Sphere Blog | Climate Investment Insights and ESG Trends

Last chance - because you can have your cake and eat it too

August 29, 2025

Yesterday I was describing what Sphere does to someone I had just met, and her reaction was to ask: "But have you heard of the expression: Don't mix your carrots with your peas?

Weathering the Storm: How Retirement Savers Can Thrive During Trade Policy Uncertainty

How to learn from history to craft a resilient investment plan

April 18, 2025

Retirement investments in Europe: An overview of fossil fuel exposure by country and employer

An analysis of how much European citizens have invested in fossil fuel companies through their national pensions and supplementary employer retirement plans

March 27, 2025

Markets have been turbulent. What to do?

Whew! We went through a turbulent time in the markets last week. But If history is any indicator, you’re likely to be ok when it comes to long-term time horizons of 10+ years.‍

March 20, 2025

Thoughts at the start of a new year

Fires are devastating LA. Here's how we can help.

January 10, 2025

Do my thing

I woke up today with the song Do My Thing by Estelle and Janelle Monáe bopping around in my head. It’s a more upbeat song than I expected to be humming on a day like today. But as I went through my morning routine, I realized how appropriat

November 6, 2024

The markets are volatile: what to do?

The market has taken a downturn today. What caused the volatility?

August 5, 2024

We made our money march

Over the past two weeks, we joined with over 50 different organizations and celebrities, and with you, our community, to get everyone the option to stop investing in fossil fuels. We were a part of the Virtual March to Retire Big Oil, and w

February 16, 2024

Working to maximize our impact in 2024

As I reflect on 2023 and plan for 2024, a theme that keeps coming to mind is the immense climate impact that we can have when we pay attention to where we invest our retirement savings.

January 19, 2024

Historic update to the GHG Protocol likely to shine a spotlight on the 401(k) emissions problem

Why do sustainability managers not feel that it is their job to reduce the emissions from their 401(k)s?

November 3, 2023

How did you vote on big banks’ shareholder ballots about financing fossil fuel projects?

Bank of America, Citibank, and Wells Fargo faced shareholder proposals to stop financing fossil fuel development projects.

May 26, 2023

Are legislators in Big Oil's pocket?

The first veto of the Biden presidency strikes down a law aiming to force 401(k) participants to invest in the fossil fuel industry.

March 22, 2023

Case study: How Camille got a climate-friendly option added to her company’s 401(k)

One person’s story on how persistence paid off in making climate-friendly investing available to everyone at her company.

March 6, 2023

New DOL guidance confirms climate change can be considered when choosing 401(k) and 403(b) investment options

We got wonderful news from the Department of Labor yesterday: It is now clear that fiduciaries are not violating any laws if they give employees the option to align their investments with their values.

November 23, 2022

The Sphere 500 Climate Fund (SPFFX) celebrates its one-year anniversary

I am proud to share that the Sphere 500 Climate Fund (SPFFX) has been helping investors save for retirement while taking action on climate for a full year.

October 27, 2022

How to invest in SPFFX via Vanguard and Ascensus

Do you have a Vanguard or Ascensus account? Are you interested in making a difference on climate change? The Sphere 500 Climate Fund (SPFFX) offers

August 2, 2022

The SEC Speaks on Climate Change

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) gave initial approval on Monday to require public companies to disclose climate-related information.

March 23, 2022

How Your Retirement Fund May Be Supporting Russia’s War in Ukraine

Oil and gas play two key roles in the Russian invasion of Ukraine: (1) they finance the war effort, and (2) they thwart the West’s ability to use all

March 1, 2022

Why Employers Should Offer a Fossil-Free 401(k) Option

Over 80% of Americans are worried about climate change, but employees have been forced to invest in the biggest polluters - fossil fuel companies.

February 1, 2022

How University of California Decided to Let its Employees Divest from Fossil Fuels: A Case Study

In April 2021 UC launched a new retirement savings option: The UC Global Equity ex Fossil Fuel Fund.

December 7, 2021

Is climate change a touchy subject around your Thanksgiving table? Here are some pointers to help.

A survey from 2013 found that while almost 70% of people said global warming was personally important to them, only 30% were talking about the issue

November 24, 2021

Talking to your employer about divesting your 401(k)

Our planet is in trouble. And we know the solution - binding global legislation that limits global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.

November 15, 2021

Why Fossil-Free Investing is Better for Your Portfolio

Fossil-free investing means avoiding giving your money to companies whose main lines of business are in extracting, processing or burning fossil fuels like coal

November 11, 2021