The Inquiry’s Annual Overview 2017 provides a summary of our work on aligning the financial system with sustainable development during 2017, divided in four themes:
- Country engagement
- International collaboration
- Cross-cutting themes: Green Invest and Green Digital Finance Alliance
- Selected events
Nearly 300 policy and regulatory measures targeting sustainability were in place in over 60 countries as of October 2017 – up roughly 30 percent since July 2016. Green bond issuance hit a new record of US$155.5 billion in 2017, with more growth expected. Sustainable finance has even reached UN Secretary-General level, with António Guterres in September unveiling a strategy to help reshape the financial system to make it fit-for-purpose – a direct echo of what we have been doing for four years.
The Inquiry continues to support and drive these trends, as this annual review shows. The report highlights our work, including national-level activities with countries that are incorporating sustainability into their financial architecture, and international collaboration with bodies such as the G20 and G7, as well as the 17 cities who have joined the sustainable financial centres network.