Green and Sustainable Finance Hub

Any financial initiative, process, product or service that is designed to protect the natural environment and support the transition to a sustainable, low-carbon world; and/or manage climate-related and other environmental risks impacting finance and investment. 

The inclusion of economic, environmental and social factors in an organisation’s strategy, management, activities and operations; combined with the financing of sustainable economic, environmental and social objectives

Ensuring that the transition from a high to low carbon economy is fair for current and future generations, particularly those communities and workers most impacted 

Projects and activities that aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the rate of climate change.

Projects and activities that aim to improve resilience to the effects of climate change.

Energy that comes from a source that is not depleted when it is used or is naturally replenished within a human timescale.

Fuel that is formed from the decayed remains of plants or animals, such as coal and oil.

The full range of ecosystems, species and gene pools in the environment – the full variety of plant and animal life on earth.

An approach that sees the financial system as embedded in the economy, society and the environment.

Reducing the amount of carbon (e.g. carbon dioxide or methane) emitted from an agricultural, industrial or other process.

The opposite of an investment, e.g. selling rather than buying an asset such as shares in a firm.

Total greenhouse gas emissions associated with the production, processing and consumption of products and services, offset by activities to mitigate emissions, such as Carbon Capture and Storage.

In December 2015, countries agreed to combat climate change and to accelerate and intensify the actions and investments needed to support the transition to a low-carbon world. The Agreement’s central aim is to strengthen the global response to the threat of climate change by keeping a global temperature rise in the 21st century below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and to pursue greater efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius. The Agreement entered into force in November 2016, after countries accounting in total for at least 55% of total global greenhouse gas emissions ratified the Agreement. 

The United Nations body that assesses the science related to climate change. The IPCC provides regular assessments of the scientific basis of climate change, its impacts and future risks, and options for adaptation and mitigation. 

The mismatch between business, political and regulatory cycles, and the timescale needed to prevent climate change impacting on financial stability.

An approach that sees the role of business as generating value for all the stakeholders it serves.

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Agreed in 1992, and ratified by 197 parties to the Convention, the UNFCCC is the key international treaty providing a global framework for combating climate change.  The Paris Agreement (see above) is an agreement reached within the UNFCCC process. 

Making false, misleading or unsubstantiated claims about the positive environmental impact of a product, service or activity.

17 objectives agreed by 193 countries in 2015 to address the major environmental, social and economic challenges of our time.