FEAR & GREED | Business News Q+A: After all the hype, green investing is 'growing up, not winding down'
Feb 4, 2026
Dugald Higgins, Head of Responsible Investment and Real Assets at Zenith, a specialist in sustainable investing strategy. He explains why green investing is maturing, how Australia has stayed steady while other markets cooled, and the difference between ESG and broader sustainability. He discusses renewables, controversial sectors like defence, and how new climate reporting rules could reshape decisions.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Green Investing In The Trough
- Green investing has entered the hype-cycle trough of disillusionment after early exuberance faded.
- Australia has mostly held steady while the US and Europe saw larger pullbacks, showing persistent interest.
ESG Is Materiality, Not Marketing
- ESG is simply about identifying risks and opportunities that affect an investment's value.
- That materiality-based thesis remains intact despite political backlash in some jurisdictions.
Differentiate ESG From Sustainability
- ESG and sustainability are linked but distinct: ESG is the world's impact on a company, while sustainability is a company's impact on the world.
- Treat them separately when evaluating funds and managers to avoid conflating aims and methods.