News

On 6 November 2025, UNEP FI and MSCI Institute convened at the PRI in Person event in São Paulo. Joined by leaders from Harvard, Amundi, and Itaú, the panel discussion drew on MSCI’s analysis of PRB member banks, exploring the financial implications of sustainability commitments. The session presented a deep dive into how responsible banking correlates with stronger ESG performance and lower cost of capital, with broader relevance across sectors and investment strategies. In conclusion, responsible banking practices, when embedded and rigorous, were shown to deliver not just positive societal impact but tangible business value.

The transition to a sustainable economy is urgent, but it must be fair to all. This is especially true for Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC): one of the most climate-vulnerable regions facing persistent social inequalities. UNEP FI’s latest report provides practical guidance on how banks and insurers operating in LAC can integrate just transition principles across their organizations.

Belém, Brazil, November 2025 — The United Nations-convened Forum for Insurance Transition (FIT) today unveiled a landmark global guide that…

The UN-convened Net-Zero Export Credit Agencies Alliance (NZECA) launches its first progress report in conjunction with Trade and Finance Day at COP30, detailing how it is working to align USD 338 billion of export support with pathways to net zero by 2050. Alongside the report, the alliance releases a paper on tailoring GHG accounting methodologies for trade finance.

Key developments in the COP30 negotiation process indicate a possible breakthrough in the establishment of a UN-regulated carbon market. Eric Usher, Head of UNEP FI, outlines what we can expect to be agreed and highlights some of the risks and opportunities for financial institutions.

This article shares an overview of a new global resource, Principles for Taxonomy Interoperability, developed by partners in the Taxonomy Roadmap Initiative, including UNEP FI, to help UN member states and regulators design and implement key policy tools: sustainable finance taxonomies. The seven principles were developed to help ensure that these taxonomies are usable, credible and comparable across borders.

As the impacts of climate change accelerate, climate adaptation — the process of adjusting systems, communities, and economies to changing climate conditions — is moving from the margins to the mainstream of climate action. For financial institutions, this shift is more than just a policy trend — it’s an emerging area of risk management, investment opportunity, and strategic relevance.

UNEP FI is actively involved in COP30 to engage policymakers on the key issues that UNEP FI’s members are working on when it comes to decarbonizing their businesses while helping to accelerate the implementation of the Paris Agreement.

Ahead of COP30, members of the Transformational Finance for Climate Group* have released a new position paper, “Transformational Finance for Climate: Unlocking Systemic Effects”, to support the publication of the Baku to Belém Roadmap and inform other multilateral processes focused on Paris-aligned finance such as the Sharm el-Sheikh Dialogue.

This year’s COP30 takes place in the wake of the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) ruling in July 2025. Explore how the ruling has far-reaching implications for States’ obligations but has also created business opportunities for financial institutions.