Until December 2021, UNEP FI’s Responsible Property Investment programme worked to address a range of challenges in the field of sustainable real estate. The programme drove innovation by facilitating access to relevant information and best practice, as well as developing the necessary tools that property investors and professionals need to systematically apply and integrate ESG criteria into investment and lending decisions. From January 2022, investors will continue to drive progress in the area of responsible property though the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI). Find more information here.
Achievements of UNEP FI’s Responsible Property working group
Aligning with the Paris Climate Agreement
- A study of the impact from physical climate risk reviewed recent academic literature on property markets globally to assess the extent to which extreme weather and chronic impacts are being priced and valued by investors. The report serves as a blueprint for further market structuring, financial modelling, and research activities to improve transparency around climate risk variables and asset pricing.
- Piloting an approach to scenario development and portfolio analysis for property investors to build the first set of climate-related physical and transition risks disclosures in alignment with the recommendations of TCFD.
- Publication of the results from a survey of global real estate investors on the strategy and practice changes being seen within institutions and across the sector to deepen ESG integration and raise ambition toward meeting the Paris climate goals.
- Publication of the Sustainable Real Estate Investment Framework to provide a step-by-step guide that real estate investors, their advisors and asset managers can apply to systematically integrate ESG and climate risks factors into their investment processes.
- Through the Global Alliance on Buildings and Construction, providing leadership on investment gaps in countries’ NDCs with regards to buildings as well as contributing to status reports, roadmaps, building data tools and setting of Science Based Targets for property sector’s decarbonisation and resilience.
Positive Impact and Financing the SDGs
- Publication of Positive Impact Real Estate Investment Framework to help property investors implement an impact-based approach in their investments, developed by UNEP FI’s Positive Impact Initiative.
Increasing Investment in Energy Efficiency
- Participating in the European Commission Energy Efficiency Financial Institutions Group (EEFIG), and the Energy Efficiency Financing Platformto further promote enabling policies for energy efficiency investment and financing tools.
Response to the COVID-19 Crisis and Recovery
- Publication of a thought leadership bulletin summarising present efforts and strategic thinking from the PWG members on responding to the coronavirus pandemic and recovery through an ESG integration lens.
- A global survey and research reporton investor motivation and drivers for integrating health and wellness factors into real estate investment and management decision-making.
Find all the programme’s publications here.
Find out more about UNEP FI’s current work with investors under the auspices of the Investment Leadership Programme.