ARTICLE
BI survey: Investors see AUM growth for ESG, climate
Bloomberg Intelligence
This article was written by Bloomberg Intelligence Director of ESG Research Eric Kane and Senior Associate Analyst Melanie Rua. It appeared first on the Bloomberg Terminal.
Nearly 85% of the 252 respondents to Bloomberg Intelligence’s ESG Investor Survey said they expect to see growth in assets under management assigned to ESG over the next two years. Investors also indicated continued interest in climate and the energy transition as contributors to competitiveness and revenue. AI and cybersecurity were cited as emerging themes for ESG.
ESG, climate AUM expected to increase
Despite ongoing backlash against Environmental, Social and Governance principles, survey participants suggest they expect growth over the next two years and continue to identify long-term benefits from the approach. Nearly 85% of respondents indicated that they expect assets under management assigned to ESG to grow over the next two years, while two-thirds had a similar expectation for climate AUM. Almost half of the participants suggested that more than 15% of their investment portfolios would be dedicated to ESG, and 44% said the same for climate products.
When asked to identify the long-term benefits of implementing ESG, investors pointed to multiple factors, with better understanding of industries and companies, more informed investment decision making, and better risk adjusted returns named most frequently.
Climate remains key to investors, gaps persist
Close to 90% of respondents to our ESG investor survey indicated that they assess the carbon footprint or their portfolio. However, views on related data gaps and the value of energy-transition strategies showed more variation. Almost two-thirds indicated gaps in data related to climate scenario analysis, Scope 3 emissions and physical risk, while in a separate question, the majority indicated using ESG data and scores to assess companies’ climate strategy, among other sources.
When asked to assess the value of a company’s energy-transition strategy, 71% indicated highercompetitiveness and market share, and 59% saw the potential for higher revenue.
Investors see AI risk and opportunity for ESG
When asked what would be the next hot ESG theme, more than 45% said AI, with 39% mentioning cybersecurity and 25% water. In a separate question, the “risks and opportunity of AI in ESG” was listed as the top focus for ESG in 2025.
ESG investor survey methodology
To understand attitudes and trends in ESG, Attest administered a survey on behalf of Bloomberg Intelligence. The survey focused on 252 experts who invest in ESG and was conducted between March 26 and May 7, 2025. Participants were located in North America, Europe, APAC, Central America and South America, and needed to have at least eight years experience within the investment industry and current involvement in investment management or analysis.
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