News

Forests are at the heart of global efforts to tackle climate change and biodiversity loss — yet finance for their protection and restoration remains far short of what is needed, creating both material risks and missed opportunities for financial institutions. Ahead of COP30 in Belém, this article aimed at banks, insurers, investors, Development Finance Institutions, and Financial Supervisors outlines the current state of forest finance, why action matters for your institution, and concrete steps you can take to assess both your risks and opportunities.

UNEP FI marks the release of the UN Principles for Responsible Banking’s third biennial progress report, “Responsible Banking: A Six Year Journey of Systemic Change.”

The 3rd PRB Progress Report highlights how PRB signatories are increasingly moving from commitment to action, embedding sustainability into core business strategies, governance, and client relationships to manage risk, meet stakeholder expectations, to remain competitive in an evolving economy challenged by climate change and where over 50% of global GDP is dependent on nature.

Asset owners explored options for the future focus of the NZAOA, such as climate adaptation and resilience

This November, governments will gather in Belém, Brazil, for COP30, for what we hope will be a pivotal moment for advancing the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). 

The path to mobilizing USD 1.3 trillion in climate finance by 2035 is more than an ambitious goal—it’s a critical step in addressing global climate challenges, argue Erich Cripton of La Caisse and policy lead at the Net-Zero Asset Owner Alliance.

A new Principles for Responsible Banking guidance helps banking professionals incorporate climate adaptation and resilience (A&R) into their risk frameworks and business strategies whether establishing their approach to A&R or enhancing existing practices within their organization.

Sustainable finance taxonomies are key to shifting financial flows towards ‘nature-positive’ investments aligned with the transition. As transition planning and financing accelerates globally, the wider financial community should consider an important interlinkage: climate stability is interdependent on the health of our natural world. In a time of shifting sustainability sentiments, public and private decision-makers can leverage sustainable finance taxonomies that consider both climate and nature risks.

In February 2025, the European Commission (EC) announced the Clean Industrial Deal (CID), the EU’s main industrial strategy and a key part of its climate policy. As leveraging private capital will be key to the CID’s success, policymakers, banks and industry representatives recently shared their recommendations for overcoming barriers and leveraging opportunities to help the CID achieve its transformative potential at an event convened by UNEP FI, the European Banking Federation, and the Net-Zero Banking Alliance.

Frankfurt, 2 July 2025—The United Nations-convened, multistakeholder Forum for Insurance Transition to Net Zero (FIT) launched today a first-of-its-kind transition…