Today’s ESG Updates
- Trump Threatens French Wine Tariffs: Trump threatened 200% tariffs after Macron rejected his Gaza “Board of Peace” initiative, part of a 20-point plan to end the Israel-Hamas war.
- Global Markets Slide: Nasdaq and S&P 500 futures fell over 1%, and gold hit $4,700 as investors reacted to U.S. tariff threats tied to Greenland.
- EU Meat VAT Reform: Removing reduced VAT on meat in 22 EU countries could cut household environmental impact by 3–6% and 29.9 megatons of CO₂ annually.
- Inpex CCS Project: Inpex will resubmit its Bonaparte CCS plan in Australia, aiming to capture 8 million metric tons of CO₂ per year after environmental law updates.
Trump threatens 200% tariffs on French wine after Macron rejects Board of Peace invitation
U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to impose a 200% tariff on French wines in an attempt to persuade French President Emmanuel Macron to join his new “Board of Peace” initiative. The Board of Peace is meant to oversee the next steps in Gaza and is part of Trump’s 20-point plan to end the war between Israel and Hamas. Macron rejected the offer due to concerns that the board, overseen by Trump, would have too much power and could undermine the United Nations framework. Trump wants the board’s constitution and remit finalized at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Some of the world leaders invited to join include Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.
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Further reading: Trump threatens 200 percent tariffs on French wine after Macron snubs peace board
Global markets slide due to trade tensions and U.S. tariff concerns
Global stock markets declined on January 20, 2026, as rising geopolitical and trade tensions unsettled investors. Nasdaq and S&P 500 futures fell more than 1%, and European futures were down about 0.27%, following a 1.2% drop in the STOXX 600. The U.S. dollar weakened, and the yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury note climbed to about 4.27%, its highest since September.
Gold rose above $4,700 per ounce, a record. Markets reacted to U.S. President Trump’s tariff threats tied to Greenland, reviving “Sell America” trade concerns (investors selling U.S. stocks and the dollar) and prompting a Citi downgrade of European equities.
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Further reading: European stocks fall, dollar drops, markets focus on Trump’s tariff threats
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EU meat VAT reform could cut household carbon footprint by up to 6%
22 of 27 EU countries currently charge reduced VAT on most meat, making it cheaper than it would be if taxes reflected environmental costs. The new study by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research suggests removing these reduced rates – charging full VAT on meat – could reduce the environmental footprint of European households by 3-6%. Meat production contributes to climate change, biodiversity loss, and water pollution, so this policy could prevent up to 29.9 megatons of CO₂ equivalent per year, about 5% of the EU’s total emissions. Average annual household food costs would rise by €109, or only €26 per year, if extra revenue were returned to households.
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Further reading: ‘Meat tax’ could have significant impact on environmental footprint, study finds
Inpex to resubmit environmental plan for Bonaparte CCS project in Australia
Japan’s Inpex plans to resubmit the environmental plan for its Bonaparte CCS (carbon capture and storage) project off the north coast of Australia after withdrawing it to account for changes in Australia’s environmental laws. The project, which has major project status and partners including TotalEnergies and Woodside Energy, aims to capture and store 8 million metric tons of CO₂ per year. Australia has issued 15 offshore CCS permits since 2022 and has two onshore CCS projects — Santos’ Moomba and Chevron’s Gorgon. Moomba has a capacity of 1.7 million tons, Gorgon has 4 million tons, with 1.3 million tons currently sequestered.
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Further reading: Inpex to resubmit environmental plan for large CCS project off Australia
Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed here by the authors are their own, not those of impakter.com — Cover Photo Credit: White House/Molly Riley
