Big oil won, ESG lost
The return of Donald Trump gives further evidence of ‘big oil’ as an investable asset, with the only question being whether anyone is really surprised
ESG is dead, or if not strictly speaking deceased, at least mutating into something unrecognisable from the investment philosophy it was at its peak sometime in 2021. The presidency of Donald Trump has likely put the final nail in the ESG coffin, but in truth the concept was on its last legs anyway, ever since it became caught up in the US’ culture wars and became a source of embarrassment— indeed legal jeopardy—for its advocates. Mainly Republican states in the US took action against big financial institutions that espoused ESG principles on the grounds they were acting against the interests of their clients, shareholders and energy consumers by pushing a green agenda ahead of financial ret
Also in this section
18 June 2025
The country’s green hydrogen sector can gain traction even as the global trade war rages and other headwinds hamper the sector, Mohsen al-Hadhrami, undersecretary of energy and minerals, tells Hydrogen Economist
18 June 2025
UK risks losing out on in race to secure hydrogen imports as its refusal to back ammonia cracking sinks $2.7b Immingham project
11 June 2025
China emerges as clear frontrunner as US growth stalls and Europe burdens its industry with labyrinthine regulations
30 May 2025
Pressure is growing on developers to prove the bankability of their projects in a challenging market for green hydrogen
