This 2019 report analyses the sustainability strategies of 35 ASEAN banks based on environmental, social and governance indicators. This year's update highlights the increasing recognition of ESG integration into mainstream finance, although progress must be made, particularly in climate-related risk management.

This essay provides a new framework for sustainable finance. The author argues that sustainable finance considers financial, social, and environmental returns in combination and develops guidelines for governing sustainable finance. Major obstacles are short-termism and insufficient private efforts.

Investors care about sustainable investments, but not enough to pay substantially more for more impact. A framed field experiment revealed investors’ preference was an emotional rather than a calculative valuation of impact. This preference is driving the market, as managers provide little quantitative evidence of sustainability impact, according to the report.

The report focuses on how modifications in farming techniques, land use practices, and food systems can commune climate change reduction, carbon sequestration and carbon sink development and initiates numerous opportunities to become a part of the solution. By changing farming techniques and food systems, we can create numerous opportunities for climate solutions.

This paper examines the financing gap for the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and proposes new innovative solutions for stakeholders, including the need for stronger integrated planning, strategic thinking and policy integration to meet the US$5-7tn annual financing requirement.

This report explores the approach to climate change risk by UK's largest master trusts. It examines 16 master trusts' ESG policies and practices, focusing on the work of the trustees and their engagement with investee companies on ESG practices and risk management. The report draws attention to some positive developments, showing that some schemes have incorporated ESG and/or climate change factors into their asset allocation strategy.

Ageing oil and gas assets will have significant long-term financial and environmental impacts, with decommissioning costs rising steadily in coming decades. Asset retirement obligations could reach US$42 billion by 2024, posing considerable financial, logistical, and environmental challenges given limited financial assurance requirements, regulatory loopholes, and the complexity of decommissioning.

The authors of this report argue that society's pursuit of economic growth has been detrimental to the environment and economic sustainability. The report challenges traditional thinking around the benefits of growth and argues for a new macro-economics for sustainability.

This report examines small and medium enterprise finance indicators collected by development finance institutions. The analysis reveals the limits of SME finance data and underscores the need for better coordination and more gender-disaggregated data. Recommendations include a common collection approach and joint data-sharing of core indicators.

This report examines the purchasing practices of clothing brands operating in Australia and highlights the impact on women workers in the countries where clothing is made. It calls on brands to publish a plan and commitment to ensuring a living wage for workers throughout their supply chains.

This report provides insights on the current status of circularity in the textile industry including waste generation, social and environmental impact, raw material use, and data challenges. The report highlights research needs, boundary-spanning tools, and standards to facilitate a circular economy.

This report presents emerging sources of capital for community investing through corporations, client solutions and community-driven investing. The report discusses how this field could shape the future of community investment.

The report highlights the potential of green, social sustainability and sustainability-linked bonds in funding developing countries' progress towards the SDGs, offering recommendations for increased involvement from issuers, investors, policy-makers, and development finance institutions (DFIs).

This report reviews the petrochemical industry from a joint macro, credit specialist and climate mitigation perspective. It highlights that the industry has the highest energy demand and is the third-largest direct CO2 emitter. The first green bonds came out in 2020, although the sector’s environmental alignment remains questionable to investors.

The report details a strategy to support early-stage social enterprises and foster growth in social impact investment (SII) opportunities. The report explores four action areas for government and stakeholders to accelerate SII growth and improve social impact measurement.

This study investigates how different weighted average cost of capital (WACC) assumptions impact decarbonisation pathways for developing economies. The results demonstrate the disproportionate impact of high capital costs between regions, with green electricity production potentially 35% lower in Africa, increasing the risk of a climate investment trap.