Then maybe don't invest in such funds or follow the index if you don't like it? There are tens of thousands of other investments to take your money to if you think it's a bad idea, and there are a whole lot of other indexes that evaluate the value of a business based upon different criteria.

"Highest return" can mean different things to different people. Some people want to turn a quick buck while others want to invest in something that will turn a large return over a large period of time.

Perhaps you really just enjoy "virtue signaling" that you like taking risks, but there are a variety of investment strategies. Time will tell of ESGs are an efficient mechanism for the goals they are seeking. But suggesting that we should ban investment strategies that are different than yours doesn't instill a lot of confidence in the soundness of trying to turn a big dollar quick.

You miss the point. ALL managed money is moving towards ESG. The entire point is that the large hedge funds get to shape the world with YOUR dollars because there is nowhere else to put your dollars.

Which, you are correct, leaves an opportunity. But it requires active trading rather than passive.

I do, but our quite big national pension fund likes ESG.

you are more than welcome to invest in any other fund or directly in any other stock.

It gives me authoritarian/oligarchy vibes disguised under ostensible moral facade, which makes it even more terrifying.