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We summarise credible research and reports on sustainable finance and ESG issues. Our summaries, along with our AI ChatBot saves members time reading large reports, to focus on knowledge building and action.
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Recalibrating climate risk: Aligning damage functions with scientific understanding
This report argues climate damage functions systematically underestimate risks by relying on smooth, GDP-centred models. Drawing on expert elicitation, it highlights nonlinear, cascading and tail risks, tipping points, and limits to growth. It recommends recalibrating modelling and financial supervision towards precaution, systemic resilience and transparent uncertainty.
Starting and transitioning into sustainable finance careers
This guide outlines pathways for starting or transitioning into sustainable finance careers. It explains ESG integration, sustainable and impact investing, sector roles, required skills, barriers and transition strategies, supported by Australian context, expert insights and case studies from Pollination and Aware Super.
One Earth: The risk of a hothouse Earth trajectory
This commentary assesses risks of a self-reinforcing “hothouse Earth” trajectory driven by accelerating warming, feedback loops and tipping points. It reviews evidence on climate sensitivity, overshoot scenarios and cascading tipping elements, warning that current emissions pathways heighten irreversible risks and require urgent mitigation and precautionary governance.
Hong Kong taxonomy for sustainable finance (phase 2A)
Phase 2A of the Hong Kong Taxonomy for Sustainable Finance sets out detailed criteria for classifying environmentally sustainable activities, aligned with international taxonomies. It covers additional sectors, technical screening thresholds, and transition activities, aiming to enhance transparency, comparability and capital allocation towards climate mitigation and adaptation in Hong Kong.
The macroeconomic impact of climate change: Global vs. local temperature
This paper estimates that global temperature increases have far larger macroeconomic damages than local measures suggest. Using time-series evidence and a neoclassical growth model, it finds a 1°C rise reduces world GDP by over 20% long term, implying substantial welfare losses and a high social cost of carbon.
Methodological assessment of the impact and dependency of business on biodiversity and nature’s contributions to people (business and biodiversity assessment)
The IPBES Business and Biodiversity assessment evaluates how businesses depend on and impact biodiversity and nature’s contributions to people, reviews measurement approaches, and outlines options for action to manage risks and align business practices with biodiversity outcomes, supporting Target 15 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
Developing survey methods for collecting individual policy narratives: A case study of climate change narratives using an engaged convenience sample
This study tests open-ended survey methods for eliciting individual climate policy narratives using the Narrative Policy Framework. In a small, liberal US sample (n=88), problem-focused questions generated more complete narratives. Narrative elements varied by ideology, education and media use, supporting the ‘homo narrans’ assumption.
Nature-based risk assessment: Integrating project-related finance
Guidance from UNEP FI and the Equator Principles on integrating project-related finance into nature-based risk assessments. It outlines frameworks, governance and disclosure expectations to help financial institutions identify, assess and manage biodiversity, water and pollution-related risks at project and portfolio levels.
Advancing adaptation: Mapping costs from cooling to coastal defenses
This McKinsey Global Institute report assesses current and projected costs of adapting to heat, drought, flooding and wildfires under a 2°C warming scenario. It estimates $190 billion is spent annually today, rising to $1.2 trillion by 2050 for developed-economy protection standards, with benefits outweighing costs.
Future energy scenarios: Pathways to Net Zero
Future Energy Scenarios 2025 provides independent pathways for Great Britain’s energy system to reach net zero by 2050. It models demand, supply, flexibility and emissions across electricity, gas and hydrogen, assessing costs, infrastructure needs, carbon budgets and policy choices under varying levels of electrification, hydrogen deployment and consumer engagement.
Coal 2025: Analysis and forecast to 2030
This report analyses global coal supply, demand, trade and prices to 2030. It assesses regional consumption trends across power and industry, production outlooks for major exporters, policy and decarbonisation impacts, and market risks. Forecasts highlight shifting Asian demand, plateauing global use, and implications for investment and energy security.
Europe sustainable development report 2025: SDG priorities for the new EU leadership
The Europe Sustainable Development Report 2025 assesses EU, EFTA, UK and candidate countries’ progress on the SDGs using updated indices. It highlights stalled convergence, rising within-country inequalities and significant international spillovers, and calls for scaled-up green, social and multilateral investment under the EU’s 2024–2029 leadership.
Understanding rights at work: A guide to key terms related to fundamental principles and rights at work, trade and supply chains
This guide explains key terms related to fundamental principles and rights at work, including freedom of association, collective bargaining, forced and child labour, discrimination and living wages. It outlines links to trade, supply chains, due diligence and international labour standards, supporting consistent interpretation in policy and corporate practice.
Global cybersecurity outlook 2026: Insight report
Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2026 examines AI-driven threats, geopolitical volatility and supply chain vulnerabilities shaping cyber risk. Drawing on a global survey, it highlights rising AI-related risks, escalating cyber-enabled fraud, regulatory fragmentation and persistent skills shortages, emphasising resilience, ecosystem collaboration and economic impacts as strategic priorities.
Invisible barriers: How gender norms impact financial inclusion A framework for classifying norms and developing strategies to address them
This CGAP Focus Note presents a framework classifying gender norms by strength and prevalence to address barriers to women’s financial inclusion. Drawing on diagnostics in Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda, it outlines four intervention strategies for development and market actors to transform financial systems and advance women’s economic empowerment.
Ecosystem tipping points: Understanding the risks to the economy and the financial system
This report analyses ecosystem tipping points as systemic risks to economies and financial systems, highlighting non-linear, irreversible ecosystem collapse. It finds current models underestimate impacts and urges precautionary, ecosystem-focused policy and financial regulation to protect price and financial stability.