The European Central Bank takes further steps to incorporate climate change into its monetary policy operations.

The ECB will account for climate change in its corporate bond purchases, collateral framework, disclosure requirements and risk management, in line with its climate action plan.

The Eurosystem aims to gradually decarbonise its corporate bond holdings, on a path aligned with the goals of the Paris Agreement. It will limit the share of assets issued by entities with a high carbon footprint that can be pledged as collateral by individual counterparties when borrowing from the Eurosystem. It will only accept marketable assets and credit claims from companies and debtors that comply with the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) as collateral in Eurosystem credit operations. The Eurosystem will further enhance its risk assessment tools and capabilities to better include climate-related risks.

These measures aim to reduce financial risk related to climate change on the Eurosystem’s balance sheet, encourage transparency, and support the green transition of the economy.

Looking ahead, the Governing Council is committed to regularly reviewing that they are fit for purpose and aligned with the objectives of the Paris Agreement and the EU’s climate neutrality objectives.

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EU agrees on company disclosures to combat greenwashing.

The European Union has reached a deal on corporate sustainability 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰.

Listed or unlisted companies with over 250 staff and turnover of €40 million will have to disclose environmental, social and governance (ESG) risks and opportunities, and the impact of their activities on the environment and people.

Some smaller listed companies will be subject to a lighter set of reporting standards, which they can opt out of until 2028, the committee said. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗺𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗯𝗲 𝗮𝘂𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗹𝘆. The CSRD will replace the current Non-Financial Reporting Directive (NFRD).

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European Sustainability Reporting Standards

Cluster 2 of the EFRAG’s Project Task Force on European Sustainability Reporting Standards (PTF-ESRS)  has published a Climate Standard Prototype working paper as well as an accompanying basis for conclusions. EFRAG said that these documents are a “robust basis for future PTF-ESRS discussions and a further step towards a draft standard.” The PTF-ESRS continues to work on draft standards covering sustainability issues requested in the CSRD proposal

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Basis for conclusions: https://bit.ly/2WGO5i4

Climate standard prototype’ working paper: https://bit.ly/3la2vkh