Driving finance forpositive environmentalchange

What was COP26?

We united the world to tackle climate change

Climate change is the greatest risk facing us all and COP26 will bring parties from across the globe together to accelerate action towards the goals of the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

As a Scottish-based organisation the Global Ethical Finance Initiative is delighted to welcome the world to Scotland for COP26. Scotland has been a pioneer in finance and economics, from Adam Smith, to the foundation of the asset management industry, to Henry Duncan’s work providing access to finance for ordinary people. This history, combined with Scotland’s stunning natural capital, provide a unique opportunity for financial institutions from around the world to contribute to the fight against climate change at COP26.

Our local knowledge has ensured that our Path to COP26 campaign has an unmistakably Scottish feel; from revisiting Scottish Enlightenment thinkers in Glasgow, to discussing financing nature at Loch Lomond and not to forget our vibrant SDG Tartan.

What are GEFI doing post COP26?

Deciding Our Future


100 Days to COP | Jamison Ervin | Deciding our Future

The Path to COP Workstreams

Adam Smith at COP26

An essay and evening lecture series looking at the climate challenge through the lens of Scotland’s most famous academic son.

More information

Faith in the SDGs

A Global Islamic Finance & SDGs Taskforce meeting and Faith in the SDGs Summit bringing together global faith groups to drive change in finance through ethical leadership and investment stewardship.

More information

Finance for Nature

A hub on the banks of Loch Lomond hosting a programme of private workshops and round tables to move nature and biodiversity risk up the finance agenda around the world.

More information

Net Zero Pensions

A series of policy papers, workshops and events to support major public funds to commit to investigating the possibility of taking a Net Zero approach.

More information

At Ethical Finance 2021, the Path to COP26 campaign signatories issued an open letter to Alok Sharma, highlighting the need for the finance sector to act together to achieve decisive action at COP26, the most important summit since Paris in 2015.

Read the full letter here.

About the Global Ethical Finance Initiative (GEFI)

The Global Ethical Finance Initiative oversees, organises and coordinates a series of programmes to promote finance for positive change.

Along with delivering practical projects, GEFI annually hosts in Edinburgh the premier platform that convenes the world’s foremost business, political, civic and social leaders of society to network, share, co-develop and shape a fairer, more sustainable financial system.

Please visit globalethicalfinance.org for further information.

Strategic Partners