
Disclaimer
Please read this important information before proceeding further. It contains legal and regulatory notices relevant to the information contained on this website.
The information contained in the Website is NOT FOR RETAIL CLIENTS – The information contained in the Website is solely intended for professional investors, defined as investors which (1) qualify as professional clients within the meaning of the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID), (2) have requested to be treated as professional clients within the meaning of the MiFID or (3) are authorised to receive such information under any other applicable laws. The value of the investments may fluctuate. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Investors may not get back the amount originally invested. Neither Robeco Institutional Asset Management B.V. nor any of its affiliates guarantees the performance or the future returns of any investments. If the currency in which the past performance is displayed differs from the currency of the country in which you reside, then you should be aware that due to exchange rate fluctuations the performance shown may increase or decrease if converted into your local currency.
Robeco Institutional Asset Management UK Limited (“RIAM UK”) markets the Funds of Robeco Institutional Asset Management B.V. (“ROBECO”) to institutional clients and professional investors only. Private investors seeking information about the Robeco Funds should consult with an Independent Financial Adviser. ROBECO will not be liable for any damages or losses suffered by private investors accessing the website.
RIAM UK is an authorised distributor for ROBECO Funds in the UK and has marketing approval for the funds listed on the website, all of which are UCITS Funds. ROBECO is authorised by the AFM and subject to limited regulation by the Financial Conduct Authority.
Many of the protections provided by the United Kingdom regulatory framework may not apply to investments in ROBECO Funds, including access to the Financial Services Compensation Scheme and the Financial Ombudsman Service. No representation, warranty or undertaking is given as to the accuracy or completeness of the information on this website.
If you are not an institutional client or professional investor, you should therefore not proceed. By proceeding, please note that we will be treating you as a professional client for regulatory purposes and you agree to be bound by our terms and conditions.
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Sustainable Investing
Carbon pricing
Carbon pricing is a price or tax applied to carbon pollution. It can be an effective way to encourage polluters to reduce their CO2 emissions and thereby limit global warming. Carbon prices can be in the form of a carbon tax, or form part of carbon emissions trading, where ‘allowances’ are issued and traded.
Carbon pricing addresses the fact that CO2 emissions comprise a ‘negative externality’; that is, the harm caused to an unrelated third party by a company’s decision making. The negative externality in this case comprises in this case damage to crops, health care costs from heat waves and the devastation caused by rises in sea levels, for example. The famed economist Arthur Pigou was the first to prove that results of this nature could be charged at a price equal to the damage, in this case the societal cost of carbon, and thereby internalize the externality to the benefit of society. In this way, carbon pricing is aimed at incorporating climate risks into business costs, also driving innovation as producers seek to reduce emissions.
Pricing a large enough percentage of CO2 emissions adequately is key to stimulating the development of clean technology and low-carbon economic growth. Most countries, however, still do not have a carbon tax or trading scheme. At the end of 2020, only 61 carbon pricing initiatives were in place or planned in the world, covering 12 gigatons of carbon dioxide equivalent, which is only about 22% of global greenhouse emissions.
Creating returns that benefit the world we live in
The average global price of USD 2 tons per CO2 equivalent is also too low. In Europe, though, the average price of carbon is now EUR 33/t CO2e, a price that Robeco sees as ready to start impacting economic behavior. Shifts from coal-fired to gas-fired power production take place at this price level, as does the stimulation of low-carbon innovation in industries.