2020 is a critical year for climate action. A growing number of voices are calling on banks to align their activities with climate goals. WRI is proud to host a conversation with leaders from two very different types of banks.
2020 will inevitably be a turning point for the environment. Key decisions on climate change, the ocean and biodiversity will determine if it is a turning point for the better or for the worse.
Here are four things all asset managers can do to act on climate in 2020.
Today in Madrid, 51 finance ministries re-committed to fighting climate change together through the Coalition of Finance Ministers for Climate Action. Read on for a statement from Leo Martinez-Diaz, Global Director, Finance Center, World Resources Institute.
This issue brief is based on a 2018 working paper and summarizes the REDD+ experience over the past decade, taking stock of lessons learned from REDD+ implementation to inform future forest-based climate mitigation activities.
We analyzed the effects of water shortages on five publicly traded Indian thermal power companies. In some cases, drought caused significant financial impacts, and investors should start stress-testing their portfolios now for climate impacts.
This paper provides quantitative evidence to help investors better understand and measure the financial impacts from water shortages in the thermal power sector, drawing on data and analysis of Indian companies. It introduces a new methodology to estimate the water shortage-induced impacts to earnings on five Indian thermal power companies from FY 2014-2017. It also uses outputs from climate models to analyze potential future changes to water availability in India, which could increase the risk of water shortages.
As of July 2019, 23 major banks have made sustainable finance commitments. This technical note presents a framework for interpreting and comparing the commitments using information published by committing banks. The framework focuses on aspects of the commitment design, accountability, and transparency, as well as the portfolio context of the banks.
The overarching goal of this publication is to provide a practical, easy-to-navigate reference document to help practitioners decide if or how to adopt electric and hybrid-electric bus fleets for public transport in their cities. Designed for an action-oriented policy audience looking to learn from experiences of other cities, this publication provides evidence-based answers to questions about recent developments in the electric and hybrid-electric bus space.
This webinar will explain the Green Climate Fund Contributions Calculator, which was developed by WRI's Finance center to help governments, civil society and other interested observers understand what a country ought to pledge to the GCF's upcoming replenishment.
Development banks committed record funds to climate finance in 2018, but key vulnerabilities in adaptation finance, cofinancing and portfolio alignment persist, and some institutions even backslid. To meet 2020 goals, MDBs need to kick it into overdrive.
Over 150,000 chartered financial analysts, including portfolio managers and research analysts at investment management firms, have received new guidance on how to incorporate environmental, social and governance (ESG) strategies into their work, marking a significant step towards the mainstream for sustainable investing.
With new papers on fossil fuel subsidies and the Paris Agreement on climate change, the IMF is exploring ways it can help address the climate crisis.
The world's largest asset management firm is one of the most powerful investors in the world. Despite last year's declaration of a shift towards sustainability, BlackRock still has a ways to go before sustainability can be called one of its core principles.
Investors increasingly view global sustainability challenges as material to long-term financial performance, as the visible impacts of climate change—extreme heat, droughts, floods and sea level rise—become ever clearer. But do they have enough information to manage the risks and capitalize on the opportunities of a world in transition?
This paper provides questions and answers to some of the important concerns city officials have as it relates to bike sharing, especially as a new generation emerges including dockless and electric bikes, scooters, and increased private sector involvement. It seeks to unpack some of the challenges cities are currently facing, including concerns over regulation, public space management, safety and proper infrastructure, and service reliability, among others.
The COP 24 climate negotiations in Katowice, Poland delivered mixed results. Finance was an important part of the package agreed upon.
Japan’s has the world’s third-largest asset management market, with its financial institutions managing nearly $30 trillion. Two hurdles stand in the way of the country realizing its full sustainable investment potential.
The Standing Committee on Finance, an expert body of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, released its third Biennial Assessment and Overview of Climate Finance. Read a statement from Leonardo Martinez-Diaz, Director of the Sustainable Finance Center, World Resources Institute.
China's set to spend hundreds of billions on infrastructure in other countries through its Belt and Road investments. It's said it wants them to be green—here's how they can live up to that ideal.