This webpage features guidance and other supporting materials for banks globally on target setting, transition finance, and transition planning for climate mitigation in line with the Paris Agreement goals.

These resources have supported almost 150 banks to develop independent and individual climate-related business strategies and to set more than 500 sectoral net-zero targets.

 

Guidance for Climate Target Setting for Banks

Published October 2025

The Guidance for Climate Target Setting for Banks outlines key principles to underpin the setting of credible, robust, impactful and ambitious targets for achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions goals in alignment with the Paris Agreement. 

Download the report here

 

NZBA Sector Publications
Climate Target Setting for Power Generation Sector Financing

Published October 2024

‘Climate Target Setting for Power Generation Sector Financing’ is the fifth in a series of publications developed by members of the Net-Zero Banking Alliance (NZBA) with the goal of assisting banks by outlining the choices they face when setting climate-related targets for financing in various carbon-intensive sectors of the real economy.

Download the report here
Climate Target Setting for Oil & Gas Sector Financing

Published May 2024

‘Climate Target Setting for Oil & Gas Sector Financing’ is the fourth in a series of publications developed by members of the Net-Zero Banking Alliance (NZBA) with the goal of assisting banks by outlining the choices they face when setting climate-related targets for financing in various carbon-intensive sectors of the real economy.

Download the report here
Climate Target Setting for Steel Sector Financing

Published May 2024

‘Climate Target Setting for Steel Sector Financing’ is the third in a series of publications developed by members of the Net-Zero Banking Alliance (NZBA) with the goal of assisting banks by outlining the choices they face when setting climate-related targets for financing in various carbon-intensive sectors of the real economy.

Download the report here
Climate Target Setting for Automotive Sector Financing

Published February 2024

‘Climate Target Setting for Automotive Sector Financing’ is the second in a series of publications developed by members of the Net-Zero Banking Alliance (NZBA) with the goal of assisting banks by outlining the choices they face when setting climate-related targets for financing in various carbon-intensive sectors of the real economy.

Download the report here
Climate Target Setting for Real Estate Sector Financing

Published December 2023

‘Climate Target Setting for Real Estate Sector Financing’ is the first in a series of publications developed by members of the Net-Zero Banking Alliance (NZBA) with the goal of assisting banks by outlining the choices they face when setting climate-related targets for financing in various carbon-intensive sectors of the real economy.

Download the report here

 

NZBA Resources
Transition Finance Emerging Practices

Published July 2025

Transition finance plays a vital role in enabling high-emitting sectors to decarbonize. Building on the previous work of the Net-Zero Banking Alliance (NZBA) and other organizations, this report provides practical insights into how banks are integrating transition finance to support the decarbonization journey of their clients. Drawing from banks’ transition finance approaches and input from NZBA member banks, this report consolidates emerging practices, identifies common challenges, and fosters a shared understanding of credible transition finance approaches for banks.

Download the report here
Target Setting for Capital Markets Activities

Published October 2024

‘Target Setting for Capital Markets Activities’ addresses challenges banks face in setting net-zero targets for capital market activities. In summarising the findings of 22 member banks, this supporting note explores four key areas: facilitated emissions, activity scope, target design options, and implementation considerations.

Download the report here
Developing Metrics for Transition Finance

Published December 2023

Banks’ strategies for managing climate impact have matured, with banks moving from exclusionary policies and targeted sustainable finance to more wide-ranging engagement with clients, especially large corporates. This engagement is helping to encourage companies to set transition plans and to accelerate those plans which, in turn, will support banks’ net-zero strategies if banks have existing exposures to these clients. Financing provided to clients under such engagements is frequently described as “Transition Finance”. This paper discusses how banks may consider reporting their Transition Finance efforts. We see a need for additional specific metrics, as existing metrics may fail to provide a full picture of banks’ approaches to decarbonising their portfolios.

Download the report here
Supporting Note: The Use of Carbon Credits in Climate Target Setting

Published September 2023
To support member banks in developing targets, the Net-Zero Banking Alliance (NZBA) has developed this short paper to provide clarification on the already-published Guidelines for Climate Target Setting for Banks outlining how it views the treatment of offsetting in relation to member commitments. The Alliance expects that any carbon credits used are consistent with the sectoral decarbonisation pathway of a selected climate scenario. Only carbon credits for which clients or the bank have provided evidence that they meet overall quality principles are considered eligible. Any inclusion of client-attributed carbon credits should be reported by the banks.

Download the report here
Transition Finance Case Studies

Published January 2023
To support banks in developing transition plans, the Net-Zero Banking Alliance (NZBA) asked five members to share their approaches. This short paper shares insights from First Abu Dhabi Bank, Intesa Sanpaolo, La Bank Postale, SMBC, and Swedbank on how they define transition finance, the related goals they have and how they are translated into targets, and how these new approaches have been socialised and integrated within their organisations.

Download the report here
NZBA Transition Finance Guide

Published October 2022
Over the coming decades, banks will be called on to finance a radical and rapid transition of the global real economy, from a high volume of high-emitting activities towards a mix of lower-emissions activities which are holistically aligned with ‘net zero by 2050’ pathways. This Transition Finance Guide was created by the Financing & Engagement sub-track of the NZBA’s industry-led Implementation Work Track, and provides guidance to Alliance members and the banking industry for assessing opportunities, allocating effort, and advocating for supportive policies regarding transition finance for the real economy.

Download the report here

 

NZBA Progress Reports
Net-Zero Banking Alliance 2024 Progress Report

Published October 2024

The Net-Zero Banking Alliance’s 2024 Progress Report provides a comprehensive overview of members’ efforts towards achieving net zero by 2050. It offers insights into members’ sectoral decarbonisation targets and transition planning, with fifteen case studies from member banks on topics including green finance, client engagement, and policy advocacy.

Download the full report here

Download the executive summary here
Net-Zero Banking Alliance 2023 Progress Update

Published December 2023

On Finance Day at COP28, the bank-led, UN-convened Net-Zero Banking Alliance published a Progress Update. This report provides a stocktake of new targets set by Alliance members, highlights a selection of green financing case studies from NZBA banks that showcase the large and growing opportunities across different sectors and asset classes, and summarizes relevant developments in climate-related voluntary frameworks and mandatory regulation.

Download the report here
Net-Zero Banking Alliance 2022 Progress Report

Published November 2022

On Finance Day at COP27, the bank-led, UN-convened Net-Zero Banking Alliance launched its first Progress Report. This report details the intermediate 2030 decarbonisation targets from over 60 member banks, with promising indicators of early progress in target setting. The publication also shares the Alliance’s wider vision for creating a predictable and enabling policy environment to accelerate the net-zero transition.

Download the report here