Library | ESG issues
Greenwashing
Greenwashing refers to the misleading practice of overstating or falsely presenting an organisation’s environmental or sustainability efforts. It can involve deceptive marketing, incomplete disclosures, or exaggerated claims about products and corporate practices. In finance, greenwashing undermines ESG credibility, leading to reputational damage, legal risks, and loss of investor trust. Strengthening transparency and accountability is essential to ensure capital supports truly sustainable initiatives and maintains market integrity.
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A time for change in the sustainable fund market: Reflections and recommendations in a new regulatory environment
The report examines recent regulatory shifts in Europe and the UK affecting sustainable funds. It outlines rebranding impacts, highlights inconsistencies in fund categorisation, and stresses the need for broader sustainability definitions beyond the EU Taxonomy to avoid constraining investment opportunities and to better accommodate transition-related financial products.
CSSN's greenwashing assessment tool
The Integrated Framework to Assess Greenwashing (IFTAG) is a tool developed by scientists and communication researchers to identify greenwashing in public statements, advertisements, and campaigns. It comprises twelve themes with corresponding yes/no questions to determine misleading environmental claims.
Accounting for cryptocurrency climate impacts
The report examines the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with cryptocurrencies, proposing a hybrid allocation method to attribute these emissions to stakeholders based on cryptocurrency holdings and transactions. It highlights the environmental impact of Proof-of-Work protocols, the efficiency of Proof-of-Stake, and offers guidance aligned with GHG Protocol standards.
Harnessing digital finance for sustainability: An integrative review and research agenda
The report reviews the role of digital finance in advancing sustainability goals through bibliometric and thematic analysis of 168 studies. It identifies key themes like financial inclusion, green finance, and fintech, proposing a conceptual framework to align digital innovation with sustainable development, fostering eco-friendly investments, and promoting global financial inclusion.
Interconnected justice: Understanding the cross-border implications of climate transition policies
The report explores the concept of interconnected justice in global climate and nature transitions. It highlights the need for policies that integrate environmental, social, and economic dimensions, advocating multi-actor dialogues and frameworks to mitigate cross-border inequalities.
The private investment landscape for a global circular economy for plastics: Insights from the Plastics Circularity Investment Tracker
This report explores the private investment landscape for plastics circularity, providing key insights from the Plastics Circularity Investment Tracker. It reveals that while $32 billion is invested annually, this is far below the $1 trillion needed to meet global 2040 targets. Emerging markets, which account for significant plastic pollution, receive only 6% of total investments.
Banking on biodiversity collapse series
This series examines the relationship between global finance and biodiversity collapse, focusing on the financial flows supporting deforestation and ecosystem degradation. It explores the role of banks and investors in funding forest-risk commodity sectors across key regions and highlights the gap between corporate sustainability commitments and real-world actions.
Understanding the drivers of investment portfolio decarbonisation
The report discusses emissions attribution analysis for net-zero investment portfolios. It highlights key decarbonisation drivers, including portfolio reallocation, real-world emissions reductions, and changes in data coverage. The analysis helps financial professionals understand and steer investment strategies toward decarbonisation, aligning with climate goals set by the UN-convened Net-Zero Asset Owner Alliance.
The role of commercial paper in the sustainable finance market
This report explores the growing role of commercial paper (CP) in sustainable finance, focusing on its use in financing green and sustainable projects. It categorises CP into Use of Proceeds and Sustainability-Linked CP, discussing market data, feasibility, and challenges.
Sustainable finance in Asia: A comparative study of national taxonomies
This report compares national sustainable finance taxonomies in Asia, highlighting the variability in standards and approaches. It underscores the need for greater alignment with international frameworks to reduce inconsistencies, enhance clarity, and promote sustainable investments. Differences in fossil fuel treatment and transition finance provisions pose challenges to harmonisation and investor confidence.
Bioscience's annual state of the climate reports
This series offers an annual overview of climate trends, examining key indicators and events that impact the global environment. It provides insights into planetary vital signs, climate impacts, and extreme weather, making it an essential resource for finance professionals seeking to understand the implications of climate change on economic systems.
Nature-related litigation: Emerging trends and lessons learned from climate-related litigation
This report explores emerging trends in nature-related litigation, focusing on biodiversity, deforestation, ocean degradation, and plastic pollution. It highlights the legal risks for the financial sector and calls for increased monitoring. Lessons from climate-related litigation are applied to nature protection strategies, impacting regulatory and corporate practices.
Climate-related litigation: recent trends and developments
The report highlights the growing volume and diversity of climate-related litigation. It outlines legal trends targeting financial and non-financial institutions and governments, with significant implications for financial risks and reputational damage. The report emphasises the potential increase in litigation tied to climate disclosure laws, greenwashing, and corporate responsibilities.
How cheap talk in climate disclosures relates to climate initiatives, corporate emissions, and reputation risk
The report examines the relationship between corporate climate disclosures, cheap talk, and actual climate initiatives. It highlights how voluntary disclosures often suffer from superficiality, while targeted climate actions reduce cheap talk. Findings suggest cheap talk correlates with higher emissions and reputation risks, offering insights into the credibility of climate commitments.
No data, no deal? Impact measurement and capital flows to achieve climate-compatible growth
This report explores the challenges and importance of impact measurement and management (IMM) in directing capital to climate-friendly projects, particularly in emerging markets. Through investor interviews and case studies, it highlights the need for standardised IMM to enhance transparency, avoid 'impact-washing', and ensure equitable access to capital for underrepresented markets like Zambia.
UNEP's state of finance for nature series
This series tracks global financial flows to nature-based solutions (NbS) and highlights the gaps between current investments and what is needed to address biodiversity loss, land degradation, and climate change. It examines both public and private sector funding, while also focusing on nature-negative financial flows.
