Is this you? As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.
Claim your profile
Articles by Ingrid Walker
Roundup: NGFS hands over reins to DNB’s Olaf Sleijpen
Olaf Sleijpen, president of De Nederlandsche Bank and new chair of the Network for Greening the Financial System. Photo: DNB Also in the roundup: the International Maritime Organization defers its net-zero framework to yet more talks, and the Central Bank of Azerbaijan sets out its 2026 push on green bonds and ESG risk.
Roundup: fossil fuel phase-out talks kick-off in Santa Marta
World leaders gather in Colombia for the first multilateral conference on phasing out fossil fuels, Banco do Brasil prices what it calls the first benchmark-size nature bond from by a commercial lender, and the NGFS short-term scenarios sharpen the picture of European climate risks.
US war on Iran shows renewable energy is an inflation management tool
Recurring fossil fuel price shocks triggered by geopolitical flashpoints (like the US-Israeli strikes on Iran) consistently disrupt central bank rate plans and elevate global inflation, showing that reliance on fossil fuels is a systemic threat to financial stability. Renewable energy has shifted from being a climate project to a monetary policy imperative, offering clean energy sovereignty at near-zero marginal costs, insulating economies from volatile “fossilflation” cycles.
Roundup: 'Climate risk is financial risk,' says Nigeria central bank governor Original
African central bankers say climate change is a financial stability imperative, while the continent’s leaders endorse a continental water security framework addressing the US$30bn annual funding gap, and European Central Bank (ECB) staff raise concerns over ESRS simplification.
Roundup: Moody's upgrades Jamaica after hurricane Melissa tests disaster plans
Jamaica’s sovereign rating holds post-hurricane thanks to its multi-layered disaster financing framework, the Reserve Bank of India defers climate reporting despite mounting climate costs, and the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority opens consultation on new disclosure rules.
Explainer: What is the petrodollar and why is it under pressure?
Donald Trump’s designs on Venezuela and Greenland have sent shock waves around the world. Canadian premier Mark Carney said they have created a “rupture in the world order”, as political alliances that have held for over 80 years are thrown aside. And as the US seeks to carve out a Western Hemispheric sphere of influence, questions about the dollar’s future as the lynchpin of the global economy are growing louder.
Petrodollar under pressure from Brics currency, energy transition
Donald Trump’s designs on Venezuela and Greenland have sent shockwaves around the world. Canadian premier Mark Carney said they have created a “rupture in the world order”, as political alliances that have held for over 80 years are thrown aside. And as the US seeks to carve out a western hemispheric sphere of influence, questions about the dollar’s future as the lynchpin of the global economy are growing louder.
Roundup: NGFS releases new green monetary policy toolkit
As evidence emerges that the European Central Bank (ECB) has substantially underestimated the cost of physical climate risks, a new report from the Network for Greening the Financial System (NGFS) unpacks various green monetary policy options available to central banks. Meanwhile, eight African regulators have rapidly progressed on operationalising global sustainability reporting standards.
Roundup: Bank of England strengthens its climate risk expectations
The Bank of England strengthens its climate expectations, as the global south prepares for the European carbon border adjustment mechanism, Hong Kong explores nature-related criteria for its green taxonomy, and the Bank for International Settlements warns that central banks should monitor water scarcity.
7 stories of climate progress in 2025: clean energy boom and new leaders
More often than not, reporting on anything to do with climate change involves stories about the increasingly severe global situation. 2025 is expected to be the joint-second warmest year on record, while extreme weather events – described as “the new normal” – have hit Morocco, Nigeria, Pakistan, California, Texas, southern Europe and south-east Asia amongst others, causing death and destruction for the people caught in their wake.
Roundup: NYC pension funds should exit BlackRock over climate failures, says comptroller
New York City comptroller says the city’s pension funds should divest from BlackRock over its climate record, while European supervisors propose a natural catastrophe risk tool for property owners, Brunei establishes a green finance roadmap, and multilateral development banks unveil harmonised nature finance tracking standards.
Cop30: deep division on core issues, but progress on climate and adaptation finance
Cop30 nearly went up in smoke – quite literally when a fire broke out in the conference centre. While the official statements talk about the historic success of the negotiations, a closer look at the results reveals a more fractured reality. Mired in geopolitical tensions, there were no clear winners. While some progress was made, the lack of a US delegation left a gaping hole in leadership; one that China was well positioned to take up, but failed to step up on its commitments.
Roundup: Hurricane Melissa puts Jamaica’s catastrophe bond put to the test
In this week’s roundup: Jamaica’s catastrophe bond faces a real-world test after Hurricane Melissa’s devastation, Christine Lagarde urges EU to move faster on the green transition for security and inflation control, as the World Bank commits to host Brazil’s major tropical forest fund.
Roundup: climate shocks driving UK food inflation
Extreme weather pushes UK food prices up, New Zealand unveils its first national climate adaptation framework and more in this week’s roundup. Climate impacts drive UK food price surge Extreme weather is fuelling food inflation across the UK, according to a new Energy & Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) analysis. Prices for butter, beef, milk, coffee and chocolate, which are among the most climate‑exposed foods, rose 15.6% over the past year, compared with just 2.8% for other food and drink.
Roundup: Brazil’s groundbreaking sustainable taxonomy a ‘strategic opportunity’, says Baker McKenzie
Brazil launches a comprehensive sustainable taxonomy linking social and environmental goals, as the Net-Zero Banking Alliance votes to cease operations immediately, and the European Parliament is divided over transition plan requirements. Brazil breaks new ground, centring social justice in sustainable taxonomy Brazil is making waves with its newly approved sustainable taxonomy, placing social justice front and centre in the climate finance conversation.
Finance on the brink: central banking tackles sustainability’s hard truths
As global leaders in sustainability gathered in Madrid last week to discuss the theme of “finance on the brink”, the mood was not one of climate doomerism but of sober, pragmatic reflection. The joint conference — hosted by Green Central Banking, the European Banking Institute (EBI), and Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M) — captured a pivotal moment for green finance, as the industry stands at the intersection of overlapping crises.
Roundup: African leaders lay groundwork to ‘design world’s climate economy’
African leaders adopt an assertive strategy for scaling climate finance through home-grown solutions, as the European Court of Justice rejects Austria’s challenge to nuclear and gas inclusion in the EU taxonomy, and Ghana’s central bank pushes green finance integration for small businesses as a key component of global competitiveness Leaders outline Africa-led green finance strategy at climate summit Leaders at the second Africa Climate Summit adopted the Addis Ababa Declaration on Climate...
Roundup: ICJ climate opinion raises legal risks for EU omnibus proposals
Legal risk around the EU’s omnibus proposals balloon after ICJ’s advisory opinion on climate, the ECB poised to issue a groundbreaking climate fine, and Egypt prepares for the EU’s carbon border tax.
Report: heat stress hits labour markets, productivity and price stability
Climate change is fundamentally reshaping labour markets, driving up food prices and reducing productivity worldwide, according to a new report. This presents challenges for central banks in managing price stability and responding to employment shifts. The paper, written by Joseph Feyertag from the Centre for Economic Transition Expertise at the London School of Economics, examines how rising temperatures and the shift to a greener economy will transform employment markets.
Roundup: HSBC faces critics after NZBA exit
HSBC faces backlash after Net-Zero Banking Alliance exit, while Singapore and the UK expand their green finance ties and India reportedly gears up to release finalised disclosure rules. HSBC faces client rebellion after retreat from climate coalition HSBC’s decision to leave a major climate coalition has triggered a backlash among the bank’s more climate-focused clients, Bloomberg reports.
IDB launches $1bn Amazon bond scheme
The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has announced plans to issue up to US$1bn in bonds designed to reduce deforestation and support communities in the Amazon region. The Amazonia bonds initiative, developed jointly with the World Bank and launched at the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development in Seville earlier this month, is part of a comprehensive sustainable finance platform for countries that share the Amazon rainforest.
MAS commits to 'stay the course' on sustainable finance amid global headwinds
The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) latest sustainability report has cemented the city-state’s reputation as a green finance frontrunner in Asia. The 2024/2025 document details ambitious policy moves, regulatory upgrades, and partnership initiatives since 2024, underscoring the central bank’s commitment to anchoring Singapore’s financial system in climate resilience and sustainable growth.
Roundup: BRICS group highlights currency risk in climate finance strategy
BRICS leaders push local currency lending to address climate finance currency risks, Trump’s copper tariff drives market volatility and supply chain concerns, and Japan may postpone ISSB standards, following EU delays.
Markets accept climate litigation as material financial risk, say legal experts
Climate litigation is now recognised by “prominent market actors as a financially material risk”, according to a new report. This is the headline finding from the Grantham Research Institute’s latest annual climate litigation snapshot report.
Roundup: Australia pilots new green taxonomy with big banks
Global financial regulators advance on green taxonomies, with Australia piloting its newly released document with large banks and Caribbean governors partnering with IFC to produce a regional framework, and the TNFD consults on nature data best practices. Australia releases sustainable finance taxonomy Australia unveiled its new sustainable finance taxonomy in June.
Fossil fuel financing soared while major banks left NZBA, report finds
Global financing of fossil fuel companies has increased for the first time since 2021 with banks that have left net-zero groups among the biggest funders, according to a new report. The latest Banking on Climate Chaos report, analysing the world’s largest banks, shows fossil fuel financing climbed to US$869bn in 2024, an increase of $162bn on the previous year.
IFRS reveals new transition plan guidance
The International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) Foundation released new transition plan guidance yesterday, advancing its regulatory agenda even as speakers at its annual conference warned of mounting pressure for deregulation in an increasingly fragmented global landscape.
Roundup: US stance on climate risk sparks heated debate at FSB meeting
The US faces international backlash for its climate risk stance during the FSB’s annual plenary meeting, whilst the SEC’s decision to drop ESG rules placing it at odds with European and Asian central banks seeking to strengthen green finance. FSB climate clash during annual meeting Heated clashes over climate risk forced the temporary suspension of the Financial Stability Board’s annual plenary last week.
Roundup: IFC adopts remedial action framework
Explicit remedial policy introduced by IFC, Japan’s GX initiative preps bankable projects and shareholder group warns arms trade is an ESG blind spot. All this and more in the latest roundup. IFC adopts first-ever remedial action framework The International Finance Corporation (IFC) has become the first development finance institution to adopt an explicit policy on remedial action to address environmental and social harms caused by IFC-supported projects.
Mission 300: A Watershed Moment for Africa’s green energy transition?
A recent conference on developing green energy in Africa could mark a significant step in the continent’s journey towards financing universal electricity access. The Mission 300 project aims to provide 300 million people with electricity by 2030 and drive sustainable economic transformation across the continent. According to World Bank president Ajay Banga who attended the summit, the initiative will provide a “foundation for future development”.
FSB prioritises forward-looking analysis in latest climate risk toolkit
The Financial Stability Board (FSB) has unveiled a new holistic framework that fuses traditional financial stability analysis with a forward-looking approach to assess climate-related vulnerabilities. The toolkit represents a significant advancement in global climate risk monitoring and a “welcome addition to the FSB’s financial stability surveillance” said Nellie Liang, outgoing under-secretary for domestic finance at the US Treasury.
Cop29 roundup: global north shirks finance obligations and China poised to fill leadership void
Baku climate talks end in disappointment, China emerges as potential green finance leader amid shifting dynamics, UN releases global transition plan guide for insurers, and more in this special Cop29 roundup. Global south responds to disappointing climate finance talks The Cop29 summit in Baku concluded on a sour note after a contentious US$300bn annual climate finance deal passed despite objections from global south representatives.
Green Swan 2024: ignoring climate ‘misses our duty’
This is part one of our Green Swan 2024 coverage. Read part two. Following a year of extreme weather events around the world, senior central bankers and industry leaders gathered in Basel recently for the annual Green Swan conference. This year’s edition focussed on how the climate crisis and policymakers’ attempts to address it are transforming the real economy.
Green Swan 2024: climate crisis compels central banks to adopt novel strategies
This is part two of our Green Swan 2024 coverage. Read part one. Central banks are being forced to rethink their traditional approaches as the climate crisis poses unprecedented challenges to price stability, panellists said during a session at the recent Green Swan conference.
Dollar-denominated debt: the hidden threat to global climate ambitions
As G20 leaders prepare to convene in Rio later this month, the global south’s crushing dollar-denominated debt is emerging as a critical threat to multilateral climate finance efforts. Experts warn that this looming crisis creates often-overlooked systemic challenges which undermine the Brazilian presidency’s mission statement of “building a just world and sustainable planet”.
Dollar-denominated debt: the hidden threat to global climate ambitions
As G20 leaders prepare to convene in Rio later this month, the global south’s crushing dollar-denominated debt is emerging as a critical threat to multilateral climate finance efforts. Experts warn that this looming crisis creates often-overlooked systemic challenges which undermine the Brazilian presidency’s mission statement of “building a just world and sustainable planet”.
IMF announces partial reform to controversial surcharge policy
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has reformed its contentious surcharge policy, reducing borrowing costs for affected countries. But critics say opting to maintain the policy, albeit with lower costs, will allow harmful impacts on debt-stricken and climate vulnerable economies to persist. These surcharges are additional fees imposed on countries borrowing large amounts or for extended periods from the IMF’s general fund, levied on top of general interest rates and service costs.
IMF surcharges come under scrutiny from US lawmakers
A group of US Congress members have called on Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen to lead the charge against the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) controversial surcharge policy. The appeal comes as the IMF faces mounting pressure to overhaul the practice ahead of a critical board vote on the topic on Friday.
Roundup: BaFin says ‘less would be more’ with EU sustainability reporting rules
BaFin says EU should streamline disclosure regime, World Bank prices world-first reforestation bond, IASB consults on its sustainable accounting standards, all this and more in the latest Green Central Banking roundup. BaFin calls for less is more approach to SFDR Reforms Germany’s financial regulator, BaFin, has called for a substantial streamlining of the EU’s sustainability reporting requirements, citing concerns around the complexity and fragmentation of European disclosure regulations.
Caution: Extreme reading!
Green Central Banking shares its top picks for reading on climate finance Forget the beach. It’s too damn hot. Instead, head to a cool air conditioned room and dig into how finance is shaping – or not – the heat – or cold – you are experiencing because of climate change. The Green Central Banking team offers our picks for some fascinating books on the climate and finance to delve into, plus some research offerings that push the envelope of thinking on green finance.
Books (and papers) for the beach: summer reading recommendations
Looking to catch up on some reading this summer? The Green Central Banking team offers our picks for some fascinating books on the climate and finance to delve into, plus some research offerings that push the envelope of thinking on green finance.
Is the Fed risking climate irrelevance?
America’s central bank continues to ignore climate risk Around the world, central banks have started adapting their policies and frameworks to address the profound implications of climate issues on inflation. However, the US Federal Reserve is lagging far behind its peers.
Money matters: how to measure financed emissions
Investors are getting transparency with new reporting requirements from the International Sustainability Standards Board. Financial institutions are continuing to finance climate-damaging activities, yet emissions associated with their lending, investments and underwriting – collectively known as financed emissions – are often missing or underreported in sustainability disclosures.
Insurance, climate losses and solutions for enhancing resilience
An overwhelming majority of climate change-related losses are currently uninsured, representing a ticking time-bomb for the global financial system. This “climate protection gap” is a mounting concern for supervisors as widespread uncovered losses can significantly impact growth, inflation, credit supply, and financial resilience and climate-related impacts are accelerating in unprecedented and unpredictable ways.
Roundup: MAS earmarks $26mn in push for sustainable finance workforce
Singapore invests in green finance workforce; India widens foreign investor access to its sovereign green bond portfolio; Kenya opens consultation on its green taxonomy plus more in this week’s roundup. Singapore invests in sustainable finance workforce The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has set aside US$25.7mn to improve sustainable finance skills in the country’s financial sector over the next three years.
NGFS pushes for international guidance to mobilise transition capital
The Network for Greening the Financial System (NGFS) has published a transition plan package, outlining its vision for how transition plans can be used to boost sustainable finance and climate-proof the financial system. The package consists of three reports, each offering “thematic deep-dives” on the “broader context in which financial institution transition planning takes place”, asking how transition plans can be used to mobilise transition capital and manage climate-related financial risks.
Roundup: new research centre to help policymakers develop ‘frontier’ transition policies
A new research centre will aid policymakers with green transition policy, Azerbaijan advances its green taxonomy, the ECB says banks should factor climate into capital adequacy, and more in this week’s roundup. New centre to support policymakers develop ambitious transition plans A specialised research and policy centre will support monetary and financial policy makers with the transition to sustainable, inclusive and resilient economies.
Roundup: Brazil launches multi-billion dollar currency hedge for green projects
Brazil aims to boost foreign investment in green projects, Hong Kong pushes green guidelines to strengthen its role as regional green hub, plus more in this week’s roundup. Brazil announces multi-billion dollar FX hedge for sustainable projects Banco Central do Brasil (BCB) will facilitate a multi-billion dollar currency exchange hedge programme for sustainable investments in Brazil.
The women pushing for climate action inside the world’s central banks
As in most areas in business and industry, there are startlingly few women in senior positions within the financial sector. The latest annual report from thinktank the Official Monetary and Financial Institutions Forum (OMFIF) on gender balance shows that at current rates of promoting women in the industry, it will take 140 years to see equal numbers of men and women in senior financial positions.
The women pushing for climate action inside the world's central banks
As in most areas in business and industry, there are startlingly few women in senior positions within the financial sector. The latest annual report from thinktank the Official Monetary and Financial Institutions Forum (OMFIF) on gender balance shows that at current rates of promoting women in the industry, it will take 140 years to see equal numbers of men and women in senior financial positions.
Show More
loading
Actions
Is this you?
As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.Get in touch with Ingrid
Contact Ingrid, search articles and posts on X, monitor coverage, and track replies from one place.
Learn more about Muck Rack