UNEP FI December Newsletter

UNEP Finance Initiative Newsletter

Dec 2010

2011 Online Training Dates Now Available

The dates for the Online Courses Environmental and Social Risk Analysis (ESRA), Climate Change: Risks and Opportunities for the Finance Sector, Energy Efficiency Financing in Buildings, and Corporate Ecoefficiency in Financial Institutions Online Course have been recently chosen for 2011.

Since 2005, we have trained more than 1,600 professionals from the financial sector in our Environmental and Social Risk Analysis (ESRA) Training Programme. More info. Upcoming courses:

2011	Language	Date
1Q	Spanish	14 February - 4 March
1Q	English	28 February - 18 March
2Q	French	28 March - 15 April
2Q	Spanish	9 - 27 May
3Q	English	30 May - 17 June
3Q	Spanish	1 - 19 August
3Q	English	8 - 26 August
4Q	French	10 - 28 October
4Q	Spanish	31 October - 18 November
4Q	English	7 - 25 November

Since 2007, we have trained more than 500 professionals in the UNEP FI Online Course on Climate Change: Risks and Opportunities for the Finance Sector. More info. Upcoming courses:

2011	Language	Date
1Q	English	7 - 28 March

The Energy Efficiency Financing in Buildings Online Course was held for the first time in 2010 and was very well received by its participants. More info. Upcoming courses:

2011	Language	Suggested date
1S	Spanish	6 - 24 June
2S	Spanish	3 - 21 October

The Corporate Eco-Efficiency in Financial Institutions Online Course seeks to train representatives of FIs on how to make efficient use of the resources involved in their daily internal operations and reduce their environmental footprint. More info. Upcoming courses:

2011	Language	Date
1Q	Spanish	28 February - 18 March

General information on training courses. Contact: training@unepfi.org

Cancun: private finance wants ambitious action on climate change

UNEP FI, through its Climate Change Working Group, was at Cancun this month to represent the voice of private finance and capital markets on the international as well as domestic actions that need to be taken to address climate change. Representing a partnership of private lenders, insurers and investors, UNEP FI brought this community together to ask questions and provide input into the official negotiations. This focused on what is required from the future climate change regime in order to better mobilise the skills, entrepreneurship and products of the private sector in addressing the climate challenge. UNEP FI provided private finance input into COP16 negotiations, and was also very pleased to be the strategic partner of the World Climate Summit on finance and investment. Please see our website for more World Climate Summit and Cancun COP16 updates. See the Press Release.

The world's capital markets demand determined policy action on climate change

Over 250 of the world's largest global investors have a powerful message for world governments and climate negotiators in Cancun: take action now in the fight against global warming or risk economic disruptions far more severe than the recent financial crisis. Investors released the statement, which was facilitated by the UNEP FI Climate Change Working Group - in partnership with Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change (IIGCC); the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI); the Investor Network on Climate Risk (INCR); Investors Group on Climate Change (IGCC) - calling for national and international policies that will spur private investment into low-carbon growth and protect the world economy from the worst impacts of climate change. Signatories include both global players like Allianz and HSBC as well as many smaller institutions from developed and developing countries. This is the largest-ever group of investors to call for government action on climate change. Read the English, Spanish and Portuguese versions of the statement as well as the Press Release.

The statement also enjoyed the support of the Australian Senate as it was passed for a motion on 17 November. See the Australian Press Release. The statement also made headlines on Reuters, CNBC, Bloomberg, The Guardian and many other media outlets: see what they have to say.

Invitation to get involved: International Integrated Reporting Committee (IIRC)

Sir Michael Peat, Principal Private Secretary to TRH The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall, Chairman of the International Integrated Reporting Committee (IIRC), explains "the role of the IIRC is to help develop a new internationally accepted approach to reporting." Integrated Reporting (IR) is an approach which aims to provide more comprehensive information about an organisation's impacts and performance, providing, in an integrated format, financial, governance, social and environmental performance information.

Two key outputs are planned by the IIRC for 2011: i) preparation of a Discussion Paper (includes the business case for IR; the proposed IR framework on a principles basis; the role of the IIRC and other organisations in overseeing further development and adoption of IR; questions for public consultation); and ii) development of proposals for presentation at the time of the G20 meeting, November 2011. For further information about IR and how to get involved send an email to contact@integratedreporting.org.

China Development Bank embarks on Sustainable Finance Study Tour in Frankfurt

The China Development Bank - the largest Chinese bank engaged in overseas investment and financial collaboration - has sent an extended delegation on a two-week study tour on corporate social responsibility and sustainable finance. UNEP FI, along with other organisations, is actively involved in the tour, during which the delegation will cover a wide range of key subjects in sustainable finance - from climate change, carbon finance, energy efficiency/renewable energy financing, to environmental infrastructure, CSR & corporate governance, and eco-efficiency for financial institutions, etc. Through peer-to-peer exchanges with European counterparts, site visits, lectures and interactive debates, the tour will provide the delegation with a full overview of corporate social responsibility and sustainable finance, as well as the implementation in development financial institutions.

Uruguay Environmental and Social Risk Analysis Training Workshop

For the first time UNEP FI and Ecobanking convened an Introductory Environmental and Social Risk training workshop in Uruguay, in collaboration with the Private Banking Association and our local member, Banco Comercial. We organized this workshop with the aim of sensitizing bankers, risk managers and other relevant parties across the financial sector in the South cone, on the importance, effective techniques and consequential benefits of incorporating environmental and social considerations into their investment and risk management decision-making. In the course of a day participants were oriented towards practical mechanisms and tools for implementing Environmental and Social Risk Management, case study based exercises and activities, as well as peer-to-peer experience sharing from banking practitioners Banco Santander Brazil and Banco Comercial. Read more.