A guest blog by Councillor Emily Hickson, Southwark Council Deputy Cabinet Member for Green Finance In Southwark, we’re taking urgent action to tackle the climate emergency, but we know the scale of the challenge means we can’t do it alone. To transform our borough, we have an Everest-sized mountain to climb. But this challenge is also an opportunity– a chance to make our borough better for everyone, delivering improvements in health, raising the standard of homes, creating good green jobs and strengthening our communities. That’s why we’ve launched Southwark Green Investment — which is t ..read more

Hammersmith & Fulham Council’s second investment raise is focussed on green retrofit, an essential area of its climate action plans. Its own building estate accounts for 80% of the council’s carbon emissions, so it wants to install green upgrades including new solar panels, battery storage, LED lighting and air source heat pumps for council-owned homes, schools, and community buildings. To get an idea of the benefits this type of green upgrades can bring, this week Cllr Rowan Ree, Cabinet Member for Finance and Reform, visited Hammersmith Academy in Cathnor Road, Shepherds Bush, that has a ..read more

There is no denying that some UK councils are facing financial difficulties. Rising costs and increasing demand for the services they provide, as well as cuts in central Government funding, have put their budgets under strain. But investing in councils remains a low risk investment due to the way councils are regulated. Councils have to repay loans ahead of other obligations When you lend money to an organisation, you are taking the risk that they won’t be able to pay you back, plus the interest owed. If you lend money to a company or an individual, if they can’t meet the repayment terms of y ..read more

Keeping investors connected to what their money is doing: our first council climate investment report Since our launch a decade ago, helping investors see what their money is actually funding has been central to our mission. Our direct investments have helped fund countless green energy innovations across the country, from tidal power through to sustainable forestry, and we have always been committed to making sure investors are updated on what their money is delivering. When we launched our council investments in 2020, we wanted to stay true to that same transparent ethos. That’s why we chec ..read more

Lending money to a council is a low risk investment option because a council cannot be declared bankrupt, even in challenging economic conditions. But you may have seen stories in the media over recent months about the financial difficulties faced by some councils across the country, with some saying they are on the verge of ‘bankruptcy’. But what does that mean in reality, and what would it mean for a council investment if a council was struggling financially? Why is lending to a council a low risk option? Our council loans are an investment and you are lending money to a council so the ..read more

Since we launched our first council investment in 2020, around 2,000 of our investors have backed investments with eight innovative councils around the country, which are already delivering a real impact on the climate emergency. And when we asked for our investors’ views in May, a hefty 76% of respondents were considering investing in councils this year. So what drives this appetite, and are there still barriers for councils to overcome to get more and more people engaged and helping with climate action plans? Make a direct impact, and hold councils accountable for delivery We all ..read more

Wenea Plymouth — Update on charger rollout Don't invest unless you're prepared to lose all the money you invest.This is a high‑risk investment and you are unlikely to be protected if something goes wrong. Take 2 minutes to learn more. As part of the Connect Plymouth transport infrastructure project, electric vehicle charging solutions provider Wenea has committed to deploy 150 electric vehicle chargers in the city. Wenea has over 50 chargers installed in Exeter and East Devon and is expanding its deployment to ensure Devon can count on a more comprehensive network of rapid EV chargers ..read more

Guest blog from Lewisham Council Our Lewisham Climate Action Investment aims to raise £1m for local projects to reduce carbon emissions and help tackle the Climate Emergency. The money raised will fund a range of projects aimed to encourage more sustainable modes of travel. We have a track record of investment in active travel and sustainable transport projects as part of our work to lower carbon emissions and help Lewisham reach net-zero by 2030. We have already installed more than 185 cycle hangars across the borough, providing over 1,000 residents with a safe place to store their ..read more

After more than 10 years of ultra low savings rates, Central Banks have taken rapid action over the last few months to turn the tide of inflation by raising interest rates which in turn is benefitting savers and investors with higher returns on their cash. At the same time, government borrowing costs have also risen as investors respond to the impact of both rate rises and inflation on the value of government bonds (in the UK called gilts). The UK’s borrowing rate in particular was given something of an upwards “boost” during the brief tenure of Ms Truss as Prime Minister and as of this week ..read more

Don't invest unless you're prepared to lose all the money you invest.This is a high‑risk investment and you are unlikely to be protected if something goes wrong. Take 2 minutes to learn more. Jose Contreras, Head of UK at Wenea Wenea are raising money on Abundance right now, to help fund the EV charging infrastructure for Plymouth’s new sustainable transport hubs. We recently sat down with Jose Contreras, Head of UK at Wenea, to learn more about the company, their mission, and why they believe it is so important to work with partners to create sustainable transport solutions that work f ..read more