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.
Refine
145 results
REFINE
SHOW: 16
Biodiversity in the balance: Hedging portfolio risks
The report illustrates increased NGO reporting, land use, and biodiversity incidents linked to industrial firms. With 31% of companies having no official management initiatives, investors are eager to address portfolio risks from biodiversity loss and deforestation. The report connects land use and biodiversity controversies with various risks, including operational, credit, market, physical, and systemic.
Sustainable banking in ASEAN
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.
Investing for the common good: A sustainable finance framework
This essay provides a 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.
Collaborative investor engagement with policymakers: Changing the rules of the game?
This report explores why and how institutional investors engage with governments and the challenges they face in the process. The authors analyse 11 case studies and identify drivers such as managing investment risks and fulfilling fiduciary duties, as well as challenges like limited influence on governments. The findings contribute to the sustainable finance and public policy literature.
Looking for something that isn’t there: A case study of an early attempt at ESG integration in investment decision making
This report explores the challenges of incorporating Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) issues into investment analysis and decision-making. Through a case study of an early attempt at ESG integration in an equity investment team, the authors highlight fundamental discontinuities between financial and ESG accounting inscriptions, and question the adequacy of current regulatory efforts.
Raising the bar: A baseline review of finance sector action on deforestation
The report provides a baseline review of 557 financial institutions' actions on deforestation, revealing that only a few are addressing commodity-driven deforestation and associated human rights abuses. Despite COP26 commitments, most lack comprehensive policies. Financial institutions must take urgent, concrete steps to eliminate deforestation and meet global climate targets.
An enhanced assessment of risks impacting the energy system
This report assesses the risks impacting the energy system. It explores the challenges, uncertainties, and opportunities organizations face in the near-term and long-term. The Dynamic Risk Assessment methodology is designed to incorporate future trends and their potential downstream exposures into risk management processes.
Central banking and supervision in the biosphere: An agenda for action on biodiversity loss, financial risk and system stability
This report explores the role central banks and financial regulators can play to mitigate biodiversity loss risks. The report establishes that biodiversity loss poses a financial risk to the economy and makes recommendations for action.
The good transition plan: Climate action strategy development guidance for banks and lending institutions: COP26-version
This guide is designed for banks and lending institutions to assist in the creation of a climate action strategy. The report analyses the challenges and solutions to financing transitions towards a climate-safe world, outlining a comprehensive seven-element framework, key tools for measuring alignment with Paris Goals, and numerous sector guidelines.
The implications of behavioural science for effective climate policy
This report explores the implications of behavioural science for effective climate policy and focuses on eight main sectors, such as diet change, adaptation and aviation, with recommendations for further empirical research. The report underscores the importance of understanding human behaviour and how insights can be used in climate policy development for effective implementation.
Catalysing bank climate action: Lessons from the inside
This report shares insights from the Climate Safe Lending Fellowship, a programme for banking professionals committed to accelerating the decarbonisation of their institutions. The report offers practical approaches and tools used by climate intrapreneurs to help their banks transition toward climate-safe banking.
The TNFD nature-related risk and opportunity management and disclosure framework: Beta v0.1 release
The Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) has released a beta version of its Nature-related Risk and Opportunity Management and Disclosure Framework. The framework aims to deliver a risk management and disclosure framework for organisations to report and act on evolving nature-related risks and opportunities.
Point of no return 2023: Part IV: Climate and biodiversity
This report assesses the climate and biodiversity policies and practices of 77 of the world’s largest asset managers, who collectively hold over $77 trillion in assets. The report finds that asset managers need stronger and more comprehensive net-zero targets, consistent with limiting biodiversity loss, and a greater focus on climate scenario analysis.
Insuring a low carbon future: A practical guide for insurers on managing climate-related risks and opportunities
This report explores how climate awareness is being integrated into underwriting, investment, and group-wide risk management practices in the insurance industry. It identifies common barriers and presents a practical framework of eight building blocks relevant for insurers introducing and developing climate strategies. Based on interviews with 14 proactive insurers.
Biodiversity loss and land degradation: An overview of the financial materiality
This report provides key insights into the materiality of biodiversity loss and land degradation with a focus on financial risks while reviewing the literature available. The report highlights biodiversity's prominent role in the economy, the major threats to biodiversity, the tools available to measure biodiversity's impact and outlines a typology for nature-related financial risks.
Who cares wins: Connecting financial markets to a changing world
The report outlines recommendations by leading financial institutions for integrating environmental, social, and governance factors in financial analysis and investment decisions. Produced under the auspices of the United Nations Global Compact, this report reflects the commitment to corporate responsibility and sustainable development by twenty endorsing institutions.
