The Observatory's data
Net-Zero Donut
The Net-Zero Donut is a visual and holistic monitoring tool for financial players who are members of the Net-Zero Alliances. These alliances were created following COP-26 in Glasgow in 2021. The Observatory has taken up and completed the transition plan framework proposed by the alliances to analyse the alignment of players with the carbon neutrality objectives.
Monitoring the ESG commitments of financial players
A unique database of over 350 French companies that have made voluntary commitments to the climate and to the sustainable management of their portfolios. Find out how the commitments are monitored and how they can be deciphered in the reading grids.
Analysis of sustainability regulatory data
The Observatory opens up a new field of analysis using data contained in the regulatory reports of financial institutions: "29 LEC reports" of French players and Pillar 3 ESG reports of European banks.
News
François Gemenne appointed Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Sustainable Finance Observatory
At its Extraordinary General Meeting held on 22 April, the Sustainable Finance Observatory announced the appointment of François Gemenne as Chair of its Board of Directors.
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Publication
Mind the Gap: Why European retail investors don’t get what they want
The European Commission’s 2018 Action Plan sought to channel EU household savings into sustainable investments to help close the €1.2 trillion annual funding gap for the 2030 climate targets. Key regulatory reforms (SFDR, MiFID II, IDD) required integrating sustainability preferences into financial advice and product governance. To assess their effectiveness, the Sustainable Finance Observatory conducted one of Europe’s largest research programmes (2017–2024), analysing investor demand, product supply, and advisory practices across 14 Member States.
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Publication
Optimizing the UE Taxonomy to make it a real economic steering tool for the transition
Based on our reviews and analyses and the experiences of major European companies that we share, we are making 24 proposals to the European Commission. We explored the limits of the taxonomic system, in particular the inconsistencies in the reporting required of companies, and we propose guidelines for pragmatic and sustainable changes, with a view to reconciling the challenges of economic competitiveness and climate strategy and making the Taxonomy a real economic steering tool for the whole European economy.
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Publication
Analysis of French investors' “Article 29 LEC” / SFDR reports
ADEME and the Observatory are publishing the 2024 annual report analysing the 800+ ‘Article 29 LEC’ / SFDR reports submitted by French financial institutions in 2024 for the 2023 financial year. This study: (i) renews the statistical analyses carried out in recent years, thanks to the use of the standardised reporting format, (ii) produces a qualitative analysis of key subjects (climate and biodiversity strategies) on a sample of 34 entities (12 insurers and 22 asset management companies, 12 of which are generalist, 5 private equity and 5 real estate), and (iii) highlights the practices of the players and conveys messages with a view to improving them.
Read the reportThe observatory in figures
220+
SUSTAINABILITY INDICATORS13
YEARS AT THE FOREFRONT OF SUSTAINABLE FINANCEWhy a Sustainable Finance Observatory?
Is the financial sector contributing to the transition to a sustainable economy, compatible with the Paris Agreement?
The Observatory is a transparency initiative launched at Climate Finance Day 2019 to answer this question. It is part of the Finance ClimAct project funded by the European Union. Its founding members are ADEME and the Fondation du Risque of the Institut Louis Bachelier.
The Observatory's members
They take part in the Observatory's governance and works:
The Observatory's threefold governance
The Observatory is hosted by the (Paris Agreement Research Commons (PARC) foundation of the Institut Louis Bachelier. It is governed by three bodies
1. The PARC Strategic Orientation Committee
2. The Observatory's Scientific and Expertise Committee
3. The Political Committee made up of members of the Observatory
A scientific and expert committee
The Scientific and Expertise Committee (SEC) of PARC foundation ensures that the Observatory's publications are methodologically rigorous. It has a say in methodologies, is involved in all new studies and makes recommendations.
Read moreBecome a member of the Observatory
Support the Observatory's transparency project and join a community of players committed to transforming the financial sector. Becoming a member of the Observatory is free. The Observatory is independent and does not represent its members. The call for membership will soon open.
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