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Honolulu. Cedar Rapids. Miami Beach.
As U.S. cities invest in safeguarding their communities from climate change-related risks, credit rating agencies are questioning whether the municipalities can pay off their debts in the long run.
Meanwhile, our Chart of the Week showcases the environmental hurdles that some major pipeline projects in the U.S. and Canada have recently faced. This week, the newsletter also features a two-part exclusive series on the benefits and dangers of "deepfakes" in an increasingly digital world.
Chart of the Week

Top Stories
Climate change poses new threat to U.S. cities' long-term creditworthiness
Amid projections of increased climate-related disasters and worsening chronic issues such as flooding, U.S. cities' adaptation efforts are increasingly being looked at as a factor in creditworthiness.
Pipeline sector struggles to quantify, promote its ESG efforts to investors
Investors have been pushing the oil and gas industry to address their businesses' impacts on climate change for several years. But the North American pipeline sector is still largely untouched by the campaign, with environmental data remaining sparse and inconsistent.
A fake video featuring former President Barack Obama shows elements of facial mapping used in deepfake technology |
'Deepfakes'
This past week, S&P Global Market Intelligence conducted a deep dive into "deepfakes," a form of technology that combines artificial intelligence with algorithms to superimpose one individual's speech or actions onto another individual. While the technology is not necessarily new, it has been used in recent months to create altered videos featuring high-profile politicians and CEOs.
That has prompted U.S. lawmakers to push technology giants such as Facebook Inc., Alphabet Inc. and Twitter Inc. for clarity about their efforts to curb the practice. But there are benefits to the technology, raising questions about what lawmakers, corporate America and big tech can do from here.
Politicians, public push big tech for real solutions to 'deepfakes' problem
The business case for protecting the technology behind 'deepfakes'
Environmental
Experts urge Australian miners to improve engagement with Aboriginal communities
Environmental racism, just transition among highlights of 2nd Democratic debates
Xcel Energy CEO: Gas is 'avenue to get us there' in transition away from coal
Social
Facebook shuts down more accounts, pages for 'coordinated inauthentic behavior'
Green groups move to intervene in lawsuit over fossil fuel valuation rule
Governance
Senate bill gives companies 2 options: Cut buybacks or pay workers extra
Virgin Media joins initiative to increase renewable electricity usage
ESG Indexes

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