© Shutterstock / isak55 / WWF
Finance
​Money, so they say, makes the world go round. Well, we believe that it can do much more than that… and make a positive difference to the future of people and nature.
From banks lending credit to insurers providing cover against risk, the global finance system powers the economic activities that affect our planet. Finance enables oil companies to drill in the Arctic, agribusinesses to clear tropical forests, or dams to be built across free-flowing rivers. But it’s also the key to making our homes more energy efficient, restoring landscapes, or helping small farmers to increase yields in a sustainable way. 

By demonstrating the value of nature and the links between financial and environmental risks, we aim to redirect the flow of finance away from activities that harm our planet toward those that heal.

"Sustainable finance is the link between financial systems and ecosystems. Natural capital generates sustainable economic and environmental benefits that support healthy and resilient economies." 
 

Aaron Vermeulen, Global Finance Practice Leader, WWF @WWFLeadFinance

Financing a Nature-Positive Global Economy 
© WWF

Read more about our work on finance and find out why financial system stability depends on healthy natural systems.

© Shutterstock / Leung Cho Pan / WWF
Risks...
​The environmental impacts or long-term sustainability of investment decisions have not, until recently, been widely considered by the world of finance. That has to change.
Environmental issues pose real risks to business. That could be water shortages undermining a client’s business plan, dwindling supplies of natural resources hiking up prices, or extreme weather linked to climate change leading to economic losses and insurance pay-outs. 

Equally, as governments tighten environmental rules and consumers expect higher standards, finance institutions that don’t adapt will be left exposed. Being linked to deforestation can damage a company’s reputation, leading to losses for shareholders. Investments in fossil fuels could plummet in value if governments keep to their climate commitments.
Severe droughts might double in South-Asia over the coming years.

© WWF / Roger LeGUEN

...And Opportunities
Encouragingly, many investors and finance institutions are beginning to recognize the benefits of making investment decisions that help to tackle the loss of nature.
Some banks are already pushing their clients to adopt stronger sustainability standards, a growing number of investment funds are pulling out of fossil fuels, and there’s increasing interest in investments that deliver environmental and social returns alongside financial ones. 

And this sustainable future for finance can still be profitable. The Paris Climate Agreement could open up opportunities worth nearly US$23 trillion by 2030 in sectors like renewable energy, energy efficiency and low-carbon technology. And achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals could create at least US$12 trillion in market opportunities, ranging from reducing food waste to transforming urban public transport systems. 

© WWF

Financing green, greening finance

WWF works on ‘financing green’ – increasing investment in sustainable development; and ‘greening finance’ – improving the integration of environmental risks and opportunities into financial decision-making.

We’re also encouraging greater investment in sustainable development, and working with the finance sector to develop new ways of mobilizing resources for conserving and restoring nature.  And by pushing finance institutions to demand and reward high environmental standards among their clients, we’re using their influence to drive sustainable practices through the rest of the economy.

We’re also working with banks, insurers, regulators and others to ensure the financial system recognizes nature’s true value.

We’re demonstrating how risks like climate change, water scarcity and biodiversity loss affect investments – and how to respond. For example, we’re pressing financial institutions to align their portfolios with the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement – meaning they’d only invest in companies and projects that contribute to keeping the global temperature rise well below 2°C.

Latest on Finance
09 Oct 2024

The European Central Bank (ECB) must take far broader heed of the environmental impact of assets ...

03 Oct 2024

A new policy paper from WWF´s Greening Financial Regulation Initiative (GFRI) and CDP advocates ...

12 Sep 2024

A WWF policy brief urges central banks, financial regulators and supervisors and international ...

12 Sep 2024

CDP and WWF present an updated Temperature Scoring Methodology - the method that helps corporates ...

23 Jul 2024

Addressing climate change and nature loss requires a significant shift in allocating financial ...

17 Jul 2024

A new Guide, published today by WWF´s Greening Financial Regulation Initiative, sheds light on how ...

17 Jun 2024

​Companies need sound planning to reduce their emissions and deal with the transition to a more ...

23 May 2024

Want to find out how well your portfolio or business aligns with the temperature goal of the Paris ...

30 Apr 2024

Low-and middle-income countries should be able to count on technical and financial support from ...

04 Mar 2024

A new WWF report provides companies and financial institutions with essential knowledge and ...

Load More