Today’s ESG Updates
- Tech Giant Makes ESG Moves : Microsoft will buy solar power in Spain and fund local projects for vulnerable communities in Aragón.
- US And Anti-ESG Mood: Florida sues proxy advisers Glass Lewis and ISS over an alleged “ESG agenda” in voting advice.
- Wildlife In Greece: Bears and wolves are back in rural Greece ~870 bears, wolves now near Athens — bringing more encounters and calls for better safeguards.
- UK Record Wildfires: Firefighters say the UK is underprepared and need long-term funding.
Microsoft Signs Spanish Solar Deal and Funds ECODES Projects in Aragón
Microsoft signed a deal with Spanish company Zelestra to buy clean electricity from two new solar plants in Zaragoza, Aragón: Escatrón II and Fuendetodos II. Together, they will have over 95 MW of capacity and are under construction. As part of the same deal, Microsoft will fund ECODES (a Spanish non-profit) to support community-led projects, especially for vulnerable people. The money will help improve local infrastructure and environments, create economic opportunities, and strengthen local groups that serve residents. This fits Microsoft’s plans to use 100% renewable electricity by 2025 and be carbon negative by 2030, and with its Datacenter Community Pledge to bring benefits to places where it operates.
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Further reading: Microsoft Signs Deal to Purchase Renewable Energy, Support Vulnerable Communities in Spain
Florida Sues Glass Lewis and ISS Over ‘ESG Agenda’ Claims
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier filed a lawsuit against Glass Lewis and Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS). The claim: the two proxy advisers, who cover up to 97% of the market, allegedly pushed an ESG agenda, misled customers, and used their influence to pressure companies on issues like climate and diversity. The suit also says their recommendations aren’t really “value-first” and may conflict with some rules. This is part of a wider anti-ESG push in the U.S. (e.g., a recent Texas probe of the firms, and calls to scrutinize proxy advisers’ role). Florida says the firms moved “in lockstep,” limiting competition. Glass Lewis responded that the accusations are “categorically untrue,” noting clients make their own voting decisions and that the company will present the facts in court. ISS was also named in the suit.
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Further reading: Florida AG Sues Glass Lewis, ISS for Pushing “ESG Agenda” in Proxy Voting Recommendations
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Bears and Wolves Return to Rural Greece, Bringing More Village Encounters
Brown bears and wolves have made a strong comeback in Greece. Scientists estimate up to 870 bears in the north, nearly 4× more than in the 1990s. Wolves have spread south, reaching areas near Athens and into the Peloponnese. More wildlife means more close encounters. Recent reports include livestock attacks, a child bitten by a wolf, an elderly man hurt in his yard, a hiker bitten, and another fatal fall during a bear encounter. Rising wild boar numbers—driven by reduced hunting, milder winters, and pig interbreeding—also push animals into towns. Farmers are asking for stronger protection; some want longer boar hunting seasons. Experts recommend non-lethal steps: lights around property, secure trash and carcass disposal, and no feeding of strays. In rare cases, authorities may capture and remove specific animals. Conservation groups warn that killing wildlife won’t solve the problem and call for coexistence plans as human and animal ranges overlap.
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Further reading: Residents in rural Greece struggle as bears and wolves make a remarkable comeback
UK Wildfires Burn Record Area in 2025
Wildfires have burned 47,026 hectares of UK moorland, forests and fields so far in 2025—the largest area since records began in 2012, and over twice the area lost in 2022. Fire services say they are stretched thin. The Fire Brigades Union (backed by climate and tax groups) has asked the government for long-term investment to handle rising risks from wildfires and floods as the climate crisis worsens. Recent incidents show the pressure: a “relentless” blaze at Holt Heath (Dorset) needed crews from 17 services, and a fire on Langdale Moor (North Yorkshire) burned for weeks. The union says the service has 12,000 fewer firefighters than in 2010 (about 1 in 5 posts), plus 30% cuts to central funding (cash terms), equipment shortages, understaffed control rooms, and gaps in wildfire PPE. Flood response is also strained—e.g., Storm Claudia required all local water-rescue resources. The letter calls for funding to ensure enough firefighters, control staff and specialist gear to meet growing climate risks.
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Further reading: UK wildfires devastated more areas in 2025 than at any time since records began, figures show
Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed here by the authors are their own, not those of impakter.com —Cover Photo Credit: Phillip.
