Fixed on ESG PGIM Fixed Income

The vital role of biodiversity across social and economic dependencies has captured the attention of ESG investors. With biodiversity in focus and a surge of new datasets to inform investment considerations, we explore how biodiversity is measured, approaches to investing in nature, how we tackled some of the complexities in biodiversity data when redesigning PGIM Fixed Income’s Sovereign ESG Impact Rating framework, and aspirations for the future of biodiversity investing.
This episode features Filippo Grassi, Data Analyst for Planet Tracker, and host, Alistair Shepheard-Walwyn, ESG Specialist for PGIM Fixed Income.
Recorded on March 8, 2024. The views of any of our guests on this podcast do not necessarily reflect the views of PGIM Fixed Income.

For fixed income ESG investors, gaining a deeper understanding of emerging markets is crucial as standard ESG assessments may neglect the complex economic and social dynamics that influence positive ESG impact as well as investment risks and opportunities in these regions.
In this episode of Fixed on ESG, Nuvneet Dhillon, CFA, ESG Specialist, highlights our enhanced Sovereign ESG Impact Rating framework, and hosts Cathy Hepworth, CFA, Head of Emerging Markets Debt, and Magdalena Polan, Head of Emerging Market Macroeconomic Research, to discuss ESG for emerging market sovereigns and the challenges of assessing these credits.
Recorded on February 21, 2024.

Several major reports were released just ahead of this year’s COP28 in the UAE on the state of climate action, the widening gap between actual progress and policies on decarbonization, and what would be needed to limit warming to well below 2°C.
In this second of a two-part instalment of PGIM Fixed Income’s Fixed on ESG, James Malone, CFA, ESG Research Specialist, and John Ploeg, CFA, Co-Head of ESG Research, examine the latest developments in global climate action. They provide an in-depth analysis of the UN’s Emissions Gap Report along with other key reports, exploring the potential outcomes under existing climate policies, the impact of fully meeting Paris Agreement pledges, and how these scenarios measure up against what is necessary to limit warming to 1.5°C.
Recorded on December 15, 2023.

COP28, which was hosted in the UAE, has come to a close. In the first of a two-part instalment of PGIM Fixed Income’s Fixed on ESG, James Malone, CFA, ESG Research Specialist, and John Ploeg, CFA, Co-Head of ESG Research, analyse the key takeaways of the COP.
The duo take a closer look at the results of the first-ever Global Stocktake, discuss the effectiveness of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), weigh in on the debate around the new loss and damage fund, examine the criticism that shadowed the appointment of this year's host nation and president, assess the effectiveness of various COP initiatives, and consider the real-world impact of COP's voluntary pledge process.
Recorded on December 15, 2023.

Climate finance has gained significant attention over the past decade due to the increase in extreme climate events around the world. While developed countries have been the largest contributors to climate change, it’s developing countries that often feel the worst of the impacts as they struggle to finance resources to respond, rebuild, and protect themselves from extreme weather events.
In this episode of Fixed on ESG, ESG Specialists, Nuvneet Dhillon, CFA, and Alistair Shepheard-Walwyn, examine the current state of international climate finance. The duo discuss how much climate finance is necessary, how we’ve integrated climate finance considerations into our sovereign ESG framework, how developed countries have kept up with providing the financing they’ve pledged, and more.
Recorded on November 13, 2023.

With the use of plastic packaging on the rise, the issue of plastic waste looms large and complex. Plastic is a prevalent part of our lives, but this widespread use poses alarming consequences to the environment and to our health.
In this episode of PGIM Fixed Income’s Fixed on ESG, David Klausner, ESG Specialist, hosts guests James Malone, CFA, ESG Specialist, and Richard Kus, CFA, U.S. Leveraged Finance Credit Research Analyst, for a conversation on the multifaceted challenges posed by the plastic waste crisis and potential solutions that can lead towards a more sustainable future. The trio discuss our fundamental outlook for U.S. plastic packaging companies and what impact-oriented investors should consider when it comes to the plastic packaging sector.
Recorded on October 17, 2023.