John Authers, Columnist

Trump Will Bury ESG, But It Was Already Dead

The green investing revolution never stood a chance in the US once ensnared by the culture wars, but that wasn’t the only cause of death

ESG will end with a whimper, not a bang.

Photographer: Kamil Krzaczynski/AFP/Getty Images
Lock
This article is for subscribers only.

To get John Authers' newsletter delivered directly to your inbox, sign up here.

As was obvious even before voters went to the polls, ESG was already a decisive loser in the US. The concept of Environmental, Social and Governance investing became hopelessly entangled with the culture war agenda, failed to deliver on its promises, and went into retreat. Rather than attempt a technocratic, clean, green way of changing capitalism, America has opted for something more nationalist, even mercantilist.