Partnership between United Nations Environment and the global financial sector to promote sustainable finance
23 September 2019
33 banks commit to immediate action towards aligning with global climate goals 23 September/New York To coincide with the UN Secretary-General’s Climate Action Summit, one day after the launch of the UN Principles for Responsible Banking , 33 of their Signatories with over $13 trillion in assets have today announced a Collective Commitment to Climate […]
22 September 2019
New York, 22 September 2019 – In a massive boost for climate action and sustainability, leading banks and the United Nations today launched the Principles for Responsible Banking, with 130 banks collectively holding USD 47 trillion in assets, or one third of the global banking sector, signed up. In the Principles, launched one day ahead of […]
An introductory training workshop on Environmental and Social Risk Analysis (ESRA) will take place in Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan) on November 13th, 2019. The workshop will be organized by UNEP FI and the Ecobanking Project of INCAE Business School. Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE) and the Union of Banks of Kyrgyzstan, in collaboration with the International Finance Corporation (IFC).
8 August 2019
We are very excited to announce that Antoni Ballabriga, BBVA’s Global Head of Responsible Business will join Jacki Johnson as the new Co-Chair of UNEP FI’s Global Steering Committee. Antoni has been on the committee since January 2018, and a very active supporter of the Principles for Responsible Banking, the new sustainable banking framework developed […]
25 July 2019
25 July 2019, Geneva – Following a six-month public consultative process, the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) has this week released the final official versions of the UNEP FI Principles for Responsible Banking and their supporting framework documents. The Principles have been developed by a core group of 30 Founding Banks through […]
17 July 2019
17 July, 2019, Geneva – A recent United Nations report estimated that it will take $140 to 300 billion to strengthen the resilience of societies and economies to climate change, and reduce the vulnerability of the planet’s natural resources. To accelerate adaptation action around the globe, the Global Commission on Adaptation (GCA) was launched in […]
11 July 2019
The world’s governments will gather from 9 July for the High-Level Political Forum, an annual United Nations gathering to review progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals. They will certainly, as they have in the past, flag the high costs of achieving the SDGs, re-iterate their aim to “leave no one behind”, and call on the […]
26 June 2019
26 June 2019, Geneva – The number of banks worldwide lined up to become an official “Signatory” of the highly anticipated Principles for Responsible Banking has now jumped to 69 representing all continents. The Principles for Responsible Banking are set to launch on 22 September 2019 at the United Nations (UN) Headquarters, during the UN […]
18 June 2019
On 18 June 2019, the European Commission’s EU Technical Expert Group on Sustainable Finance (TEG) launched reports on an EU Taxonomy, a voluntary EU Green Bond Standard and voluntary low-carbon benchmarks. The TEG’s reports will help shape future regulations, some of which are still under negotiation. EU Taxonomy EU Green Bond Standard Climate Benchmarks and […]
13 June 2019
UNEP FI’s second Regional Roundtable on Sustainable Finance for 2019 took place in Shanghai last week with more than 280 delegates and 75 speakers. On 5 and 6 June, the UNEP FI Regional Roundtable for Asia Pacific brought together the sustainable finance community to drive the take up of financing that will help achieve the […]
12 June 2019
Tokyo, Japan, 12 June 2019 – At the G20 Global Summit on Financing Energy Efficiency, Innovation and Clean Technology, the CEOs of major pension funds, insurance companies, and senior financiers joined G20 policy-makers in assessing how to close the world´s energy efficiency investment gap. The summit is an official side-event to the 2019 Japanese Presidency of […]
5 June 2019
This World Environment Day we investigate the business and ethical cases for reducing air pollution, and present a tool that clears the smog for the finance sector – showing just how much businesses both rely upon and affect the environment. Take a moment and imagine biking through traffic. You pedal briskly on the edge of […]
On the occasion of Japan’s presidency of the G20, UNEP FI co-convened the ‘Tokyo Dialogue on Sustainable Finance’ with Japan Climate Initiative (JCI) on 3rd of June at the International House of Japan in Tokyo. It was an invitation-only, full day conference aiming to provide a platform for a detailed discussion between the distinguished speakers […]
24 May 2019
In order for G20 economies to achieve sustainable, low-carbon growth and development, increasing investments into energy efficiency, innovation and broader clean energy technologies is key. The G20 Global Summit on Financing Energy Efficiency, Innovation and Clean Technology will take stock of global finance and investments into energy efficiency, innovation and low-carbon technologies, with the energy […]
22 May 2019
22 May 2019
22 May 2019, Geneva – The number of banks worldwide endorsing the highly anticipated Principles for Responsible Banking has now jumped to 56, including a spearheading group of 28 ‘Founding Banks’ and a growing list of currently 27 more ‘Endorsing Banks’ representing all five continents. The Principles for Responsible Banking are set to launch on […]
16 May 2019
TD Bank Group hosted a meeting of UNEP Finance Initiative’s Canadian members in Toronto on 10th of May. The meeting was chaired by Nicole Vadori, Associate Vice President and Head of Environment, TD and attended by Eric Usher Head of UNEP FI. More than 30 representatives from members in Canada attended. Maz Moini, Chief Operating […]
12 May 2019
10 May 2019
Twenty institutional investors from eleven countries convened by the UN Environment Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) today launched comprehensive investor guidance to help assess how climate change and climate action could impact investor portfolios around the world. These assessments enable investors to be more transparent about their climate-related risks and opportunities in line with the recommendations […]
7 May 2019
Few weeks pass without scientists reporting new knowledge of how badly humans are treating our planet, and the consequences for our common future. With the launch of the IPBES report summary for policymakers and a whole host of new and old facts and statistics, one may ask what is different this time? The Intergovernmental Science-Policy […]