When climate finance is reduced to pledges and performance metrics, we lose sight of its deeper purpose: protecting people and advancing justice. This blog challenges conventional approaches by arguing that climate finance must center the lived experiences of frontline communities, those who bear the brunt of climate impacts despite contributing the least to the crisis.

Climate disasters do more than damage infrastructure—they disrupt the social fabric that communities rely on, leading to increased loneliness, reduced social support, and declining mental health, especially among vulnerable groups. Social cohesion is essential for recovery, yet climate change puts these bonds at risk.

CFA Founder and Executive Director, Mary Cerulli, contributed an op-ed to the Baltimore Business Journal published on June 20, 2025 titled, OpEd: Maryland pension fund adopts workforce principles for investments. Read an excerpt and continue reading on the Baltimore Business Journal website.

When we hear the term "frontline workers," many of us picture hospital staff, grocery store employees, or sanitation crews, especially in times of crisis. However, in the context of climate change and public pensions, the frontline takes on a different meaning.

Indexes, benchmarks, and tracking error may sound dull, but they play a powerful role in shaping your pension’s performance and its climate impact. This blog breaks down what each term means, how they influence investment decisions, and why outdated metrics can quietly derail climate goals. Understanding these tools helps pension stakeholders ask smarter questions, demand transparency, and advocate for climate-responsible investing.

Climate Finance Action is excited to welcome back Beverly Ortiz as an Advisor. A longtime organizer and former CFA Organizing Director, Beverly brings over 20 years of experience in labor and climate organizing.

Discover how pension funds can manage climate risk with actionable tools for transparency, accountability, and engagement that protect retiree security. This post breaks down practical levers that help turn climate commitments into measurable impact. Learn how these tools not only safeguard long-term pension health, but also support a more equitable and sustainable economy.

Traditional finance focuses on how the world impacts a company, but that’s only half the picture. This blog introduces the concept of double materiality, which also considers how companies impact the world around them. For public pension funds managing trillions in worker retirement savings, embracing this broader perspective is essential for safeguarding long-term value and confronting the climate crisis head-on.

This Earth Day (2025), CFA Executive Director Mary Cerulli joined Maryland Comptroller Brooke Lierman, State Senator Katie Fry Hester, and Delegate David Fraser-Hidalgo for a press conference where Comptroller Lierman announced the release of the latest report in her State Spending series titled Climate Change Costs.

We’re thrilled to share that Climate Finance Action was recently published in Nonprofit Quarterly (NPQ)! The article explores the power of public pensions to drive real-world climate solutions and we’re honored to have our perspective featured in a platform that reaches so many change makers.

Private and public equity are vastly different regarding access, strategy, and regulation. But how do private and public equity relate to the role of public pension funds, and why is it important to think about both in the context of climate change? Let's explore this by using an analogy that clarifies the distinction: the exclusive club versus the community pool.

Public pension funds play a critical role in protecting the financial stability of millions of workers and their families, safeguarding their investments against emerging risks, and preserving long-term value. One of the most pressing and undeniable risks is climate change. Explore six changes that CFA recommends public pension funds pursue to  secure long-term value for workers and beneficiaries while protecting them from the effects of climate change.

Narrative strategies help shape how issues are understood and acted upon and can empower unions to take bold action. For union leaders and members, crafting a compelling narrative is key to mobilizing support for climate-resilient policies, including worker safety and holding corporations and governments accountable.

Asset owners and managers are key players in the public pension system. Although these roles are often confused, understanding their differences is essential for effectively integrating climate action into investment strategies. Let's use an analogy to break down the definitions and explore why this is important for the public pension system and responsible investing.

With increasing federal and state-level challenges to responsible investing, pension funds must proactively defend their fiduciary duty and investment strategies. As regulatory oversight weakens and political attacks escalate, funds that fail to solidify their policies and engagement strategies risk losing control over their ability to manage long-term financial risks, particularly those tied to climate change. Keep reading to discover actionable strategies to ensure funds remain resilient and advance responsible investment practices despite shifting policies.

As 2025 unfolds, state pension funds face an increasingly hostile federal policy environment that threatens responsible investing and fiduciary stewardship. From regulatory rollbacks to politically motivated attacks on proxy voting and ESG policies, pension stakeholders must prepare for new risks that could undermine their ability to safeguard long-term financial stability. This post breaks down the key federal or national-level threats underway as of February 18, 2025.

Workers—who contribute to and rely on these pension funds—deserve a stronger voice in how their retirement savings are invested. They are not just beneficiaries but stakeholders with a vested interest in ensuring that their pensions are protected from climate-related financial instability. However, they often find themselves excluded from key investment and stewardship decisions due to governance structures that concentrate power among financial professionals and policymakers.

Like a thriving garden, a well-managed pension system requires a healthy foundation and effective day-to-day care. For funds to remain sustainable and effective, decision-makers must tackle systemic risks, like corporate accountability and the climate crisis, and reconcile process issues by adopting systematic investment strategies to make informed decisions.

When it comes to managing investments, two concepts often come into play: value investing and investing your values. While these approaches may seem worlds apart, they both offer unique strategies for creating long-term financial growth. Understanding how they work and how they relate to the future of pension funds can help trustees make more thoughtful, informed decisions that prioritize both financial security and social responsibility.

Disinformation is a challenge, but understanding its goals and pitfalls can help you effectively combat it and keep the focus on advancing sustainable and equitable solutions.