Since 2007, UNEP FI has been offering an online course on the climate change risks and opportunities for the finance sector. The course was updated in recent years to include the recommendations of the TCFD and in 2025, UNEP FI has developed a new comprehensive programme designed for sustainability and risk professionals within banks who wish to get a better understanding of climate change and integrate climate risk management into their practice.
The tutor-led course covers the science behind climate change, introduces transition and physical risks and opportunities, and provides an overview of climate risk reporting frameworks. It delves into the ISSB Standards, the evolution of climate risk reporting from the TCFD framework, and a comparison with other disclosure frameworks and regulatory standards, all supported by good practices and practical examples. Participants will also gain insights on scenario analysis, climate risk assessment methodologies, and the latest tools and resources offered by UNEP FI.
Courses are offered in English, Spanish and French.
Target Audience
Executives and middle management staff of banks, from both developed and developing countries. Government and civil society representatives wishing to learn more about the financial risks and opportunities from climate change, and about the required forward-looking assessment methods, are also welcome.
Objective and content
The objective of the course is to provide participants with a practical and strategic understanding of climate risk management in the financial sector, from the scientific fundamentals of climate change to key international regulatory frameworks and practical application tools.
The key areas addressed in this course are:
- Climate change as a physical, meteorological phenomenon and its impacts on natural and manmade systems, covering the basic science of climate change, including the latest scientific insights as compiled by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
- The complexities underlying climate-related politics as well as intergovernmental climate negotiations.
- The causes and importance of transition-related climate risk – especially as it relates to increased scrutiny on how banks finance GHG-intensive companies and projects.
- Climate change mitigation policies, particularly in the energy system.
- The historical development of climate risk assessment frameworks and how the global regulatory landscape for climate disclosures has evolved, including major jurisdictional requirements.
- Benefits of disclosure and strategic sustainability reporting.
- Methodologies for physical risk and transition risk.
- Understanding climate stress testing.
- Overview of UNEP FI guidelines and resources.
For more information, access the course programme and our FAQs.
2025 courses
| Date | Language | Tutor |
| 16 June – 4 July | English | David Carlin |
| 27 October – 14 November | English | David Carlin |
| 3 – 21 November | Spanish | Fred Seifert |
Duration and time commitment
The course lasts three weeks, for two hours per day on average, five days per week.
Participants can set their own study times, allowing for a flexible organization.
Fees
| Participant profile | Fee (USD) |
| Representatives of medium-sized and large financial institutions (non-UNEP FI members)* | 1,400 |
|
Representatives of small financial institutions (non-UNEP FI members)* |
1,200 |
| UNEP FI members (headquarter and subsidiaries that pay the annual membership fee) | 900 |
Please note that course fees serve exclusively to cover the costs of running the course, all payments are final and no refund will be given.
*5% group discounts for groups of 3 or more people from the same financial institution in the same course edition.
Cancellation Policy: Participants who cancel their participation in a course once it has started and wish to be placed in a future edition will receive as a courtesy a 10% discount on the tuition for that future course. The course is highly customized, and these late cancellations create costs for the organizers and deny the position in the course to others who were turned away.
Certification: A certificate is delivered by UNEP FI upon successful completion.
Applications
All applications should be submitted via our online form at least one week prior to the course you wish to participate in.
Register here: English | Spanish | French
Please note that participants need to have a very good command of the language of the course they will be taking.
Training partners
The course is a product of UNEP FI, initially developed in 2007 and updated in 2018 and 2025. Course material was updated and translated into Spanish and French in 2020 with the support of the Sustainability Academy, an initiative of the eco.business Fund Development Facility, and CAF –Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean. The course was updated again in 2025 and translated into Spanish and French.
In-person workshops
UNEP FI along with partners offers tailored in-person workshops on climate change for the financial sector. The on-demand sessions are designed to accommodate between 20 and 30 people, for a half or full day. In general, participation is free of charge as our workshops are usually supported and sponsored by local partners.
Please contact us for in-person workshop requests.