The businesses that we finance, invest in and insure depend on nature and biodiversity. The world’s ocean, forests and lands provide much of the raw materials, goods and services which underpin the global economy.
At risk from over-exploitation and environmental degradation, there is an urgent need to manage these natural assets more effectively in order to ensure the health and wellbeing of society, and stability of businesses and the financial system at the heart of the economy.
The financial community has a critical role to play in safeguarding this stock of natural capital, through financing, insuring and investing in companies in the real economy.
UNEP FI works with members and partners to embed sustainable decision-making into mainstream finance. We provide technical research and guidance, working with the financial community on cutting-edge innovations and frameworks, and developing industry-wide tools linking science, policy, economics and finance, bringing nature to the heart of financial decision-making.
Explore our tools, projects, initiatives and resources below:
Nature & Financial Disclosures:
- Task Force on Nature-Related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) – a market-led taskforce supported by the G7 delivering a framework by 2023 for organisations to report and act on evolving nature-related risks, in order to support a shift in global financial flows away from nature-negative outcomes and toward nature-positive outcomes. UNEP FI is part of the TNFD Stewardship Group. UNEP is the executing agency of the anchor investment by the Global Environment Facility (GEF).
- Nature in Scope — A summary of TNFD’s proposed scope, governance, work plan, communication and resourcing plan
- Proposed Technical Scope — Recommendations for the TNFD
Oceans and land:
- Sustainable Blue Finance – Finance community focused on the world’s ocean
- Sustainable Land Use – Use of land resources, particularly in forested developing countries
Projects with the Natural Capital Finance Alliance (NCFA):
- ENCORE Tool – Exploring natural capital opportunities, risks and exposure
- Agricultural Lending – Natural capital credit risk assessment
- Drought Stress-Testing Tool – Designed for loan portfolios
- Natural Capital Protocol – Financial Sector Supplement
How to start Setting Biodiversity Targets:
- Read our report to get started
- Use our online ENCORE tool to see which sectors impact and depend on natural capital
- Explore our Blue Finance and Land Use initiatives looking at ocean and land impacts
- For banks: join our PRB sub-working group on biodiversity target-setting
Latest Reports: Based on the market-first practical guidance for financial institutions, Turning the Tide, UNEP FI’s recommended exclusions list for a sustainable blue economy provides financial institutions with an overview of activities to exclude from financing due to their damaging impact on the ocean and high risk.
Financing a sustainable blue economy: recommended exclusions list
Turning the Tide: How to Finance a Sustainable Ocean Recovery
A practical guide for financial institutions to lead a sustainable ocean recovery This seminal guidance is a market-first practical toolkit for financial institutions to pivot their activities towards financing a sustainable blue economy. Designed for banks, insurers and investors, the guidance outlines how to avoid and mitigate environmental and social risks and impacts, as well…
The Rising Tide: Mapping Ocean Finance for a New Decade
The Rising Tide report maps the current state of ocean finance revealing trends in lending, underwriting and investment activities which impact the ocean. It reveals the frameworks and financial instruments that are successfully addressing ocean sustainability and highlights new opportunities and gaps in the market. It looks across five major ocean-linked sectors chosen for their established…
Good Growth Partnership: Year Three Highlights Report
This 3-year progress report provides an update on how the Good Growth Partnership is cultivating sustainability in commodity supply chains, The Good Growth Partnership convenes a wide range of stakeholders and initiatives throughout soy, beef and palm oil supply chains to reduce deforestation and enable sustainable development. It joins forces with national and regional leaders…
Beyond ‘Business as Usual’: Biodiversity Targets and Finance
Download our report providing a pathway for financial institutions to start setting biodiversity targets in 9 critical sectors, and contribute to halting and reversing the biodiversity crisis.
