On Tuesday, May 10 TD Asset Management Inc. (TDAM) hosted its 19th annual Sharing of Knowledge Learning Series (SOKLS). This is the third consecutive year that SOKLS has been hosted on a virtual platform.

With the thematic focus of The Next Big Transformation: Investment Opportunity Driven by Climate Change, this year's event explored how climate change, through government regulation, technological advances, and consumer preferences, is reshaping how businesses operate and, by extension, arguably becoming the biggest risk investors face – not just in the future, but now.

A new set of investment opportunities

As businesses become greener, some sectors -- primarily those within the oil and gas sector – may eventually disappear. But new opportunities can take their place.

• Global equities: The transition to a fossil-free economy is expected to benefit a multitude of companies, including those exposed to the production of semiconductors, renewable energy/fuel, batteries and electrical vehicles. These global trends translate into attractive opportunities for equities both in geographies with advanced regulations, such as Europe, as well as in emerging markets such as China and India.
• Global infrastructure: The shift to renewable energy, the ongoing evolution of electrical grids, transportation's shift away from combustion engines, the ongoing search for low-carbon alternatives in agriculture and continued advances in building materials are expected to produce significant investment opportunities, benefiting institutional investors with a longer-term investment horizon, and potentially providing protection against inflation.