As the Belgian summer nears its end, it's tempting to think of cooler months ahead and forget the challenges that come with rising temperatures. However, despite the coolness of recent summers, data from the Flemish Environment Agency (VMM) clearly indicates a trend of increasing warm and tropical days in Belgium. This raises an important question: if Belgians begin integrating ...

The streetlight effect and post-covid normalisation An old anecdote tells of a policeman who sees a drunk man searching under a streetlight late at night. The officer asks what the man has lost. "My house keys," the drunk replies. They search together for a few minutes under the light. Then the officer asks, "Are you sure you lost them here?" "No," says the man, "I lost them i ...

Renewables on the rise Global investment in clean energy technology and infrastructure is projected to reach $2 trillion in 2024, doubling the amount allocated to fossil fuels, according to a report by the International Energy Agency (IEA)[1]. This means that for every dollar invested in fossil fuels today, almost two dollars are invested in clean energy technology. This surge ...

MacroFriday is back after a long summer break! I hope your summer was less volatile than the financial markets in July and August. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to enjoy a peaceful beach vacation as the macroeconomic environment experienced some major shifts over the past few months. Before the summer, US inflation was clearly on a disinflationary trajectory, and this trend c ...

Over the past five days, shares of luxury group Hermès have taken a 10% dive. Growing concerns about (Chinese) consumer spending and analysts lowering profit expectations have driven the share price further down. French company Hermès is renowned in the luxury goods sector. It’s not named after the Greek god of trade and commerce, but rather after its founder, Thierry Hermès. ...

SolarPower Europe recently released a comprehensive report presenting key insights and updates on the global solar PV sector. This Climate Shocker will guide you through the most significant findings from the report: In 2023, a record 447 GW of solar capacity was installed globally, reflecting an impressive year-on-year increase of 87%. This milestone establishes 2023 as a r ...

Market Reactions and Elections Outcomes It has been a rollercoaster for India’s 2024 elections (see chart below). The Nifty index, a benchmark for the Indian stock market representing the weighted average of 50 of the largest Indian companies listed on the National Stock Exchange, experienced significant fluctuations before closing at a new all-time high. This surge followed t ...

The Green Transition has made remarkable strides and has become a central component of Europe's strategy to combat climate change and reduce its high energy dependency, which was highlighted by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. According to consultant FleishmanHillard, 45% of the Green Deal initiatives have already been implemented, with an additional 15% nearing adoption. In t ...

The Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) released a new report on June 17, 2024, highlighting key insights and updates on the global offshore wind sector. This Climate Shocker will walk you through the 10 most important insights from the report: 2023 was a challenging year for the offshore wind sector. Inflation, increased interest rates, and supply chain constraints created a ...

At the end of May, we visited South Korea, where we engaged with over twenty companies at their offices, toured a company site, and held discussions with numerous local analysts and contacts. More than half of our meetings were with companies from various climate-related sectors. A Land of Global Challengers South Korea is a fascinating country. After the Korean War (1950-53) ...