This week in ESG news: Biden administration sets new U.S. climate goals on eve of Trump takeover; new sustainability reporting standards for Canada, Hong Kong; BlackRock removed from Indiana pension funds over ESG investing; EU passes law requiring 100% recyclable packaging by 2030; UK bans Lloyds ad for greenwashing; Walmart says it will probably miss climate targets; SAP launches new carbon accounting solution; EFRAG releases sustainability reporting standards for small companies; Frontier helps sell $80 million carbon removals to Google, H&M and others; new initiative launched to support sustainability reporting in emerging markets; capital raises for sustainable batteries, clean energy-powered data centers, EV charging infrastructure, and more.

See below for the highlights of the past week, and get all your ESG news at ESG Today:

Sustainability Goals, Initiatives and Achievements

Walmart to Miss 2025, 2030 Climate Targets

Trane Acquires Building Energy and Emissions Reduction Solutions Provider BrainBox AI

Carbon Removal Coalition Frontier Facilitates $80 Million in New Offtake Agreements for Google, H&M, Stripe and Others

Accenture Acquires IQT Group to Target Net Zero Infrastructure Opportunities

DP World Launches Carbon Inset Program to Help Importers Cut Value Chain Emissions

Guest Post: Five Reasons to Remain Bullish on ESG in 2025

ESG Reporting

Canada’s CSSB Releases IFRS-Based Sustainability and Climate Reporting Standards

IOSCO Launches Network to Support Adoption of ISSB Sustainability Reporting Standards in Emerging Markets

EFRAG Releases Sustainability Reporting Standard for Small Companies

UK Advisory Committee Calls for Adoption of IFRS Sustainability Reporting Standards

Hong Kong Releases Sustainability, Climate Reporting Standards

California Lawmakers Threaten Regulator over Delayed Enforcement of Climate Reporting Law

Government & Regulators

Outgoing Biden Administration Sets New 2035 U.S. Climate Goal

UK Regulator Bans Lloyds Ad Over Misleading Climate Claims

EU Adopts New Rules Requiring 100% Recyclable Packaging by 2030

ESG Services and Tools

SAP Launches Solution Enabling Companies to Track, Report Carbon Footprint of Products and Services

Private Equity & Venture Capital

EV Infrastructure Provider JET Charge Raises $45 Million

Bill Gates-Backed Climate Solutions Fund Invests $40 Million in Canadian Carbon Removal Startup Deep Sky

Nanoramic Raises $44 Million for Technology to Build More Sustainable Batteries

Crusoe Raises $600 Million to Build Out Clean Energy-Powered AI Infrastructure Platform

Toyota Leads $28 Million Investment in EV Charging Software Startup WeaveGrid

Sustainable Investing

Indiana to Replace BlackRock in Pension Funds Due to ESG Investing Policies

Exec Moves

Trane Appoints Mauro Atalla as Chief Technology and Sustainability Officer

Gresham House Appoints Hyewon Kong as Sustainable Investment Director