Library | Sustainable Finance Practices
Fixing financial and economic systems
Resources focused on transforming financial and economic systems to prioritise human well-being, equity, and environmental sustainability. Includes systemic change models such as degrowth, green growth, doughnut economics, and limits to growth.
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The commoditization of labor
This research examines how technological standardisation commoditises labour by making workers interchangeable. It develops a model showing that while this process increases productivity, it simultaneously reduces worker bargaining power and wages. This framework explains the declining large-firm wage premium and the divergence between productivity and pay in services.
Regenerative Catalysts at TIFS
Regenerative Catalysts by TIFS is a platform showcasing investable regenerative food systems. It provides finance professionals with curated resources on financing models, agroecology frameworks, and case studies to support the transition toward sustainable and resilient global food production.
Mainstreaming just transition finance: Lessons from emerging best practice
This report examines the integration of just transition principles into private finance. It highlights structural barriers, including the lack of robust business cases and quantifiable evidence. Recommendations include embedding just transition into existing regulatory frameworks, strengthening the evidence base for commercial benefits, and aligning private incentives with national commitments.
Financial Innovation Knowledge Platform
CPI's platform offering practical tools, research, and guidance for public and private actors developing and investing in climate finance vehicles.
Ocean investment protocol: 2026 revised draft for consultation: A multi-stakeholder plan to enable funding for the Sustainable Ocean Economy
This report provides a framework for scaling finance towards a sustainable ocean economy. It outlines recommendations for financial institutions, insurers, governments, and central banks to manage risks and capture opportunities. The protocol aims to mobilise the US$1 trillion required by 2030 to protect marine ecosystems and ensure prosperity.
The silence of the loans: Banks should adopt methane policies that cover financing and facilitating emissions
Planet Tracker examines twenty-five banks' policies regarding agricultural methane emissions. Despite methane's high potency, no banks have specific reduction targets for this sector. Most policies focus solely on direct financing, ignoring facilitated debt which constitutes 96% of corporate funding, creating significant financial and regulatory risks for lenders.
Mapping the landscape of net-zero nature-positive finance: A review of definitions and frameworks
This report provides a comprehensive review of definitions and frameworks for net-zero, nature-positive, and climate-nature finance. It identifies alignment areas and implementation gaps, advocating for integrated risk and investment approaches to achieve global sustainability goals under the Paris Agreement and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
Connecting capital within African agrifood systems: Lessons from a decade of practice
This report examines the structural misalignment between investors and agribusinesses in African agrifood systems. It highlights that while annual climate finance reached USD 7.8 billion, it falls short of the USD 1.1 trillion global requirement. Recommendations focus on improving technical assistance and intermediation to mobilise capital effectively.
Toward transformation in finance: Seeds of nature-positive futures
This research examines "finance for nature seeds" — innovative initiatives aimed at transforming the financial sector to reverse nature loss. By analysing 92 global projects, the study identifies diverse approaches to funding nature stewardship, highlighting current reliance on market-based mechanisms and the potential for inclusive, value-pluralistic financial systems.
Credible climate financing and fossil fuel phase-out commitments are possible but remain marginal amongst major financial institutions
WBA's analysis of 400 major financial institutions finds that transition planning is emerging but capital allocation to low-carbon solutions and fossil fuel phase-out commitments remain marginal. Only two institutions demonstrate robust fossil-fuel restrictions, and low-carbon activities account for an average of just 2.7% of total financed activities globally.
An expanding mandate: A systems-level framework for asset management
This report from the Thinking Ahead Institute and CAIA Association argues for expanding the investment mandate to incorporate systems-level thinking. Drawing on a survey of 176 asset managers and roundtables with 120 senior executives, it presents an inside-out, outside-in framework for navigating polycrisis and long-term systemic risks.
TIIP: The Investment Integration Project
TIIP develops tools and advisory services for system-level investing, helping institutional investors manage systemic risks related to climate change and inequality.
Doughnut of Social and Planetary Boundaries
The Doughnut of Social and Planetary Boundaries is a visual monitor tracking global progress across social foundations and ecological limits.
Leading the charge: Turning risk into reward with a circular economy for EV batteries and critical minerals
This report by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation examines systemic risks in the EV battery value chain and sets out a circular economy framework, identifying five bright spots — battery design, rightsizing, circular business models, regional infrastructure, and data transparency — to build resilience and reduce critical mineral demand.
Modeling ghost GDP: Macro-financial risk and diversified portfolios in the age of artificial intelligence, automation, and populism
This PDI working paper stress-tests four AI-driven labour displacement scenarios against US macro-financial data, modelling cascading losses across household debt, corporate credit, equities, pensions, insurance, and fiscal channels. Total economy-wide value at risk ranges from approximately $15–18 trillion (Light) to $62–72 trillion (Aggressive). Predistributive mechanisms are proposed as structural solutions.
Counting what counts: A compass of progress for people and planet
This report presents a new framework and a dashboard of 31 indicators proposed by the UN High-Level Expert Group to measure societal progress beyond GDP. It emphasises equitable, inclusive and sustainable well-being, offering actionable recommendations for global adoption and enhanced statistical capacity by 2027.