ESG and sustainability
ESG and sustainability
Context
The goal for the EU Commission is “to reconcile the economy with our planet, to reconcile the way we produce and the way we consume with our planet, and to make it work for our people”. The EU leaders recognise notably that the transition to climate neutrality would bring significant opportunities, such as potential for economic growth, business and technological development.
It is worth therefore discussing the conditions to foster investment in sustainable projects. Indeed, while according to the EIB 2019 economic investment report, the investment activity in the European Union had recovered from the recession following the financial crisis, the report stresses that the investment required notably to the transition to a net zero-carbon economy is not yet on track.
Indeed, an effective and swift-enough transition requires in particular an un precedented effort from citizens, consumers, SMEs, etc. and in particular that they foster sustainable investments. However, progress in this area result from a complex combination of forward-looking targets, transparency tools, governance arrangements, financing/risk reduction facilities and efficient incentivisation frameworks.
Such a complexity is further compounded by a context of ever higher indebted EU economies focused on growth relaunch in the Covid19 pandemic context. This requires turning the Green Deal into an indispensable tool to set the policies that will enable reducing risks in the EU, be they climate or biodiversity related, and bring about additional growth opportunities in the EU.
Contributions to the policy debate
Extracted from the main Eurofi publications (Regulatory Updates, Views Magazines and Conference Summaries)
Key Eurofi
documents
Eurofi policy notes
The international harmonisation of ESG standards: a challenge and a need - April 2021 new
The financial and non-financial challenges of the Green Deal - April 2020
Public and private
sector views
Public authority views
S. Goulard - Banque de France - Climate risks, new risks? - April 2021 new
Industry views
A. Finucane - Bank of America - The ESG agenda needs global actionable commitments - April 2021 new
J. Ground - Capital Group - Why reporting on human capital matters - April 2021 new
E. Mazzacurati - Moody’s ESG Solutions Group - The true costs of climate change - April 2021 new
A. Smith - HSBC Holdings plc - The 8Cs of Effective Climate Risk Management - April 2021 new
K. Nakamura - SMBC Europe - Encouraging sustainability – managing risk - September 2020