “Plastic Waste Resolution”, a firmwide effort to help leverage capital and other resources to reduce plastic pollution. “This multifaceted, decade-long commitment will include a variety of investment vehicles, such as a bond issued with the World Bank aimed at reducing plastic waste in the oceans and six new low-minimum portfolio strategies for retail investors who want to advance the U.N.’s goals on ocean conservation,” the interested reader could learn.
According to Morgan Stanley, the broader category of impact investing is an increasingly mature field, offering a range of impact targets and investment options. “Green bonds and sustainability bonds are fertile areas of opportunity for investors interested in plastic-pollution mitigation,” the bank gave account. “Among both bond issuers and investors, demand for climate-friendly bonds continues to rise and, as the sector continues to evolve, we anticipate the emergence of more specific investment solutions that address plastic pollution.” On the municipal-bond front, there are opportunities for bonds linked to infrastructure development, recycling facilities or other projects that contribute to the reuse or repurposing of plastic – or to the reduction of plastic pollution from the environment. “As interest in the issue proliferates, technological innovations could also emerge – potentially in the form of new processes and facilities that make the reuse of plastic more efficient.”
(GR12020, Page 7, Photo: Hans Braxmeier / Pixabay)
