This story is published in partnership with The Examination, a news organization that investigates global health threats. Sign up to subscribe to The Examination’s newsletter.
Say you’re an American worker with a retirement plan. Out of concern for the planet — or how wildfires, heat waves, and hurricanes might affect your portfolio — you want the company managing your money to consider the environment in deciding where to invest.
If one of President Donald Trump’s Cabinet secretaries gets his way, you might not have much choice.
Chris Wright, recently confirmed as U.S. secretary of energy, has been aiming to dismantle a U.S. Department of Labor rule that governs 401(k)s and other private retirement plans for more than 150 million people. The regulation allows asset managers to weigh environmental, social, and governance — or ESG — factors as long as they financially benefit retirees.
Wright was CEO of fracking company Liberty Energy in 2023 when the company and about two do... Read more
