Investors and banks have less than a year to comply with the European Union’s new taxonomy for sustainable activities. In this episode, we explore the challenges financial institutions face in applying the taxonomy to their portfolios — something the Biden administration is sure to be watching as it tackles its own climate goals.

Starting in January 2022 investors must explain how they use the taxonomy to assess the sustainability of their investments. They will also have to disclose what percentage of their investments are in line with the taxonomy. The new regulation is expected to radically change how investors and companies report on their environmental performance.

We hear from Daniel Bouzas, a policy adviser at the European Banking Federation. We also talk to Hans Biemans, head of sustainable markets at Dutch bank ING Group, which took part in a recent study on how banks can apply the taxonomy to their lending. Photo credit: Getty Images

Banks’ big green EU taxonomy challenge