Today’s ESG Updates
- AfDB Approves €100 Million for Battery Manufacturing in Africa: The loan will help fund a Gotion Power Morocco lithium iron phosphate battery gigafactory.
- Wildfires Spark Political Tensions in Spain: Blazes that have forced over 100,000 evacuations and prompted a national emergency declaration have fueled clashes between Spain’s left and right political parties.
- TotalEnergies to Appeal Paris Judicial Court Decision: The French oil firm is appealing a ruling that found it liable for climate harm under the duty of vigilance law.
- Climeworks Solutions Expands Carbon Removal Portfolio Options: The Swiss carbon capture company launched new compliance-ready offerings aligned with EU, Paris Agreement, and CORSIA frameworks.
AfDB approves €100 million for first integrated battery manufacturing plant in Africa
The African Development Bank Group will help finance the construction of a lithium iron phosphate battery gigafactory with a €100 million loan. Located in the Rabat-Salé-Kénitra Free Trade Zone in Morocco, this gigafactory will be the first of its kind in Africa and in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Under the direction of Chinese global battery manufacturer Gotion High-Tech Co. Ltd., the project is expected to produce 10 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of electric vehicle battery packs and battery storage cells during its first phase.
Kevin Kariuki, the AfDB Group’s Vice President for Power, Energy, Climate and Green Growth, said, “Battery storage is the missing link in Africa’s clean energy transition. A facility of this scale, powered primarily by renewable energy, strengthens the foundations for the large-scale integration of solar and wind power, which our grids increasingly depend on. ”
The project will create around 600 green jobs and hopes to expand battery production capacity to 100 GWh.
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Further reading: African Development Bank Approves €100 Million to Gotion Power Morocco to Develop Africa’s First Lithium Ion Phosphate Battery Gigafactory
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Wildfires spark political tensions in Spain
Over 100,000 people have been evacuated across the regions of Ávila, Toledo, Castellón and Madrid, Spain, due to the intense wildfires. The fires have destroyed more than 45,000 hectares of land and led Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s government to declare a national emergency. The emergency declaration allows Sánchez’s government to take over mitigation efforts and coordinate action across every level of government.
The move has created tensions with Spain’s right and left political leaders. Isabel Díaz Ayuso, the president of the Madrid region, is a center-right politician who made the initial request for the national emergency declaration. Center-left Transport Minister Óscar Puente criticized Ayuso’s plea for national intervention, posting on X, “They cut taxes for the rich, slash public services, and then ask the central government to solve their problems.” Firefighters working for the Madrid Forest Fire Prevention and Extinction Service complain of low-quality and expired equipment and low wages. The Service is currently operating with just 60 of the expected 124 firefighters.
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Further reading: Massive forest fires reignite political tensions in Spain
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TotalEnergies to appeal Paris Judicial Court decision
On June 25, 2026, the Paris Judicial Court found French oil firm TotalEnergies liable for climate harm under the French duty of vigilance law. TotalEnergies announced a move to appeal this judgment on Monday, July 27. The company is claiming that since climate change is a global issue, it does not fall under the scope of the duty of vigilance law. Its Board of Directors claims that the firm has no control over the actions of its clients. They detail this in a press release stating: “TotalEnergies does not decide whether a motorist chooses to drive a petrol-powered vehicle, use biodiesel, or drive an electric vehicle. However, TotalEnergies seeks to ensure that motorists have access to the energy they choose to use.”
TotalEnergies’ energy production portfolio ranges from oil and gas to renewables, biogas and low-carbon hydrogen. The firm will now present its case to the Paris Court of Appeal.
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Further reading: TotalEnergies SE appeals the 25 June 2026 judgment in the duty of vigilance climate case
Climeworks Solutions expands carbon removal portfolio options
Climeworks, a Swiss carbon capture company, designs and manages carbon removal portfolios through its Climeworks Solutions branch. Last week, Climeworks Solutions announced expanded offerings for companies looking to build their carbon removal portfolios. These offerings are aligned with specific regulatory frameworks, including the EU’s Carbon Removal and Carbon Farming Certification Framework (CRCF), the Paris Agreement’s Article 6.2 concerning internationally transferred mitigation outcome (ITMO) removals, and the International Civil Aviation Organization’s Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation(CORSIA).
As carbon removal evaluations change with frequent regulation updates, Climeworks will continue to expand compliance-ready offerings. Adrian Siegrist, the company’s Chief Commercial Officer, said, “This offering builds on our existing portfolio expertise by combining carbon removal sourcing with policy and market knowledge, helping customers procure high-quality carbon removals aligned with relevant frameworks and requirements.”
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Further reading: Climeworks Solutions launches compliance-ready carbon removal offering as policy advances
Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed here by the authors are their own, not those of impakter.com — Cover Photo Credit: Ayyeee Ayyeee.
