Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL)

Recent sustainable finance publications

61 results

Why nature matters: Nature-related risks and opportunities for insurance underwriting

5 September 2022 – The University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership’s (CISL) ClimateWise has published a new report on Nature Insurance. Download the report.This report seeks to raise awareness of the relevance of nature-related risks and opportunities for underwriters to explore how the insurance industry can properly account fo…
Modelling it all: Secondary Perils in a warming world

29 June 2022 – The University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership’s (CISL) ClimateWise has published a new white paper on secondary perils. Download the reportThis report seeks to understand how the insurance industry can refine the way it defines, measures, and underwrites secondary perils amidst an evolving climate risk landscape…
Land degradation, UK farmers and indicative financial risk - Nature-related financial risk use case

April 2022 – The University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) in collaboration with NatWest Group has published a use case about the indicative financial risk from farming degraded land.Land degradation puts UK farmers at risk during extreme weather events. In collaboration with CISL, NatWest Group quantified to what exten…
The EU Farm to Fork Strategy and Fertiliser Companies – Nature-related financial risk use case

April 2022 – The University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) in collaboration with Deutsche Bank and Union Bancaire Privée (UBP) has published a use case on how the transition to a sustainable and resilient food system impacts fertiliser company valuations.The much needed transition to a sustainable food system puts almos…
Mapping exposure to nature-related risks across financial indices – Nature-related financial risk use case

April 2022 – The University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) in collaboration with Aon has mapped nature-related risks across financial indices.Across the MSCI All World Index the biggest direct exposures were to water-related financial risksIn collaboration with CISL, Investment Leaders Group member, Aon, mapped nature-r…
Integrating Nature: The case for action on nature-related financial risks

7 April 2022 – The University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) in collaboration with banks and investment managers has detailed the case for integrating nature-related risks into financial decisions.Nature loss poses highly material financial risksIf nature is not protected, at least USD 10 trillion of GDP will be lost by…
The coming deluge: Scenario analysis for underwriting in a changing climate

28 March 2022 – ClimateWise members unpack the implications of scenario analysis for underwriting with UK flood example.Click here to download the reportAboutThe ClimateWise whitepaper considers the options, implications and communication of scenario analysis for underwriting non-life insurance. It raises awareness of different natural catastrophe …
Nature-related financial risks

What are nature-related financial risks?Leading companies recognise that a prosperous business relies upon nature and the ecosystem services it provides. They also recognise that the ‘E’ in ‘ESG’ is about protecting our biodiversity and natural capital, as well as our climate, and that the two are interlinked.Nature’s health is under pressure from …
How soil degradation amplified financial vulnerability – Nature-related financial risk use case

January 2022 – The University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) in collaboration with Robeco has published the first nature-related financial risk use case, showcasing how the vulnerability of degraded soil extreme weather can deliver a blow to asset value.Soil degradation is a highly material risk along value chains.In co…
The ClimateWise Principles Independent Review for 2021

20 January 2022 – The ClimateWise Principles Independent Review for 2021 sees scores continue to increase across the membership.Download the ClimateWise Principles Independent ReviewFindingsThe ClimateWise Principles Independent Review 2021 is the third year of reporting in full alignment with the Recommendations of the Taskforce on Climate-related…
Leadership Strategies for Client Engagement: Advancing climate-related assessment

13 January 2022 – Building on work by the Banking Environment Initiative, CISL has published recommendations for advancing climate-related assessments that enhance client engagement strategies for financial institutions.Click here to download the paper.AboutThe University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership’s report, Leadership str…
Climate Tango: Principles for integrating physical and transition climate-risk assessment with sectoral examples

13 January 2022 – The University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership’s (CISL) ClimateWise leads paper on integrating climate-related risk assessment.Click here to download the report.AboutA systemic approach to understanding and addressing sustainability is critical to the financial sector tackling the complex network of interconne…
Understanding Corporates’ Transitions to Net Zero: Industry survey on net zero transition progress and challenges

23 December 2021 – The University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) has published a business briefing for understanding corporates’ transitions to net zero based on a quantitative industry survey.Download the reportContextCorporate sectors’ transitions to net zero require significant financing support from the banking indu…
Insurance industry must align to Paris Agreement, starting now

20 December 2021 - Bronwyn Clare, Senior Programme Manager at CISL, argues that partnership between an insurer and their clients on net zero aligned underwriting is critical to a smooth net zero transition for both.In 2017 AXA warned a 4-degree rise in global temperature would make the world uninsurable. A lot has happened since then that has great…
Insurers in Paris-aligned climate transition: Practical actions towards net zero underwriting

13 December 2021 – The University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership’s (CISL) ClimateWise initiative has published a new report on net zero underwriting commitment and the practical actions. Read the reportInsurers in Paris-aligned climate transition: Practical actions towards new zero underwriting outlines the current definition …