Articles by author
The future of UK green finance policy and implications for the banking sector
On 9 November, Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak delivered a statement to the House of Commons setting out the government’s ambition for the future of UK financial services. One of the core objectives of the government’s policy is to position the UK as a global leader in green finance ahead of the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 26), and the statement sets out a host of new proposals aimed at supporting capital flows for the purpose of sustainable investment. Green finance is also a key tenet of the government’s broader strategy to rebuild the UK economy following the COVID-19 pandemic with a greater focus on sustainability.
1 FEB 2021EU Sustainable Finance Taxonomy
In this In Practice article, Daniel Nevzat provides a short overview of the Climate Delegated Act outlining the technical screening criteria (TSC) which set the conditions for an economic activity to qualify as contributing substantially to climate change mitigation or climate change adaptation under the EU Taxonomy Regulation.
1 JUL 2021Developing policies for green and sustainable finance for the aviation industry
The application of green and sustainable lending principles to the aviation industry has long been a source of controversy and confusion. At the heart of the matter is whether lending to an airline can ever be considered truly “green” and if not, then whether aviation could be considered a transitioning industry with lending practices supporting the move towards lower emissions. The lack of definitive criteria as to what constitutes green or sustainable financing in the context of aviation has led to the inability of airlines and lessors to access this kind of financing. This article considers whether the inclusion of aviation in the EU’s Taxonomy Regulation1 will facilitate the availability of green and sustainable finance products for the finance and leasing of aircraft.
1 FEB 2022“Double materiality”: what does it mean for non-financial reporting?
Companies have been publicly reporting on their financial performance for over a hundred years. However, they are increasingly having to make public non-financial disclosures relating to sustainability and environmental, social and governance (ESG) matters as a result of rules, laws and regulations issued by stock exchanges, governments and regulators worldwide. In the context of non-financial reporting, there has been increasing awareness of the concept of “double materiality” in recent years. In this article we clarify what “double materiality” means and provide the context of its regulatory background within the EU. We also consider the significance of “double materiality” and give our views on the potential consequences for companies of non-compliance.
1 APR 2023
