Explore the issues
Find more information on the issues deeply affected by private equity investments:
Reuters: How Private Equity Squeezes Cash From the Dying U.S. Coal Industry
Reuters reported recently on several U.S. private equity firms that have bought coal plants, despite the industry’s decline, using a strategy in markets where regulators pay to be on standby for emergency power capacity. In a March 2, 2021,…
Private Equity-Backed Companies Dominate 2020 Oil and Gas Bankruptcies
Private equity-backed companies comprised the majority of oil and gas producer bankruptcies in 2020. Of the companies that filed for bankruptcy last year, 57 percent are backed by private equity firms, or 26 of the 46 filings.[1] The high…
Blackstone’s Description of ESG Practices Leaves Out Key Information on its Fossil Fuel Investments
Filling in the Gaps on Blackstone’s energy investments Key Points – Private equity firm The Blackstone Group recently released a brochure describing its environmental, social, and governance (ESG) program that left out information about the firm’s extensive fossil fuel…
Blackstone Drills Deeper as Investors Shift Away from Fossil Fuels
The largest alternative asset manager’s extensive fossil fuels investments face litigation, community opposition and environmental violations The risks of fossil fuel investments came into sharp focus for the world’s largest alternative asset manager, The Blackstone Group, over the past several…
PPP Loans Flow to Energy Companies Backed by Deep-Pocketed Private Equity
Congress designed the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) to help small businesses remain afloat and ensure they continued to pay their employees, rent, mortgage interest and utilities, during the coronavirus pandemic. The program came under fire early on when some…
As Climate Change Requires Cuts to Coal, Private Equity Buys More
Coal has become less competitive as a power source and has been a prime target in efforts to halt climate change. The plunge in demand for electricity due to the global coronavirus pandemic is expected to hasten coal’s decline as…
Private Equity’s Exposure to Fossil Fuels
As the oil industry shudders through cratering demand and rock-bottom prices, analysts are expecting a wave of bankruptcies,[1] a particular vulnerability for companies carrying a heavy debt load. Private equity firms poured $65 billion into oil investments in…
KKR-backed Coastal GasLink Pipeline project draws opposition from First Nations people, protests throughout Canada
In December, private equity firm KKR announced it was acquiring a significant equity interest in the Coastal GasLink Pipeline project in Canada. According to media reports, KKR’s investment in the project has not yet closed –…
Blackstone investments driving Amazon deforestation and other climate concerns
In August, an article in The Intercept highlighted investments by private equity firm The Blackstone Group in a Brazilian infrastructure company that has spurred deforestation in the Amazon rainforest. In recent weeks, global attention has focused on the…