Library | ESG issues
Buildings & Infrastructure
Buildings and infrastructure include physical structures and systems such as commercial buildings, roads, and energy networks. Sustainable infrastructure focuses on optimising and retrofitting existing assets while developing new ones that integrate environmental stewardship, social equity, and sustainable design. Investing in infrastructure can support sustainable development and ensure that all people have access to safe, affordable, reliable, and high-quality infrastructure.
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Sector insights: Real estate series
Sustainable Fitch Sector Insights Report Series is a series providing analytical assessments of the sustainability profiles of different sectors. It examines sustainability impacts, ESG rating trends, sustainable finance developments, sector-specific issues, and relevant sustainability-related regulations to support finance professionals’ understanding of sector performance.
A well-adapted UK: The fourth independent assessment of UK climate risk (CCRA4-IA)
This report assesses the UK’s climate risks to 2050, identifies priority adaptation actions across key sectors, and outlines investment, policy and governance measures to strengthen resilience. It provides evidence-based recommendations to support climate adaptation planning and reduce long-term economic and societal impacts.
Scientific Climate Ratings
Scientific Climate Ratings delivers forward-looking, science-based climate risk ratings quantifying financial materiality of physical and transition risks for infrastructure assets globally.
From climate crisis to insurance crisis: Designing solidarity-based natural disaster insurance
This report examines rising climate-related insurance losses and Germany's lack of comprehensive natural disaster coverage, with only 57% of residential buildings insured against such risks. It analyses international public-private insurance models — particularly France's CatNat system — and recommends a solidarity-based approach alongside measures to hold the fossil fuel industry financially accountable.
Widening the lens: Scaling climate adaptation and resilience through sustainable finance
This report examines climate adaptation and resilience in sustainable finance, highlighting a significant financing gap in emerging markets and limited formal allocation in labelled debt markets. It argues for a broader lens that recognises resilience outcomes already embedded in policy-driven investments, using Ecuador's sovereign housing framework as a case study.
Beyond the parcel: Unlocking risk assessment of complex infrastructure assets
This First Street report applies climate risk modelling to five infrastructure asset types — airports, residential developments, rail networks, transmission lines, and toll roads — demonstrating how localised physical hazards translate into material revenue losses and operational downtime, and why traditional parcel-based risk tools are inadequate for complex infrastructure.
Urban heat risk management: Resource package
This resource package provides practical guidance for local and national governments on managing urban heat risks through governance, planning, nature-based solutions and emergency preparedness. Drawing on global evidence and city case studies, it outlines strategies to strengthen urban resilience to increasing extreme heat.
Making your city investable: A practical guide to green finance
This guide outlines how local governments can access green finance by shifting from ad hoc initiatives to embedded institutional strategies. Highlighting successful international examples, it emphasises the importance of transparent governance, predictable project pipelines, and standardised reporting to build investor confidence and secure long-term climate capital.
Sustainable asset valuation of mining closures in artisanal and small-scale gold mines in Marmato, Colombia: Nature-based infrastructure’s role in mining closure plans
This report assesses mine-closure strategies for artisanal and small-scale gold mining in Marmato, Colombia. Applying a systems-based valuation methodology, it highlights the economic and environmental benefits of progressive formalisation and closure, emphasising early risk reduction, physical stabilisation, and ecosystem rehabilitation to improve territorial safety.
U.S. billion-dollar weather and climate disasters database
Climate Central’s database tracks the most costly U.S. weather and climate disasters since 1980, providing data on events causing $1 billion in damage.
Underwriting the future of resilience: Developing insurable and bankable infrastructure
This report explores how the insurance industry assesses physical climate risks for new social infrastructure projects. It identifies five key enablers to integrate climate resilience across project lifecycles, advocating for early stakeholder engagement and forward-looking risk assessments to ensure long-term asset insurability, bankability, and value in a changing climate.
Catalysing partnerships to mobilise infrastructure financing and investment in low- and middle-income countries
This learning note explores how an ecosystem approach to infrastructure financing can mobilise capital in low- and middle-income countries. It highlights the importance of early finance engagement, de-risking mechanisms, and integrated partnerships to transform technically sound projects into commercially viable investments.
Mapping heat inequality across neighbourhoods in Delhi: Integrating geospatial and citizen data for climate resilience
Delhi heat vulnerability is shaped by neighbourhood density, limited green cover and unequal access to cooling. Using geospatial and household survey data, the report finds higher heat exposure increases illness, sleep disruption and productivity loss, while targeted greening, micro-level heat planning and energy-efficient cooling could improve urban climate resilience.
Transforming the urban climate project preparation ecosystem: Emerging findings on how enhanced collaboration can deliver greater coherence, efficiency and impact
The report examines weaknesses in urban climate project preparation and argues that stronger coordination between cities, financiers and support organisations could improve coherence, efficiency and project impact. It identifies structural and operational barriers and proposes collaborative reforms to strengthen climate finance delivery.
Climate risks to Syria’s urban water and sanitation systems
Syria’s urban water and sanitation systems face rising climate-driven water scarcity, infrastructure damage and growing demand. The report recommends integrated water management, infrastructure rehabilitation, agricultural water efficiency, wastewater reuse and stronger governance to reduce future water insecurity, contamination risks and maladaptive investment.
Building the financial case for urban adaptation: Guidance and case studies
C40 and Rebel outline how cities can structure urban adaptation projects to attract private finance, using ten case studies. Bankability depends on revenue logic, risk allocation, public de-risking, early financier engagement and credible monitoring.
