UNEP FI has around 260 members in Europe, accounting for approximately 50% of total UNEP FI membership. Work in the region focuses on fostering leadership amongst members, including those at the start of their sustainability journey, as well as liaising with key partners and stakeholders. We achieve this by working through several engagement and collaboration channels – capacity building, research, workshops, working groups and events.

Key priorities focus on engaging banks, insurers and regulators to ensure that compliance with mandatory regulatory requirements and voluntary commitments made under UNEP FI are complementary, enhancing high levels of sustainability integration. We facilitate peer learning and knowledge exchange in the region and also work together with an extensive network of partners with the objective of growing sustainability and responsible finance practices among European financial institutions.

Highlights
  • 17 September | UNFCCC Veredas Dialogue: private sector session
    The Veredas Dialogue is the UNFCCC’s platform for advancing implementation of the Paris Agreement’s goal of aligning finance flows with low-GHG-emission and climate-resilient development pathways. A technical online session for private financial institutions will be held from 14:00-15:30 CEST, focusing on investment barriers, enabling conditions, financing solutions, and approaches to mobilise private capital at scale, particularly in developing countries. This is an opportunity to help shape discussions on scaling climate-related investment, alongside confirmed speakers from BBVA and Standard Bank. Register here.
  • Join the UNEP FI-supported European Energy Efficiency Financing Coalition : The European Energy Efficiency Financing Coalition (EEEFINC) has opened its third call for new members. Public and private financial institutions operating in the EU,  including national promotional and commercial banks, asset managers, insurance companies, institutional investors, as well as their respective representative associations, are invited to apply by 25 September 2026. Supported by UNEP FI, EEEFINC works alongside the European Commission, all 27 EU Member States, financial institutions, and industry to scale up energy efficiency financing across Europe. To learn more, visit the coalition’s website or reach out to Ana Bachurova.

 

Key focus

The workplan for 2026 for the region highlights the following priorities:

Together with the Policy & Regulation Team at UNEP FI, the work on regulation in Europe is focused on:

  • Ensuring members are able to deliver on both their regulatory requirements as well as the commitments made under UNEP FI initiatives
  • Enhancing expertise with regards to regulatory actions through implementation support such as our Regulatory Implementation Support Programme
  • Engaging directly with European regulators, alongside the UNEP FI Policy and Regulation team, to ensure that an ambitious agenda is sustained that enables the achievement of the UN SDGs and Paris Climate Agreement goals.

Given the vast differences between the profiles of European member organizations, our focus is on ensuring that all institutions, big and small, are able to develop and maintain ambitious commitments and targets. We also support members at the start of their sustainability journeys with consistent yet diversified approaches.

A key focus for membership development is on new jurisdictions, continuing our commitment and engagement for sustainable finance development in Central and Eastern Europe, the Balkans, Caucasus and Central Asia.

In order to deliver on our key objectives across Europe, we leverage our supporting institutions, endorsers and other stakeholders to increase sustainability integration into the activities of financial Institutions. We work with partners at all levels and on various projects.

One example for 2026 is our energy efficiency implementation support programme, complementing the European Energy Efficiency Financing Coalition’s activities, while also evolving into a broader platform for engagement and knowledge exchange within the financial sector.

 

Are you already a UNEP FI member? Find the latest regional news, key resources and more in the Members’ Area.

 

Regional Implementation Programme & Training

UNEP FI has a range of training and region-specific activities in online and in workshop formats. For further information on each of these offerings, please visit the Learning and Development for Finance Professionals section.

UNEP FI also offers a wide range of implementation support activities to members, consisting of regionally tailored workshops designed to support finance professionals implement frameworks such as the Principles for Responsible Banking (PRB). These activities cover climate change, nature, financial health and inclusion and human rights. Access the Europe Members‘ Area page to learn about the host of activities including this year’s energy efficiency workshops and Climate Series for Europe. For further questions, please contact the Europe Team.

Public activities for the Europe region can be accessed here.