Crowdfunding platform Kiva is an example to everyone in finance who wants to make systemic impact.

$140 million green bond funding used to build… a petrochemical refinery.

A World Bank meeting session on tackling biodiversity and climate change failed to find its audience.

Critics says IFC's standards lack rigour of World Bank’s 2018 Environmental and Social Framework; Bank accepts it has made many mistakes, caused environmental and social damage in the Amazon.

Why it doesn’t make sense that economic theory has kept natural capital as an externality.

Sustainable finance initiatives are great, but now is a good moment to take stock of the progress on commitments already made.

Tiny Bhutan has a claim to fame as the first and only country that can claim to be not only carbon neutral but dramatically carbon negative. Conservation is wrapped in with the national ideal of ‘gross national happiness’, a pillar of the country’s constitution and fundamental to national planning.

The Latin American nation has gone all-out to rebuild its natural environment over the last three decades, with great results – now it needs the rest of the world to pay attention.

The Seychelles was the first country to issue a debt-for-nature swap to protect its marine environment; it was also the first to issue a blue bond, raising capital to finance sustainable marine and ocean-related projects. But can it overcome the teething problems and provide a model other island nations can follow?

Using a model of up-front financing for large one-off projects, project finance for permanence may be the mechanism that can help reach the goal of 50% of the planet’s natural areas being protected in perpetuity.

Partnership with Ellen MacArthur Foundation aims to raise awareness of circular opportunity in financial sector.

The rhino impact bond has sparked excitement that financial tools can play a role in helping Africa conserve its wildlife. As the continent’s population level is set to rise quickly, Euromoney looks at the work being done to connect conservation with economic growth.

Deforestation – and the cattle farming that largely drives it – has caught the world’s attention. While some environmentalists suggest punitive measures to make Brazil a better steward of the forest, there are already more constructive, private-sector responses to the challenge. Can they scale quickly enough to save the Amazon?

Climate is no longer the only risk in town: thanks to a loud call from the scientific community, nature has finally been given a seat at the table with finance ministers, regulators and central bank governors.

To reduce greenhouse gas emissions, clean up water supplies, prevent the loss of biodiversity, mitigate fire and flood risk and meet the nutritional requirements of a growing population the world must improve its regenerative and sustainable agricultural practices – new tools and support from the financial services industry are needed to fund that transition.

Carbon markets, particularly offsets, are shaking off their past and becoming a vital instrument for reaching CO2 reduction goals, protecting and conserving biodiversity at scale, as well as meeting many of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. They need to succeed.

The Seychelles will need to tackle its drug problem head on if it wants to develop a thriving blue economy and pay back debt raised from the first ever blue bond.

Advocating ESG while investing in one of the world’s largest oil companies is an uneasy truth.

Fintechs, banks and government are working together to build clever new digital services and boost financial inclusion in a country where millions are unbanked. For now, collaboration is the name of the game.

The US Business Roundtable has changed its statement of purpose to indicate that shareholders’ ambitions for profits have to be balanced with society’s goals, but what is it that these chief executives plan to do?

Establishing clear criteria, and sticking to them, are key to successful ESG investing.

Fifth Third is the latest US regional bank to grasp an opportunity to build out its investment bank, by bolting new expertise on to an area in which it already has a strong presence.

There is far more financial risk in the system resulting from climate change than we fully understand. The sooner we bring it to light, the better for all of us.

Investors should focus on collection and recycling to have the greatest impact in targeting plastic waste.

New asset class needed if climate change targets are to be met; the green bond principles could provide a framework.

Don’t believe the doubters – the transition from fossil fuel to clean energy can be made, and made swiftly and profitably.

In June, the Refugee Investment Network launched an impact investing and blended finance collaborative connecting investors with refugee ventures.

The much-needed conversation around fintech and responsible finance just got amplified by a power of 10.

Everyone wants to buy green bonds but many issuers, concerned about cost and complexity, don’t want to sell them. Non-green issuers could be all too ready to fill the void.

Medium-term plan targets same efficiency and little ROE increase, but client growth and new social motto please mutualists and Macron.