AI’s success story still has a few missing chapters March 11, 2019 This article is not written by robots – we promise – but apparently the day when they could be is already upon us. We have just finished reading about the GPT-2 text generator which, according to this Spectator piece, “not only does text analysis and augmentation, but generates highly sophisticated content”. “It can effectively write articles,” [...]
How climate change claimed its first corporate casualty and the lesson for income investors March 8, 2019 | City Talk The last few decades have seen the perception gain ground in markets that a combination of cash generation and state backing makes utility companies pretty much shockproof as income-yielding investments. The fate of Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E), which last week filed for bankruptcy protection in the US, should serve as a stark reminder no [...]
The Democrats have embraced the Trump trend of childish insults and illiterate ideas March 8, 2019 My worse fear has been realised: the 2020 presidential race is upon us. Like many readers, I’m not ready to re-board the political and emotional rollercoaster of 2016. But I cannot deny reality anymore: 2020 is in full-swing. Donald Trump has altered the tone and standards of debate in US politics. Many of his supporters [...]
Leading UK charities call for legal guidance on ethical investments March 4, 2019 Leading UK charities have called on the government to provide legal guidance on ethical investment. In an open letter, signed by charities such as Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust, the RSPB and the Quakers, the group also asked for specific guidance on whether they should invest in companies that contribute to dangerous climate change. Read more: [...]
The magic of finance can help make the world a better place March 1, 2019 When Hollywood created a sequel to the original Mary Poppins film, the producers introduced a new character: a villainous banker who could give everybody a good scare. But why exactly is the banker the villain? After all, a healthy economy requires a healthy financial sector that is at the service of people as they pursue [...]
Scottish Power set to pump £2bn into the UK this year in face of Brexit fears February 26, 2019 Scottish Power’s chief executive today played down Brexit fears as the company committed to investing £2bn into the UK this year. The energy supplier, which last year transitioned to 100 per cent renewable energy, said it will pour £6bn into Britain between 2018 and 2022, with two fifths of that going to renewable energy generation. [...]
Want a more future-focused government? Climate action is just the start February 19, 2019 The reaction was predictable. Last week’s Climate Strike by schoolchildren was met with an inane debate about whether or not the pupils were right to “play truant”. This dialogue of the deaf was a missed opportunity. Politicians should take seriously the protesters’ demand that they “recognise that young people have the biggest stake in our [...]
Parliament Square brought to standstill in climate change protest February 15, 2019 Nearly 50 school strikes took place across the country today as a coalition of youth climate change organisations led walkouts, leaving London's Parliament Square in gridlock. Thousands of young people gathered in Parliament Square between 11am and 2pm, holding signs and chanting messages that called attention to climate change and the environment. The protest brought traffic to a [...]
How data will power the cities of tomorrow February 12, 2019 By 2050, it is estimated that 68 per cent of the global population will live in cities – an influx of over 2.5bn. With that many people living in urban areas, it is clear that making cities work better is key to creating a safer, more sustainable world. Local issues are now global issues, and cities [...]
The Democrats’ rising star is borrowing policies from Ned Flanders February 10, 2019 The rockstar of the Democratic party, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, published House Resolution 109 of the 116th Congress last week, an ambitious non-binding resolution dubbed the Green New Deal, and over the weekend economists and academics went over it line by line. The historian Niall Ferguson summed up much of the hostile reaction: “This is what you [...]