In 2020, natural disasters displaced an estimated 30 million people, and headlines such as “rainwater is no longer safe to drink anywhere on Earth due to ‘forever chemicals’” have become more common. These crises and others have prompted the United Nations General Assembly to adopt a resolution recognizing a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment as a universal human right and part of an international legal framework, obligating governments to promote and protect it.
In support of the resolution, Mercy Investment Services joined Ceres’ new global investor-led effort, the Valuing Water Finance Initiative. More than 60 signatories representing $9.8 trillion in assets under management will engage 72 companies with a large water footprint to drive large-scale change to better protect water systems. Ceres developed six science-based expectations called the Corporate Expectations for Valuing Water to help investors move companies to strategically address water risk. Mercy will work closely with Ceres as we take on critical engagements to achieve sustainable water management through the development of sustainable practices, the protection of our ecosystems, and integration of water management into business practices.
A clean, healthy, and sustainable environment is essential for our collective survival, and a stable climate is necessary to ensure food security, economic well-being, and progress in human development. Mercy Investment Services will leverage the UN’s new resolution in corporate engagements to uphold this human right and support our care for our common home.