Library | Sustainable Finance Practices
Issue/sector focused research
General research and analysis that provides deep dives and insights into specific sustainability issues or industry sectors, addressing the current status, trends, risks, and opportunities for the issue but not specifically addressing a finance or business audience.
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Assessing the materiality of nature-related financial risks for the UK
The report, Assessing the Materiality of Nature-Related Financial Risks for the UK (April 2024), quantifies how biodiversity loss and environmental degradation could materially affect the UK economy and finance sector. It finds nature-related risks—especially from water scarcity, soil decline, and biodiversity loss—could reduce GDP by up to 12% by the 2030s, exceeding impacts from the Global Financial Crisis or COVID-19.
United Nations Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC)
UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) is a global centre of excellence for biodiversity and nature’s contribution to society and the economy. It works at the intersection of science, policy and practice to deliver data-driven insights, tools and partnerships that support nature-positive outcomes and informed decision-making.
Threat of mining to African great apes
The study assesses the impact of industrial mining on African great apes, revealing that up to one-third of the population about 180,000 individuals faces direct or indirect mining-related threats. West Africa is most affected, with limited habitat protection and minimal survey data, underscoring urgent needs for transparent environmental monitoring.
Greenwashing, net-zero, and the oil sands in Canada: The case of Pathways Alliance
This article analyses how Canada’s Pathways Alliance representing 95 % of oil sands output frames its net-zero commitments. Reviewing 183 public communications, it finds widespread indicators of greenwashing, including selective disclosure, unverifiable claims, and poor accountability. The study urges broader scrutiny of coordinated industry communication across digital and public relations platforms.
Global estimates of modern slavery: Forced labour and forced marriage
The 2022 Global Estimates of Modern Slavery: Forced Labour and Forced Marriage report by the ILO, Walk Free, and IOM estimates that 49.6 million people are in modern slavery of which 27.6 million in forced labour and 22 million in forced marriage. The report highlights worsening trends linked to crises such as COVID-19, conflict, and climate change, and urges coordinated global action toward SDG Target 8.7.
Mitigation efforts to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and meet the Paris Agreement have been offset by economic growth
The report analyses post-2015 trends in carbon dioxide emissions using Bayesian probabilistic models. Despite a 25% drop in global carbon intensity since the Paris Agreement, economic growth offset these gains, increasing total emissions by 5.6%. Projections indicate a 2.4 °C temperature rise by 2100 and only a 17% chance of staying below 2 °C.
Lazard Levelized Cost of Energy
The Lazard Levelized Cost of Energy+ 2025 report compares the economics of power generation, storage, and system reliability across technologies. It finds renewables remain the most cost-competitive, storage costs are falling due to market and technological shifts, and firming costs rise as renewable penetration increases, requiring diverse generation solutions.
Outside the safe operating space of the planetary boundary for novel entities
This report summarises evidence that humanity has exceeded the planetary boundary for novel entities, including chemicals and plastics. It finds that their production and emissions are increasing faster than global capacity for risk assessment and regulation, thereby threatening Earth system stability and requiring urgent action to reduce production and releases.
Tobacco Supply Chain Database
The Tobacco Supply Chain tool is a publicly accessible database mapping the global tobacco supply chain from agriculture to retail by identifying companies, processes and countries involved.
Doughnut of social and planetary boundaries monitors a world out of balance
This report presents an updated “Doughnut” framework, tracking 35 social and ecological indicators from 2000–2022. Findings show only modest progress on reducing deprivation, while ecological overshoot has worsened, with wealthier nations driving most impacts. The study highlights stark inequalities and calls for regenerative, distributive economic approaches.
The Hotspot Analysis Tool for Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP-HAT)
SCP-HAT (Sustainable Consumption and Production Hotspots Analysis Tool) is an online tool that maps national and sector-level “hotspots” of unsustainable production and consumption using input-output and lifecycle methodologies.
Disaster risk platform
The UNEP/GRID-Geneva Disaster Risk Platform offers an interactive global interface for analysing exposure, vulnerability and hazard data. It aids evidence-based decision-making by mapping natural risks and socio-economic factors, supporting resilient development and risk-informed finance.
Environmental hotspots
The Environmental Hotspots tool by UNEP offers an interactive map of high-risk ecological zones worldwide, allowing users to explore environmental pressures across sectors (e.g. ecosystems, resource extraction).
InforMEA
InforMEA is a UN information portal giving central access to multilateral environmental agreements, including treaty texts, COP decisions, national reports, laws and court rulings. It also hosts a glossary, e-learning courses and tools linking MEAs to global goals.
Opportunity mapping
The Opportunity Mapping tool by UNEP/GRID overlays global data on ecosystem distribution and human exposure to hazards, pinpointing areas where ecosystem protection or restoration may reduce disaster risk and protect the greatest number of people.
Interactive country fiches
The Interactive Country Fiches tool offers interactive, updatable environmental profiles for countries, covering eight environmental pillars. It centralises national policies, performance indicators and over 100 up-to-date datasets into a single access point.