Sustainable - Long Reads, News, Articles & Research: Finextra

11 ways fintech can help postpone Earth Overshoot Day

Madhvi Sonia Head of Content at Finextra

11 ways fintech can help postpone Earth Overshoot Day

In 2025, Earth Overshoot Day is yet again being marked too early on 24th July. According to the Global Footprint Network, this date is “when humanity’s demand on nature surpasses Earth’s capacity to replenish nature during the entire year.” In 2024, this day fell on 1st August, meaning that humanity is persistently overusing the planet’s resources...

24 July 2025 /sustainable

5 sustainable-focused fintechs you should know about

Sehrish Alikhan Reporter at Finextra

5 sustainable-focused fintechs you should know about

In a follow-up to my previous long read on sustainability-linked bank accounts available to users, now I am looking at sustainability and green-focused fintech platforms for the everyday consumer for those seeking a climate-conscious banking experience. Looking at the biggest banks in the world, the likes of HSBC, Barclays, and JPMorgan Chase have...

23 July 2025 /sustainable

Can reducing fossil fuel subsidies advance global climate goals?

Sehrish Alikhan Reporter at Finextra

Can reducing fossil fuel subsidies advance global climate goals?

Research from ZEW Manheim found that worldwide climate targets can be met by reducing subsidies for fossil fuels. The Paris Agreement aims to limit global warming to below 2°C to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. Targets range from achieving net zero by 2035 to 2070 depending on the country, with most settling in the middle at 2050. The UK is aim...

16 July 2025 /sustainable

What sustainability-linked bank accounts are out there?

Sehrish Alikhan Reporter at Finextra

What sustainability-linked bank accounts are out there?

Due to the increasing pressure on big banks to meet net zero goals and fulfill environmental, social, and governance (ESG) requirements, a wave of sustainability-focused banking services have been released, seeking to help integrate green initiatives into consumers’ everyday lives. As Scott Hamilton detailed in an earlier Finextra long read on ES...

11 July 2025 /sustainable

What is the state of the global carbon market?

Sehrish Alikhan Reporter at Finextra

What is the state of the global carbon market?

Last week, the UK Government published a report outlining a consultation titled Voluntary Carbon and Nature Markets: Raising Integrity, which outlined principles for carbon credit integrity. The move marks the UK’s broader ambition in becoming a climate finance hub, and raises questions around what is being done globally to address carbon credits ...

23 April 2025 /sustainable

Priorities for UK climate policy following COP29

Richard Peers Founder at ResponsibleRisk Ltd

Priorities for UK climate policy following COP29

On Thursday, 3 April, business leaders and policymakers gathered online for a pivotal event organised by Westminster Forum Events. The event featured opening remarks by Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle, who emphasised the need for transformative change in addressing climate challenges. Key outcomes from COP29 Richard Millar, head of adaptation at ...

17 April 2025 /sustainable

How are sustainable finance products being incorporated into UK pension schemes?

Sehrish Alikhan Reporter at Finextra

How are sustainable finance products being incorporated into UK pension schemes?

In partnership with the University of Glasgow and University of Strathclyde, Fintech Scotland released a report on sustainable financial products and UK pension schemes last month. This article covers the findings of the report and their significance to the UK economy and sustainable finance initiatives. How is ESG being integrated into current pe...

16 April 2025 /sustainable

10 B Corp-certified financial institutions

Sehrish Alikhan Reporter at Finextra

10 B Corp-certified financial institutions

US-based organisation, B Labs is rapidly becoming a globally-recognised symbol of ethical business, with more and more businesses undergoing the vigorous process to become B Corp-certified. B Labs is working to expand its guidelines to include all types of businesses, and will likely to continue to develop and improve on requirements as the global...

02 January 2025 /sustainable

What the EU deforestation law delay means for fintech

Sehrish Alikhan Reporter at Finextra

What the EU deforestation law delay means for fintech

The EU deforestation law was proposed in June 2023 to propel environmental efforts by curbing logging and deforestation practices in nations that export to the EU. The legislation was a move towards reducing EU consumers’ impact on global deforestation, however it saw pushback from multiple nations. What is the EU deforestation law? The law would ...

11 December 2024 /sustainable

Fracking hell: What Trump’s second presidency means for green initiatives

Sehrish Alikhan Reporter at Finextra

Fracking hell: What Trump’s second presidency means for green initiatives

After a whirlwind election that saw the US map run red earlier this month, Donald Trump has been elected as the 47th US president. With a Republican majority in the Senate and House of Representatives, it is expected that sustainable ambitions and green initiatives will be taking a backseat (to say it lightly) for the next four years. While Democra...

27 November 2024 /sustainable

How sustainable finance powers community projects

Scott Hamilton Contributing Editor at Finextra Research

How sustainable finance powers community projects

Two sessions at the Association for Financial Professionals (AFP) annual conference in Nashville - among several others covering various subsets of the discipline - offered practical and promising insights into the continuing growth of sustainable finance in the corporate and consumer arenas. One involved the Canadian/global bank CIBC and two of i...

21 November 2024 /sustainable

COP16 roundup: What is the future of nature financing?

Sehrish Alikhan Reporter at Finextra

COP16 roundup: What is the future of nature financing?

The UN’s Biodiversity Summit (COP16) took place from 22 October – 8 November this year in Cali, Colombia, bringing together 196 government representatives to discuss the future of global biodiversity. The summit started off with lots of questions and ended with many left unanswered. The conference was plagued by loss of attendees, as many represent...

18 November 2024 /sustainable

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