If you think that climate disruption and our resulting global response will be the big story of the 21st century, you have to figure that investment markets will eventually start to pick up on who the winners and losers in such a world might be. And if the market as a whole is on the trail of clean, green companies, then the maxim of "buy low, sell high" suggests that savvy long-term investors will want to get there first. Today's Wired News has what will undoubtedly be one of many articles about how to scope out the investment market in a global warming world. It's a good start.
The article doesn't try to define any winners and losers just yet, but does spell out some steps that those of us thinking about how climate disruption will shape markets should keep in mind. Interestingly, these also make for good rules for catching early indicators of which political figures and non-market organizations are best-positioned to become leaders in the years and decades to come.
Wired's rules, paraphrased, are:
The Wired piece notes something in passing that I think is worth drawing attention to: most "socially-responsible" investment funds don't look specifically at global warming issues. And while alternative energy-specific funds are out there, there doesn't appear to be anything akin to a "bright green" mutual fund available, combining alternative energy companies, groups pushing efficiency, and firms that are taking steps to reduce their own greenhouse footprints ahead of the rest. Do any of you know of anyone assembling an investment package like this?
