Robert G. Eccles

Lexington

Contributor at Forbes

Dedicated weight lifter. Sustainability advocate. Board accountability campaigner. Visiting Professor of Management Practice at SBS, Oxford University.

Articles

We Need A New American Narrative For Talking About Climate Change

3 days ago | forbes.com | Robert G. Eccles

According to March 13, 2025 data from Yale Opinion Maps, 72% of Americans believe global warming is happening and only 14% do not. (By comparison, in 2022 YouGov reported that 34% of Americans believe UFOs are either alien ships or alien life forms, up from 20% in 1996). Nearly two-thirds (63%) are worried about global warming and 37% are not. At the same time, climate change is not a top priority for most Americans.
The Growing Demand For Affordable, Secure, Resilient, And Low-Carbon Energy

2 weeks ago | forbes.com | Robert G. Eccles

Last week I attended Semafor’s “World Economy Summit 2025” held on April 23-25. I learned about this event from Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson who joined Semafor late last year as their CEO editor and author of the CEO Signal newsletter after spending 20 years at the Financial Times, mostly recently as U.S. News Editor. Semafor is a fascinating new publication started less than three years ago, and you can subscribe to for free. They put on a three-day conference that is the best one I’ve ever attended.
Reflections On Some Commentary Regarding “China Is No Green Enery Darling”

2 months ago | forbes.com | Robert G. Eccles

Last week Nick Loris, EVP of Energy Policy at C3 Solutions, and I published a white paper titled “China Is No Green Energy Darling.” I posted it on LinkedIn and very much appreciate a number of thoughtful comments that were made. Rather than attempt to respond to every single one of them, I thought it would be more efficient to summarize the main points and provide my reflections.
How Big Is BP’s Stranded Assets Problem?

2 months ago | forbes.com | Robert G. Eccles

The short answer is: Zero. If anything, the company has the opposite problem of not having enough oil assets. This is the result of a misguided move into renewable energy where the company misjudged the speed of the energy transition and paid a substantial price for this well-intended but fundamentally flawed diversification strategy. Here’s the story.
An Investor Letter On Climate Change: Who’s Missing?

Nov 11, 2024 | forbes.com | Robert G. Eccles

The answer to who’s missing is nearly every single asset owner and asset manager of any significance. Let me explain why.
Andare oltre l’ESG

Nov 4, 2024 | hbritalia.it | Robert G. Eccles

BUSINESS E SOCIETÀ Il modello ha i suoi detrattori. Ecco le nuove strategie per un business responsabile Robert G.
The EU Green Deal And Taxonomy Nurtured The Nature Of The CSRD

Nov 3, 2024 | forbes.com | Robert G. Eccles

Last Friday I had lunch with a friend who is a board director and on the audit committee of a company that must comply with the EU’s “Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive” (CSRD) which went into force on January 5, 2023. He was complaining about the burden the CSRD was placing on his company, a company which is very sophisticated in sustainability reporting.
What Is The Right Price To Pay For Combating Climate Change?

Oct 30, 2024 | forbes.com | Robert G. Eccles

For most Americans the answer is “Not much.” Here’s why. Last weekend I read the report “Politics Without Winners CAN EITHER PARTY BUILD A MAJORITY COALITION?” by Ruy Teixeira and Yuval Levin of the center-right think tank American Enterprise Institute (AEI). The Executive Summary begins by noting that “In the American political system, the parties’ purpose is to form enduring national coalitions.
The IIF Challenges The Finance-Centric “Theory Of Change”

Oct 19, 2024 | forbes.com | Robert G. Eccles

Last month the Institute of International Finance (IIF) published a very thoughtful staff paper titled “Resetting the Debate on the Role of Private Finance in the NZ Transition.” The views of the IIF are important.
Addressing Six Common Concerns of the Nuclear Naysayers

Oct 15, 2024 | c3newsmag.com | Ericka Andersen |Nick Loris |Robert G. Eccles

Support for nuclear power is continuing to grow as more people recognize that it is a source of dependable, emissions-free energy. Recently, 14 of the world’s largest banks committed to backing nuclear energy, and big tech is turning to nuclear to meet growing power needs. Fifty-six percent of Americans favor building more nuclear plants – up from 43 percent in 2020–and nearly 80 percent of young, first-time voters favor nuclear power.