Climate Safe Lending Resources

Strategies for Change

Resources developed from CSLN collaborations and convenings regarding principles and practices for climate safe transitions.

Accelerating Clean Energy Banking for Consumers: A global assessment of leading financial products and services

Integrate to Zero, CSLN, Seawolf Sustainability Consulting (December 2023)

This report is a first of its kind, analysing the extent and nature of clean energy finance provided banks to consumers. The report provides global and regional snapshots of insights based on desk research covering over 144 banks, across 6 regions and 53 nations..

Banking on Climate Justice

CSLN Collaborative (January 2024)

The Banking on Climate Justice initiative is a collaborative engagement launched in April 2023 with members of the Climate Safe Lending Network. Participants from a variety of geographies and sectors have come together in hopes of raising the ambition of the banking sector to address justice whilst transforming itself in the face of the climate crisis.

The Carbon Bankroll: the Climate Impact and Untapped Power of Corporate Cash

CSLN, The Outdoor Policy Outfit, BankFWD (May 2022)

As companies increasingly focus on combating climate change, this report reveals that for many of the world’s largest companies, the carbon footprint generated by their investments and cash held in big banks are a significant source, and sometimes their largest source, of emissions. The report also provides a groundbreaking analysis of the hidden climate impact of corporate finances, making it possible to understand the scale of emissions generated by a company’s cash, investments, and financial practices.

Taking the Carbon out of Credit

CSLN (July 2020)

Taking the Carbon Out of Credit is a report published by the Climate Safe Lending Network in June 2020 that sets out an integrated mechanism, along with practical tools, for banking institutions that commit to demonstrating leadership in addressing climate change.

The Good Transition Plan: Climate Action Strategy Guidance for Banks and Lending Institutions

CSLN, Green America Center for Sustainable Solutions (October 2021)

The Good Transition Plan is a practical, actionable guide for banks to create effective climate transition plans. The guide gathers the best thinking, emerging best practices, and stakeholder expectations from over 100 climate-finance experts and professionals from around the world. It presents a structured approach to net-zero planning, with practical insights from sustainable finance leaders, including bankers, investors, policymakers, civil society organizations, and academics.

Additional GTP resources:

The Good Transition Plan Strategy Toolkit (November 2022)

The Good Transition Plan 2022 Addendum (November 2022)

Climate Risk Assessments

  • The Problems with Climate Risk Scenarios - and how to fix them
    Green Central Banking, CSLN (November 2023)
    Video recording, written summary and reading list from panel discussion in partnership with Green Central Banking. Moderator: Madison Condon, Associate Professor, Boston University School of Law. Panelists: Sanjay Joshi, Responsible Investment Consultant, Hymans Robertson; Ann Pettifor, Political Economist; Sahil Shaw, Co-founder, Tipping Frontier; Steve Keen, Distinguished Research Fellow, University College London

Net Zero Planning

Other

Leadership Development

Resources developed from the Climate Safe Learning Lab and the Climate Safe Lending Fellowship programmes.

Shifting the financial system: accelerating sustainable finance at banks

Finance Innovation Lab, Seawolf Sustainability Consulting, CSLN (September 2023)

Drawing from invaluable insights from banking professionals - including from the 2023 Climate Safe Lending Fellowship programme and the wider banking community - this report explores overcoming barriers and harnessing opportunities in order to raise bank ambition and accelerate meaningful climate action across the banking sector. Amidst an increasingly complex global context, the report aims to help banking professionals navigate the path towards sustainable change.

Catalysing Bank Climate Action: Lessons from the Inside

Finance Innovation Lab, CSLN (June 2022)

There are passionate and committed individuals working inside banks who recognise that their institutions and sector require transformation and are working tirelessly to enable this from the inside out. We call them ‘climate intrapreneurs’. This report is the first time the unique perspectives and insights of these climate intrapreneurs have been published. They are drawn from the first ever cohort of the truly pioneering Climate Safe Lending Fellowship which saw 23 Fellows from 20 banks develop the capability to lead change from within their institutions.

Policy Engagement

Resources developed regarding progressive policy advancement to enable climate-safe transitions.

Seeds of Change

Sarah Boege, University of New Hampshire; CSLN (November 2020)

The Financial Innovations Roundtable (FIR) is an annual event that works to address problems related to access to capital for low- and moderate-income consumers and communities. The FIR convenes a range of financial institutions, government agencies, foundations, and trade associations to access their expertise for problem-solving discussions. We present strategies, policy options, and scalable interventions for advancing climate finance now.

Fat Tails Tipping Points and Asymmetric Time Horizons

Greg Ford, Finance Watch; Katie Kedward and Josh-Ryan-Collins, UCL; Lukasz Krebel and Frank van Lerven, NEF; James Vaccaro, CSLN (October 2022)

Climate-related financial risks (CRFR) pose unique challenges for capital requirements regulation. The existing capital requirements regime needs stronger precautionary and macroprudential focus, paying particular attention to the prevention of environmental tipping points to avoid systemic and catastrophic impacts on the financial system and macroeconomy.

Financial Stability in a Planetary Emergency

CSLN, EIT Climate-KIC, UNEP-FI (April 2021)

Financial Stability in a Planetary Emergency highlights the need for a bold approach to financial regulation. The report outlines practical policies a regulator could adopt if given the responsibility of regulating the financial system in line with a climate-safe future, based on a review of existing literature on climate risks and financial policymaking, together with interviews with leading thinkers on sustainable finance and policy.

Consultations and Response Letters

Policy Ideas and Discussion

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