Library | ESG issues
Deforestation
Deforestation involves the removal of natural forests, often for agriculture or urban development, leading to carbon emissions, biodiversity loss, and habitat destruction. Sustainable forestry practices, such as replanting and conservation, are crucial for mitigating its environmental and social impacts. Key drivers include agriculture, timber production, mining, urban expansion, energy development, and textile manufacturing, all of which contribute to forest loss through land clearing and resource extraction.
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Financial system interactions with ecosystem tipping points: Evidence from the Brazilian Amazon and Indonesian peatlands
Examining the interplay between financial systems and ecological thresholds, this research identifies pivotal financial flows linked to land use changes in the Brazilian Amazon and Indonesian peatlands. It proposes targeted interventions to steer these investments towards sustainable practices, emphasising the need for global policy alignment to mitigate the systemic risks posed by ecosystem tipping points.
Accelerating finance for nature: Barriers and recommendations for scaling private sector investment
This report assesses the barriers and opportunities for scaling private sector investment in natural capital. It outlines key recommendations, including the establishment of a Nature Finance Accelerator, to drive financial flows towards nature. The study highlights the importance of overcoming low returns, small deal sizes, and high transaction costs to attract private investment.
Nature Finance
NatureFinance focuses on advancing sustainable finance to address global environmental challenges, particularly biodiversity loss and climate change. It promotes innovative financial tools, policies, and partnerships that align financial systems with nature-positive outcomes.
Investing in natural capital: Innovations supporting much-needed financing for nature
The report highlights the growing importance of natural capital in economic and environmental sustainability. It emphasises technological advances, innovative financial instruments, and new business models that support nature-positive investments. The report also presents case studies showcasing successful projects aimed at preserving biodiversity and scaling investments in natural capital through innovative financing mechanisms and technology-driven solutions.
Aligning financial flows with the Global Diversity Framework: Translating ambition into implementation
The report advocates for governments to ensure financial flows align with biodiversity goals. It highlights the need for mandatory disclosures on nature-related risks, nature transition plans, and economic incentives to mobilise private finance for biodiversity conservation, emphasising a "whole-of-government" approach to implementation.
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.
Spotlight on nature: Case studies for business transformation towards a nature-positive future
This report highlights six case studies of businesses transforming towards a nature-positive future. It showcases their efforts to address nature-related risks and opportunities, focusing on areas such as sustainable forestry, circular resource use, soil health, sustainable seafood, biodiversity, and freshwater management.
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.
Nature investor toolkit: Understanding nature-related risks and opportunities and supporting investors to assess, engage and take action
The toolkit helps investors identify, assess, and manage nature-related risks and opportunities in their portfolios. It provides guidance on how to engage with stakeholders, evaluate investment impacts on nature, and explore emerging tools for nature-positive outcomes. The toolkit also highlights strategies to mitigate risks and seize nature-related investment opportunities.
Material insights
Material Insights is a tool to help companies and stakeholders manage environmental, social, and governance (ESG) risks in mineral supply chains. It provides data-driven insights on specific minerals, supporting responsible sourcing and sustainability efforts in the raw materials sector.
Global Biodiversity Score (GBS)
The Global Biodiversity Score (GBS) is a tool developed by CDC Biodiversité that helps businesses and financial institutions measure their impact on biodiversity. It provides a quantitative assessment, enabling users to integrate biodiversity considerations into decision-making and align with sustainability goals.
CDC Biodiversité
CDC Biodiversité is a French organisation focused on biodiversity conservation and sustainable development. It works on integrating biodiversity into economic activities, offering innovative solutions for businesses and policymakers. CDC Biodiversité promotes sustainable finance, environmental impact assessments, and nature-based solutions to address global biodiversity challenges.
3 degrees more: The impending hot season and how nature can help us prevent it
This three-part journal explores the severe impacts of a 3°C temperature rise on climate, biodiversity, agriculture, human survival, and the economy, emphasising the need for urgent climate action and nature-based solutions.
An introduction to responsible investment: Biodiversity for asset owners
This introductory guide for asset owners explores the financial risks and opportunities associated with biodiversity loss. It explains the relevance of biodiversity to investment processes and outlines how asset owners can incorporate biodiversity considerations into their responsible investment policies, stewardship practices, and disclosures.
Financial crimes and land conversion: Uncovering risk for financial institutions
This report outlines the risks financial institutions face due to land conversion and related financial crimes. It emphasises the convergence of land conversion with crimes like money laundering and corruption, highlighting the need for robust due diligence and risk assessment. It introduces an Environmental Crimes Financial Toolkit to aid institutions in mitigating these risks.
Respecting Indigenous rights: An actionable due diligence toolkit for institutional investors
This toolkit offers practical guidance for investors to respect Indigenous rights. It covers understanding and incorporating these rights into investment policies, assessing and addressing impacts, and ensuring Free, Prior, and Informed Consent. This toolkit aims to mitigate risks and uphold international human rights standards.
