CPP Investments—The Road to Zero

In February 2022, Canadian Pension Plan (CPP) Investments, the investment management organization that managed funds for the CPP, one of the biggest pension plans in the world, announced a net-zero commitment for its portfolio by 2050. Under its CEO, John Graham, it outlined key actions to get there but pleasing stakeholders on all sides was a tough ask. While some lauded the fund's efforts, others questioned its decision not to set interim emissions reduction targets and to continue to finance fossil fuel firms. In practical terms, executing on the firm's sustainable investing approach meant making appropriately weighed investment decisions daily, a complex exercise. In mid-2023, one such investment under consideration was Aera Energy, a California oil and gas asset transitioning to a green business model—renewables and carbon capture and storage.