A sustainable financial system on the agenda at Davos

The United Nations Environment Programme’s Inquiry into the Design of a Sustainable Financial System will present its interim report in Davos this week. The report has been initiated to advance policy options to improve the financial system’s effectiveness in mobilising capital towards a green and inclusive economy, and the interim report profiles innovations in five areas including institutional investment.

Here it explores policy changes in three broad areas: capital allocation, investor governance and market incentives in order to align the assets of institutional investors with sustainable development.

The report’s authors are positive about progress, saying that 2015 is poised to be the year of sustainable development, with growing focus on innovative policies to mobilise the trillions of dollars needed for long-term inclusive wealth creation.

The report identifies a number of high potential areas which could contribute to this shift including three major asset pools – banking, bond markets and institutional investors – as well as two emerging policy tools – monetary policy and ‘environmental stress tests’.

The UNEP Inquiry into Design Options for a Sustainable Financial System, now entering the second half of its two-year work program, was created to explore emerging changes and reforms to the financial system that would improve its alignment with sustainable development. Its investigations to date have revealed many innovations in financial and monetary policy, regulation and financial market standards.

The Inquiry is now half way through its work program and will complete its research and engagement at the end of 2015.

Sponsored Content

 

To access the report, Pathways to Scale, click below

 Inquiry – Pathways to Scale

Leave a Comment

Sort content by

CalPERS examines adopting SDGs

The $357 billion pension plan will examine aligning its portfolio with the UN’s SDGs, which would give the fund’s ESG engagement a more keen focus on social objectives such as ending poverty.

QSuper chair Karl Morris opens up

In this Q&A, the chairman of Queensland’s $72 billion superannuation fund reflects on going public offer, launching an insurance arm, and the much-debated representative trustee board model.

Investors face unprecedented change

AustralianSuper CIO Mark Delaney and CFSGAM’s Mark Lazberger told the CFA Australian Investment Conference that everything from technology to diversity was evolving to reshape the profession.

Most popular stories of 2017

This year, as you might expect, our readers placed six investor profiles among our top 10 most read stories. See what other types of stories topped the list and find out what was No. 1.

Investors launch Climate Action 100+

Hundreds of global investors, including CalPERS and the Swedish buffer funds, have come together to pursue low-carbon goals by working actively with big companies and publicising their progress.

Inside Canada’s exemplary pensions

A report by the World Bank showcases the features of the Canadian model that have made it the poster-child of good pension design.

Previous