Climate change is transforming the world we live in, including our economy.

Climate change is no longer just an environmental issue. The huge impact of climate change on the foundation of our economies make it a financial risk too.

Companies and their directors are legally responsible for managing climate-related risks. But the financial world is moving far too slowly and there’s a long way to go.

At ClientEarth, we want to see investors using their power as a force for good in the fight against climate change. That’s why we’re pioneering the use of corporate and finance law to drive climate action.

What we're doing

  1. Pushing companies towards reporting climate risks

    Investors rely on companies to accurately report on the risks to their business. But most companies are not reporting their exposure to climate risk adequately. We work with regulators and businesses to push companies towards reporting on and mitigating these risks.

  2. Ensuring pension funds recognise their legal duty to manage climate-related financial risks

    Many pension fund members don’t want their money to be invested in fossil fuels. That’s why we work to ensure that pension funds recognise that they have a legal duty to manage climate-related financial risks.

  3. Highlighting where companies are failing to recognise the impact of climate change

    We work to point out where companies are failing to recognise the impact of climate change on their businesses and ensure those risks are reported to shareholders.

  4. Advocating for the integration of climate considerations

    We engage with financial regulators and industry bodies to push for the integration of climate considerations in industry guidance and laws.

What we've achieved

We’ve helped to shake up the financial industry’s approach to climate risk. We’ve published opinions and reports on legal duties of pension trustees and professional advisors, and written to 14 of the largest UK pensions funds outlining the financial and legal risks of climate change. We’ve reported four major UK companies and three insurance companies over failures to address climate change trends and risks to shareholders in their annual reports, and seen them improve their reporting in subsequent years.

2021

is the cut-off date for funding for fossil fuel projects by the European Investment Bank – a landmark decision that came after we pressured the bank to ensure its funding aligned with the Paris Agreement

2

major companies – Deloitte and Aon Hewitt – have produced climate change guides citing our work as a key driver for action

A major step forward

The European Investment Bank (EIB) funds billions in infrastructure projects across the European Union. A bank of this size can have a huge impact on the global shift away from fossil fuels. So we pressured the EIB to withdraw future funding for all fossil fuel projects. The decision has set the standard for banks worldwide and clearly signalled that oil, coal and gas lending is inconsistent with the Paris Agreement objective to limit global warming to 1.5oC.

Read the full story