All articles by virginia furness
virginia furness
Balancing economic and climate goals in Central America
Poor and particularly climate-vulnerable Central America is in more need of impact-focused financing than most regions. The Central American Bank for Economic Integration is working hard to provide it by raising more capital internationally, such as through blue bonds.
How Barclays’ new climate targets stack up against peers
The British bank is inviting shareholders to vote on its new climate strategy at its AGM in May as part of the Say on Climate campaign. Capital Monitor assesses the target ambitions against those of Barclays’ rivals.
Ukraine: Responsible banking pledges found wanting
The war in Ukraine has triggered questions over whether existing responsible banking frameworks are fit for purpose.
Banks’ exit statements highlight dilemma as Russia exodus begins
Investment banks widely tout their ESG credentials, but decisions by Citi, Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs and J.P. Morgan to pull out of Russia are likely driven more by legal and regulatory obligations than ethical ones.
Exclusive: West must ensure total isolation of Russia to end war, says Ukraine ex-finance minister
Despite the unity of response to the invasion of Ukraine, sanctions fail to hit Russia where it really hurts – the export of oil and gas, says Natalie Jaresko. A failure to act selflessly now plays straight into Putin’s hands.
How transparent are banks about the impact of their green bonds?
All the banks reviewed by Capital Monitor publish a green bond impact report that sets out the emissions avoided by their investments. Working out the impact of these investments should be easy. It is not.
Citi sets climate pace among US banks, but questions remain
Citi has become one of a handful of big global lenders to commit to cutting the absolute emissions in its energy portfolio in line with the Paris Agreement. But it has not set out plans to pare lending to the sector.
What worries banks about the EU’s new ESG reporting proposals
The European Banking Authority’s final draft rules on ESG disclosure include important changes that may alleviate concerns lenders have about the framework, while potentially sparking others.
British farmers look to cash in on cutting carbon
Under cost pressures post-Brexit, farmers in the UK can potentially help with carbon removal and biodiversity protection, but such practices are expensive. It may be too early for them to sell carbon credits, but other schemes are emerging for channelling capital into the agricultural sector.
UK farmers hungry for climate finance but banks want more data
Greenhouse gas emissions from Britain’s agriculture sector may be falling, but farmers still need financing to help them transition to a low-carbon economy. Banks are busy gathering data to help them make decisions on, and develop tools for, lending to the industry.