Key Regulatory Initiatives in EU Sustainable Banking

Abstract

With temperature exhibiting a growing trend and posing threats to future generations, the Paris Agreement set a cap level of no more than 2°C for the temperature increase, emphasizing the need for cross-national participation to combat climate change. At the European level, the European Commission pledged to make Europe achieve carbon neutrality by mid-century. However, to deliver on its commitment, extensive financial support and engagement from both private and public-sector players were acknowledged as requisites. Therefore, through their funding mechanism, banks assumed a leading role in financing the transition to a green economy. However, a new challenge of systemic nature – i.e. ESG risks – emerged, gaining regulatory attention and subsequently triggering numerous regulatory reforms. Therefore, this study explores the current European regulatory environment addressing sustainability, aiming to identify whether such regulatory frameworks can be considered a strategic opportunity, or contrastingly, a strategic burden for credit institutions.