New York fund giant VanEck has listed two new ETFs targeting space and sustainable food on the London Stock Exchange (LSE).
The first, VanEck Sustainable Future of Food UCITS ETF (VEGB), also listed on the Deutsche Börse Xetra, tracks the MVIS Global Future of Food ESG Index, a pure-play ESG index that only includes companies generating at least 50% of revenues in the food sector or in agricultural technology innovation.
Companies producing organic food products and those with strong food waste, safety or environmental impacts, are also included.
Alternative proteins is a primary area for investment, as is new types of diary, and the technologies used to produce them.
Martijn Rozemuller, CEO of VanEck Europe, said: "The production of food, especially meat, harms both the environment and health. This is due to fertilisers, weed killers and other artificial additives in livestock feed, hormones used in raising animals for slaughter, deforestation to make room for farms, air pollution from long transport routes and methane emissions from large farms."
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"Without profound changes in agriculture and food production, the world will not be able to stop climate change. With all this in mind, consumers around the world are now demanding alternatives," he added.
According to the United Nations (UN), the global population is expected to grow by a quarter and consume up to 70% more food by 2050.
Last month speakers told the UN Security Council that a global food crisis, exacerbated by Covid-19 and climate change, was "being driven to famine levels worldwide" by the war in Ukraine and subsequent lack of grain exports.
VanEck's stock selection will focus on three areas: food technology, precision agriculture, and agricultural sustainability.
It will consist of 35 stocks positioned for the transformation of the food industry. It is an Article 9 SFDR fund.
The second listing is the VanEck Space Innovators UCITS ETF , which the group said will give investors access to the global space industry.
The ETF is focused on five areas: reusable rockets, low-cost satellites, space tourism, climate research and greenhouse gas monitoring.
Rozemuller remarked that "a new space age has begun", with 'space technologies' making giant leaps for mankind the past few years.
"The cost of rocket launches and satellites has dropped significantly," he said. "As a result, space has become a lot easier and cheaper to reach, opening up entirely new business areas."
The VanEck Space Innovators UCITS ETF aims to track the performance of the MVIS Global Space Industry ESG Index as closely as possible.
Fees if 0.45% and 0.55% TER will apply respectively.
