The UN Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) and the World Wide Fund for Nature’s Greening Financial Regulation Initiative (WWF) have jointly published a report titled "Navigating Nature-related Regulations for Banks: Mapping the Policy Landscape” which found that the adoption of nature-related regulations for banks is accelerating globally, with regional differences. It highlights the need for coherent policies that address the interplay between banks, the global financial system, and the real economy.

The United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) has announced a review of its Sector Mappings, with adjustments aimed at improving clarity and applicability for financial institutions and organisations. The revised mappings are expected to include updated sector classifications from ISIC Rev.4 to ISIC Rev.5, as well as expanded descriptions of sustainability impact associations and additional considerations related to value chains, risks, and opportunities. The process involves collaboration with peer organisations, practitioners, and sustainability experts. Feedback has been gathered through surveys, and further consultations are scheduled for Q4 2025. The updated version is anticipated for release in Q1 2026.

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has launched the Forum for Insurance Transition to Net Zero (FIT), a UN-led and convened structured dialogue and multi-stakeholder forum to support the acceleration and scaling up of voluntary climate action by the insurance industry and key stakeholders. The FIT will work with insurance market participants and engage with regulators and supervisors, net-zero standard-setters and initiatives, the scientific and academic community, civil society, and other key stakeholders (eg sustainability disclosure initiatives, real economy actors) to advance net-zero insurance thinking and practices globally.

The United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) has published an article highlighting that nature‑related reporting is becoming a financial risk and regulatory issue for banks and insurers as biodiversity loss increasingly threatens economic stability. UNEP FI notes that regulators in the European Union, South Africa and China are integrating nature‑related risks into supervision, while severe data gaps persist, with fewer than one percent of companies disclosing biodiversity impacts. The note highlights the rapid alignment of nature‑related reporting frameworks, including guidance from the Taskforce on Nature‑related Financial Disclosures, the Global Reporting Initiative 101 Biodiversity Standard effective January 2026, and forthcoming biodiversity standards from the International Sustainability Standards Board, alongside expanding double materiality regulation. It concludes that financial institutions must integrate nature impacts and dependencies into risk management, disclosure and capital allocation to remain competitive and compliant.

The UN Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) has highlighted the role of sectoral roadmaps as the backbone of transition planning, linking Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), finance and the real economy. It explains that sectoral roadmaps translate economy-wide targets into sector-specific decarbonisation pathways, guiding investment decisions, financial sector transition planning and corporate transition plans. The article notes that they support policy clarity, reduce uncertainty and help reallocate capital towards low-carbon investments, with examples from Australia, the EU and Japan demonstrating implementation.

The United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) has released a Global Investor Statement urging a comprehensive approach to tackle the climate crisis. The statement is signed by 534 institutional investors and their representatives, managing over USD $29tn in assets. The aim is to unlock private capital flows needed for a transition to a climate-resilient, nature-positive, net-zero economy.

The United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) has launched the new and enhanced Interlinkages Mapping and the 2024 edition of the Needs Mapping to help financial institutions manage sustainability impacts across environmental, social, and economic dimensions. UNEP FI has scheduled a webinar on 22 January 2024.

The United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) and the Finance for Biodiversity Foundation have collaborated on a working model providing practical guidance on how the financial sector can operationalise the Nature Positive concept to halt and reverse biodiversity loss. ‘Finance for Nature Positive: Building a Working Model’ builds on the working definitions for tracking Nature Finance developed by the World Bank Group and seeks alignment with efforts to catalyse business and finance such as the Nature Positive Initiative.

The UN Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) has created a new Risk Centre to assist financial institutions in navigating sustainability risks effectively. This unique resource comes in response to the pressing need for a comprehensive and integrated approach to tackle sustainability challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution. The Centre, available exclusively to UNEP FI’s members, offers access to a centralised platform of resources and guidance tailored specifically for risk professionals.

United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) has outlined expected nature‑related finance developments for 2026. It notes that global efforts to close the nature finance gap and align financial flows with the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) will increase ahead of COP17. UNEP FI highlights upcoming work on forest and ocean finance, including the Tropical Forests Forever Facility, the One Ocean Finance Facility and impacts of the High Seas Treaty, alongside expanding tools such as blue bonds and the Ocean Investment Protocol. UNEP FI also stresses equitable, people‑centred finance and notes increasing integration of nature‑related risks, Taskforce on Nature‑related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) adoption, and emerging focus on fungal ecosystems, signalling a shift toward mainstreaming nature across financial systems in 2026.

The United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) has published two reports providing guidance to banks on developing decarbonisation targets for the aviation and shipping sectors, setting out how financial institutions are approaching transition planning in two hard-to-abate industries. The reports outline key methodological considerations for target-setting, including benchmark selection, emissions scope, portfolio coverage, alignment metrics, and data quality, while highlighting the increasing use of emissions intensity targets and sector-specific transition measures to support alignment with net-zero objectives.

The United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) has published a briefing note for banks on power generation policy engagement in January 2026. The publication identifies barriers hindering the deployment of decarbonisation measures in the power generation sector and presents key policies that can address these barriers. The briefing note aims to support dialogue to advance policies that stimulate markets and spur capital deployment to accelerate decarbonisation of the power generation sector, whilst providing concrete policy examples. UNEP FI notes that the power generation sector lies at the heart of the transition needed to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement, as it underpins economy-wide electrification and decarbonisation efforts. The document addresses issues including grid congestion, modernisation requirements, storage and baseload considerations, and the need for retrofitting existing fossil fuel plants.