green investing is back in vogue

8/13/2019 Green Investing is Back in Vogue

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Green investing is back in vogueCommentary: After a lull, clean-tech is making a move again

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By Thomas Kostigen

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (MarketWatch) Going green is back in vogue and you can bet investment

opportunities will follow.

Superstorm Sandy, droughts, and freakish weather events around the world have turned peoples attentions to

the climate and climate change once again.

Climate talks in Doha, Qatar, along with the recent announcement of a high-profile television series on climate

change set to air on the Showtime Network next year indicate that indeed green issues are rising again in the

public mindset.

First Solar

Investments in solar power and other green technologies are back in vogue.

Globally, the environment has been woven into impact investing through programs and products that address

water, waste and energy. Impact investing is the school of finance that produces double-barrel returns: creating

social impact (on people and the planet) as well as financial returns.

Domestically, green initiatives have waned. The economic downturn of 2008 pushed environmental initiatives

to the bottom of the list of considerations for many people. Clean-tech investments didnt produce the high

returns that many of them promised. And global-warming skeptics raised a lot of doubts in the publics

consciousness. It didnt help that the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change underwent several scandals.
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The thermostat that programs itself

The father of the iPod and iPhone is turning his attention towards one of the most prosaic domestic technologies the thermostat. He

hopes smart devices will slash energy bills and reduce carbon emissions. Photo: Getty Images

This, after green entered the zeitgeist at a blistering speed following Al Gores 2006 book and documentary

An Inconvenient Truth.

The rise and fall and now rise again of the green movement is being likened to the rise and fall and rise again

of Internet companies. In fact, much of the initial investment that went into sustainable fuels, infrastructure,

and technologies has laid the groundwork for long-term growth to emerge. Again, much like what happened

with Internet and technology companies at the turn of the century.

Green stocks are perking up and venture capitalist are once again taking a fresh look at sustainable, or clean-

tech, opportunities.

Greenbiz.com recently ran a story entitled Why the rumors of cleantechs death weregreatly exaggerated

and went on to discuss how we are on the cusp of an incredibly exciting time.Read the article here.

Impact investments, which take into account a companys effect on the environment, are predicted to grow

exponentially over the next decade.

W1SGITRD1,731.89, -34.73, -1.97%

Dow Jones Sustainability World Index

2,000

1,500

1,000

500

09

10

11

12

13

Meanwhile, publicly traded stocks in the sector are seeing an uptick. The Dow Jones Sustainability World

IndexXX:W1SGITRD -1.97% has risen more than 14% over the past six months. Take a look at its chart over the

past five years and youll see what looks to be a bounce effect occurring: a steep fall from 2008 levels and an
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/green-investing-is-back-in-vogue-2012-12-07http://www.marketwatch.com/story/green-investing-is-back-in-vogue-2012-12-07http://www.greenbiz.com/blog/2012/11/27/cleantech-death-exaggeratedhttp://www.greenbiz.com/blog/2012/11/27/cleantech-death-exaggeratedhttp://www.greenbiz.com/blog/2012/11/27/cleantech-death-exaggeratedhttp://www.marketwatch.com/investing/stock/W1SGITRD?link=MW_story_Chartquotehttp://www.marketwatch.com/investing/stock/W1SGITRD?link=MW_story_Chartquotehttp://www.marketwatch.com/investing/index/W1SGITRD?countrycode=XXhttp://www.marketwatch.com/investing/index/W1SGITRD?countrycode=XXhttp://www.marketwatch.com/story/green-investing-is-back-in-vogue-2012-12-07http://www.marketwatch.com/investing/index/W1SGITRD?countrycode=XXhttp://www.marketwatch.com/investing/stock/W1SGITRD?link=MW_story_Chartquotehttp://www.greenbiz.com/blog/2012/11/27/cleantech-death-exaggeratedhttp://www.marketwatch.com/story/green-investing-is-back-in-vogue-2012-12-07


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upward swing in motion. Volume over the last two years has eclipsed historical records. That means interest is

high.

To be sure, green investing and interest in the sustainable sector will meet criticism and outright skepticism.

Not everything and everyone will go green as many people believed just five years ago. But if there is a

cycle to sectors, the green sector is set to come back in full swingand this time with a base of businessesand believers.

And speaking of cycles, this columns cycle is set to come to an end. After more than a decade of writing for

MarketWatch in all its incarnations, I am saying goodbye.

Thank you all for reading and responding, even those of you happy to see me go. My mission has always been

to enliven, spark new ideas and debate. And I can comfortably say that I have accomplished that in spades via

this column.

For those of you who care to, you can follow my work atwww.thomasmkostigen.com.

Happy holidays and best wishes.

Thomas Kostigen is a MarketWatch columnist. Follow him on Twitter @MktwKostigen.
http://www.thomasmkostigen.com/http://www.thomasmkostigen.com/http://www.thomasmkostigen.com/http://www.thomasmkostigen.com/

green investing is back in vogue

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