The global agrifood sector is fundamental to sustaining human life and livelihoods, providing essential nourishment and employment to billions of people worldwide. While indispensable for global economic stability and food security, the agrifood sector is a main driver of environmental damage worldwide^[2]. It currently accounts for about a third of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Without intervention, these emissions could rise by 60–90% by 2050 due to population growth and increased animal-source diets^[3]. The sector thus faces a critical challenge: balancing the urgent need for global food security with the pressing demand for environmental sustainability.

This guidance is designed to assist banks in integrating circular solutions in the agrifood sector as part of their climate transition plans to achieve net-zero emissions or climate mitigation targets, through a reduction of their financed emissions and through transition finance strategies. Additionally, it explores specific areas of action in all four UN Principles for Responsible Banking (PRB) categories— policies, processes. and culture; client engagement; portfolio composition and financing; and stakeholder engagement and partnerships. Download the paper here.

The buildings and construction sector contributes significantly to global climate change, accounting for approximately 21 per cent of global GHG emissions and 37 per cent of global CO2 emissions, making the sectorkey in addressing emissions reduction.^[4] Circular solutions offer a viable pathway to reduce emissions across the whole life cycle of buildings.

This paper is designed to assist signatories to theUNPrinciples for Responsible Banking and climate mitigation committed financial institutions in integrating circular solutions in the buildings and construction sector as part of their climate transition plans to achieve net-zero emissions or climate mitigation targets, though a reduction of their financed emissions and through transition finance strategies. Further, it explores specific areas of action in internal policies, processes and culture, client engagement, portfolio composition and financing, and stakeholder engagement and partnerships. Download the paper here.

The global textile sector is one of the most polluting industries in the world and significantly contributes to climate change, with around 70 per cent of environmental impacts originating from upstream activities like raw materials extraction and production, and 30 per cent from downstream retail operations and use-phase activities^[5]. Moving to circular textile business models not only offers significant potential to decarbonize the sector, it could also generate USD 700 billion in economic value by 2030.^[6]

This paper is designed to assist signatories to the Principles for Responsible Banking and climate mitigation committed financial institutions in integrating circular solutions in the textile sector as part of their climate transition plans to achieve net-zero emissions or climate mitigation targets, though a reduction of their financed emissions and through transition finance strategies. Further, it explores specific areas of action in internal policies and processes, client engagement, portfolio composition and financial flows, and advocacy and partnerships. Download the paper here.