HSBC joins $28.5 trillion Net Zero Banking Alliance

02 / 05 / 2021

By Marwa Nassar -

HSBC is joining forces with 42 banks from 23 countries to unlock the banking sector’s potential to accelerate the global transition to net zero.

The banks, with a combined total of $28.5 trillion in assets, have founded the industry-led, UN-convened Net Zero Banking Alliance (NZBA) to bring collaboration and consistency to collective efforts to reach the Paris Agreement goals.

The NZBA was co-launched by the Financial Services Taskforce (FSTF) of the Prince of Wales’ Sustainable Markets Initiative.

“A commitment to financing the transition to net zero is essential. It’s important that the banking sector is committed to providing the financial support needed to help customers on that transition,” said HSBC Group Chief Executive Noel Quinn, who chairs the FSTF.

“But we have to establish a robust and transparent framework for monitoring progress against that objective and we want to set that standard for the banking industry. Industry-wide collaboration is essential in achieving that goal.”

“It’s important that the banking sector is committed to providing the financial support needed to help customers on that transition,” HSBC Group Chief Executive Noel Quinn said.

The NZBA is a member alliance of the newly-launched Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ), chaired by Mark Carney, UN Special Envoy on Climate Action and Finance.

GFANZ – launched ahead of November’s UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow – is bringing together more than 160 companies from a number of net zero finance initiatives to help mobilize the trillions of dollars necessary to build a global zero emissions economy by 2050 at the latest.

“This is the breakthrough in mainstreaming climate finance the world needs,” said Carney.

“GFANZ will act as the strategic forum to ensure the financial system works together to broaden, deepen, and accelerate the transition to a net zero economy.”

All GFANZ member alliances must be accredited by the UN Race to Zero campaign and must use science-based guidelines to reach net zero emissions, include 2030 interim target-setting, and commit to transparent reporting and accounting.

HSBC has pledged to reduce financed emissions from its portfolio of customers to net zero by 2050 or sooner.

The bank also expects to provide between $750 billion and $1 trillion in finance and investment by 2030 to support our customers in all sectors in their transition.