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The political outcomes of COP21, the UN climate conference, may still be unknown, but at least we can expect substantial investment in clean energy following two initiatives announced earlier this week: Mission Innovation, a commitment from 20 participating countries to double their governmental and/or state-directed clean energy research and development investment over five years; and the Breakthrough Energy Coalition, a global group of private investors who will support the commercialization of clean energy ideas

Ford Motor Company will invest $4.5 billion to advance its electrified-vehicle solutions by 2020. The company also plans to add 13 additional electrified vehicles to its product portfolio by 2020.

Climate risk has arrived as a business issue to be reckoned with. Over the last year, the investment community sent a clear message that they are focused on environmental sustainability and expect companies in which they invest to do the same.

Facebook and Microsoft partnered with investment company Allotrope Partners to "mobilize" $50 million for sustainable energy efforts in poor communities through a finance facility. By pulling in grants and loans, the Microgrid Investment Accelerator program will fund renewable microgrid projects in India, Indonesia and Africa between 2018 and 2020.

Net zero energy (NZE) buildings-responsible for the production of as much (or more) clean energy as they use annually-have been gaining global momentum. In our newly released Insight Brief, RMI presents an innovative business model for developing net zero energy or ultra-low energy districts in a way that creates significant business value. Net zero energy business models are financially attractive to investors because the large capital investments in solar PV, district heating and cooling, and energy efficiency are repaid over time on utility bills, generating a steady return that benefits from enhanced credit because of the utility-customer relationship.

Ford Motor Company announced intentions to deliver a fully autonomous vehicle for ride sharing by 2021. The company also announced 4 new investments and collaborations that expand its autonomous vehicle research, and set out plans to double its Silicon Valley Research and Innovation Center team by the end of 2017.

Retail giant Target has announced its commitment to reducing harmful chemicals from its products and investing in green chemistry with the release of a new chemical strategy that covers its entire value chain, operations and products.

Clean-energy investments of up to $1 trillion a year are needed to avoid climate change, and that will require new commitments by major institutional investors, according to a Ceres report. The usual energy investors -- banks and utilities -- won't be able to raise that amount, the report warns.

Apple has released its annual Supplier Responsibility report, detailing its monitoring of supply partner labor practices, compliance with regulations and Apple's standards of business, the environmental impact of its product components and more. Apple highlighted its ongoing education investments in the report, detailing the growth in its worker rights and skills training up top.

The automaker uses climate science predictions to project production levels that will help meet its fuel efficiency targets.

Earlier this month, the Narendra Modi government officially approved an incredibly ambitious plan for India's fledgling solar sector. From the current solar power generation capacity of 4 GW (gigawatt), it wants to produce as much as 100 GW by 2022-with a target of attracting a staggering $100 billion into the sector over the next seven years.

The LEGO Group announced plans to invest approximately $150.5 million in R&D to identify and implement new, sustainable raw material input for its product and packaging manufacturing process

IKEA just bought the Hoopeston Wind farm, comprising 49 turbines in Vermillion County, Ill. This is its first wind farm investment in the U.S. and its largest renewable energy project. Set to become operational in 2015, Hoopeston will generate 380 GWh per year ­- nearly 1.5 times the energy needed to operate all of IKEA's U.S. operations.

Could the U.N. climate negotiations held in Lima, Peru in December be a catalyst for financing more impactful sustainability projects in Latin America?

Renewable energy and efficiency strategies are saving America's biggest companies well over $1 billion a year, according to a new report from Ceres and the World Wildlife Fund. Led by UPS, the 53 Fortune 100 companies that report carbon reductions saved $1.1 billion annually and slashed their carbon diozide emissions by the equivalent of 15 coal-fired power plants

Goldman Sachs has committed to investing $150 billion in clean energy technology by 2025. The bank will focus its spending on wind and solar projects as well as energy-efficiency measures. Kyung-Ah Park, Goldman's head of environmental markets, said more renewable projects would be installed this year than traditional systems, even though the economy is still in the early stages of shifting to clean energy

Ireland Completes divestment worth €68m from 38 companies involved in oil, gas and other fossil fuels

Hershey Co. is spending $500 million in the hopes of producing its iconic chocolate Kisses from more sustainable cocoa. Through its so-called Cocoa for Good program, the company will invest the funds through 2030 to support four key areas: nourishing children, empowering youth, building prosperous communities and preserving natural ecosystems.

Wells Fargo plans to put $200 billion toward investment in, and finance of, companies and projects involved with clean technologies, renewable energy, green bonds and alternative transportation, by 2030. The funds will also go toward companies and projects focused on sustainable agriculture, recycling, conservation and other environmental activities, as part of a company-wide effort to support - and be part of - the transition to a low-carbon economy