Library | ESG issues
Greenwashing
Greenwashing refers to the misleading practice of overstating or falsely presenting an organisation’s environmental or sustainability efforts. It can involve deceptive marketing, incomplete disclosures, or exaggerated claims about products and corporate practices. In finance, greenwashing undermines ESG credibility, leading to reputational damage, legal risks, and loss of investor trust. Strengthening transparency and accountability is essential to ensure capital supports truly sustainable initiatives and maintains market integrity.
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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.
Climate-related litigation: recent trends and developments
The report highlights the growing volume and diversity of climate-related litigation. It outlines legal trends targeting financial and non-financial institutions and governments, with significant implications for financial risks and reputational damage. The report emphasises the potential increase in litigation tied to climate disclosure laws, greenwashing, and corporate responsibilities.
How cheap talk in climate disclosures relates to climate initiatives, corporate emissions, and reputation risk
The report examines the relationship between corporate climate disclosures, cheap talk, and actual climate initiatives. It highlights how voluntary disclosures often suffer from superficiality, while targeted climate actions reduce cheap talk. Findings suggest cheap talk correlates with higher emissions and reputation risks, offering insights into the credibility of climate commitments.
No data, no deal? Impact measurement and capital flows to achieve climate-compatible growth
This report explores the challenges and importance of impact measurement and management (IMM) in directing capital to climate-friendly projects, particularly in emerging markets. Through investor interviews and case studies, it highlights the need for standardised IMM to enhance transparency, avoid 'impact-washing', and ensure equitable access to capital for underrepresented markets like Zambia.
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.
Aligning corporate value chains to global climate goals
This discussion paper explores the importance of scope 3 emissions in corporate climate targets. It discusses challenges in current scope 3 target-setting practices, potential solutions, and strategies for decarbonising value chains. The report aims to enhance corporate climate action, aligning businesses with global climate goals while promoting stakeholder engagement for future standards.
Financing for sustainability: Asia-Pacific's ESG market opportunities
The report examines the integration of ESG factors into mainstream finance in the Asia-Pacific region. It highlights challenges like greenwashing, regulatory uncertainty, and macroeconomic instability. It also outlines opportunities for sustainable finance growth, driven by data integrity, net-zero commitments, and evolving regulatory frameworks.
Combining AI and domain expertise to assess corporate climate transition disclosures
This paper introduces an assessment framework for corporate disclosures on climate transition strategies. It identifies 64 indicators from 28 frameworks, develops a natural language processing (NLP) tool to automate disclosure assessment, and analyses disclosures of carbon-intensive companies. The findings reveal that companies often prioritise reporting targets over concrete implementation actions.
An introduction to key ecological concepts, financial opportunities, and risks underpinning aspirations for nature positive
The report introduces key ecological concepts critical to achieving a nature-positive future. It outlines the financial opportunities and risks involved, emphasising the need for collaboration between ecologists and business professionals to effectively implement nature-positive strategies. The report also highlights the challenges and complexities in aligning ecological goals with financial instruments.
Storylines: A science-based method for assessing and measuring future physical climate-related financial risk
The report presents a method called "storylines" for assessing future physical climate-related financial risks. It emphasises plausibility over probability, allowing for a more comprehensive understanding of uncertainties and risks in financial disclosures, particularly in the context of extreme climate events. This approach enhances risk assessment by integrating climate science with traditional financial analysis frameworks.
Sustainable finance roadmap 2024
The Australian Government's 2024 Sustainable Finance Roadmap outlines a plan to mobilise private capital towards achieving net-zero emissions. It focuses on improving transparency in climate and sustainability reporting, enhancing financial system capabilities, and demonstrating government leadership. Key initiatives include mandatory climate-related financial disclosures, developing a sustainable finance taxonomy, and issuing sovereign green bonds.
Making things (that don’t exist) count: A study of Scope 4 emissions accounting claims
This report investigates the implications of 'Scope 4' emissions accounting claims, which refers to greenhouse gas emission reductions or removals due to a decision or action. This study suggests that extant Scope 4 assessments do not fit the established framework for scope-based emissions accounting, and calls for cautious claims of this nature and the need for more research.
Can investors curb greenwashing?
This report analyses the phenomenon of greenwashing in companies due to investors' pro-environmental preferences and their penalties for exposing past environmental controversies. The study presents the optimal communication, abatement policies, and greenwashing strategies of corporations, highlighting how investment decisions can clamp down on this practice. Policymakers can make use of these tools to reduce greenwashing and promote environment-friendly policies.
Big oil reality check: Aligned in failure
Big oil and gas companies’ climate pledges lack ambition and integrity, resulting in continued exploration and extraction. They fail to align with the Paris Agreement, relying on misleading accounting and greenwashing. Immediate action from governments and investors is essential to catalyse a socially just and equitable phase-out of fossil fuels.
Banking on climate chaos: Fossil fuel finance series
The "Banking on Climate Chaos" benchmark report examines global banks' financing of fossil fuel companies, highlighting trends and policy shifts impacting climate goals. This series offers critical insights into financial institutions' roles in supporting fossil fuel expansion and their climate commitments.
The rising tide of greenwashing: Navigating ‘greenwashing’ risks in climate change targets and sustainability credentials
The report highlights the risks and challenges associated with businesses misrepresenting their sustainability credentials or strategies. The document elaborates on the subject with the help of multiple examples and practical guidelines to reduce legal and reputational exposure to businesses and corporations.
