Nomura Climate Solutions Fund seeks to achieve its objective by investing in securities of U.S. and non-U.S. issuers, including non-dollar securities and securities of emerging market issuers. The Fund focuses its investments on equity securities and equity-related investments and may invest in common and preferred stocks, convertible securities and warrants of companies of any market capitalization. Under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets, plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes, in securities of companies that the Manager and Van Eck Associates Corporation (the “Sub-Advisor”, together the “Management Team”) has identified as being capable of reducing, displacing and/or sequestering greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions or helping others to do so (80% policy). For purposes of the Fund’s 80% policy, the Fund includes companies that the Management Team has identified as being either a “reducer” or “facilitator” as described in the following paragraph.
The Management Team’s investment process for the Fund begins with idea generation, focusing on the identification of companies capable of reducing, displacing, and/or sequestering GHG emissions or helping others to do so. The Management Team’s investment process is designed to identify both “reducers” and “facilitators” for inclusion in the Fund’s portfolio. Companies identified as “reducers”, i.e., those reducing, displacing, and/or sequestering their own GHG emissions, are willing and able to make reductions in their absolute GHG emissions. Within these “reducer” companies, the Management Team gives preference to companies that are able to demonstrate a commitment to help remain on a transition pathway towards the goals of the United Nations Climate Change Paris Agreement of 2015 (Paris Agreement) by 2050. Companies identified by the Management Team as “facilitators”, i.e., those helping others reduce emissions, offer products and/or services that help reduce GHG emissions primarily through displacement and/or sequestration.
The ability of the Fund to measure a company’s progress as a reducer or facilitator is, to a significant extent, contingent on the information disclosed by the company. Data on emissions is sourced from company web sites, corporate sustainability reports, and third-party sources such as non-governmental organizations, sell-side research, and, on a limited basis, environmental, social and governance (ESG) data providers. For “reducers,” the Management Team will source the most recent reported Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions. To estimate a company’s emission reduction by 2030, the Management Team will subtract current emissions from estimated emissions by 2030. Estimated emissions are sourced from company-disclosed targets and/or estimates from the Transition Pathway Initiative, which is a global, asset-owner led initiative that assesses companies’ preparedness for the transition to a low carbon economy. Some company-level emission estimates will be calculated by applying forecasted changes in carbon intensity on a percentage basis and applying that change to a base level of emissions. For “facilitators,” measurement is based on annual estimated GHG emissions saved in comparison to existing higher GHG-emitting alternatives. Because company GHG emissions data are not standardized (and are further subject to estimation error when not company-reported), the data sets the Management Team must rely on may imperfectly represent companies’ true GHG emissions. Additionally, the company emissions targets that the Management Team sets are based on model assumptions and estimations that carry the inherent risk associated with any modeling or estimating process.
From this universe of companies identified pursuant to the process described above, companies with perceived superior financial risk-adjusted returns are selected. This selection process includes cash flow, earnings and net asset value analysis combined with a strong financial profile and balance sheet. The Management Team will also review a company’s corporate governance, shareholder alignment and capital allocation.
The Fund is nondiversified, meaning that it may invest a significant portion of its total assets in a limited number of issuers. In addition, the Fund has a policy to concentrate (invest at least 25% of its net assets under normal circumstances) in companies within the energy industry. Companies in the energy industry include, but are not limited to, oil companies, oil and gas drilling, equipment and services companies, oil and gas exploration and production companies, oil and gas storage and transportation companies, natural gas pipeline companies, refinery companies, energy conservation companies, coal, transporters, utilities, alternative energy companies and innovative energy technology companies. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Fund may also invest its assets across different industries outside of the energy industry.
