Bank.Green Blog: Stories and Tips for Divesting From Fossil Fuels
We Have Reviewed All Major UK Banking Institutions. Here Is What We Found.
Our key findings from our review of 103 banking institutions. Our analysis reveals a mixed picture, with some banks making progress while others continue to finance environmentally harmful activities. We highlight the issues and opportunities we uncovered and share steps you can take to support a more sustainable banking sector.
UK Banks Green League Table (2024)
To coincide with the release of our new ratings methodology, we have ranked 103 UK-headquartered banks, overseas banks with UK branches, building societies, and bank-like financial institutions on their climate performance. Discover how your bank stacks up and take action for a greener future. (Above image courtesy of Stacey Knipe on Unsplash.)
Will Switching Banks Affect My Credit Score? Busting Green Banking Misconceptions
Switching from a dirty bank to a green bank is a great way to help our planet, but there are some things you should keep in mind as you make the switch. So, let’s clear up a few of the common misconceptions about green banks and learn how good finance can also be good for the planet!
Eight Simple Steps to Switching Your Bank
Switching banks is truly not that difficult. And you don’t have to do it all in one day. We’ll walk you through the steps here.
Green Banks That Offer Great Customer Service, According to Ipsos
Yesterday Ipsos released its "Personal Banking Service Quality" report. But Ipsos doesn’t differentiate between fossil-fuel funding offenders and green banks, so we’ve decided to do it for them. After all, what better customer service can a bank offer than to not burn down the planet?
How We Ditched Our Dirty Banks (and How You Can as Well)
Five members of the Bank.Green team share their stories about switching banks. Learn how they found their new banks, how they made the switch, and their advice for making your switch even smoother.
Greenwashing: Investments Edition
Fund managers slap “green” or “ethical” on investment vehicles that are full of fossil fuels, and investments come rolling in. They count on the fact that customers won’t look too closely at what the fund contains. Let’s unpack how they slip these dirty funds into the portfolios of customers looking for carbon-free investments.
COP28 and Finance: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
Cop28 finally uttered the words "fossil fuels," and created more funding for developing nations to reduce carbon. But none of the banks sponsoring Cop28 have signed on to net zero targets.
These 10 Great Sustainable Finance Books Could Make You an Expert
Sustainable finance is a rapidly evolving discipline with many different perspectives. If you’re just starting to learn about it, we’ve developed a list of books that provide an excellent background.
Meet the Money Movers
This collection of Bank.Green stories showcases some of those who have reclaimed control of their money by moving it out of fossil fuels. From Ireland to the Netherlands, and new parents to small business owners, we hope these testimonials inspire you.
Bank Greenwashing: Social Media Edition
For the second in our greenwashing series, we look at the ways in which the world’s biggest fossil fuel banks use Twitter and Instagram to sanitise their activities to consumers. Right this way for slick videos, earnest reports, and many, many solar panels.
A Major British Bank is Broadcasting our Green Banking Message
The Co-operative Bank is currently running an awareness campaign across British TV, radio, social media, and public locations that asks: “Do you know how your bank invests your money?” We’re frankly relieved that the message is getting out.
What Happened to the Final Part of the UN’s Big Climate Change Report?
The IPCC published a major report one year ago – and it was major news. But it was only the first of three parts. Part III explains exactly how we reign in climate change, but it was released while the world’s attention was on Ukraine. It’s time to platform Part III again.
How to De-Fund Putin’s Gas Company
Are you feeling helpless about the war in Ukraine? How is one person supposed to make a difference? Because of the ways in which finance works, you’re not as helpless as you might feel. Here’s how to simultaneously cripple Putin and mitigate climate chaos.
Introducing the Fossil Free Banking Alliance
We exist to raise awareness of the links between your money and global heating. But once you’re aware, how do you find retail banks that aren’t enabling global heating? There’s never been a certified list of banks that refuse to finance fossil fuels – until now.
Sustainable Banking Stories That Give Us Hope
Confronting banks that continue to finance a fossil-fuelled future is, quite frankly, distressing. So, we’ve decided to focus on a collection of great banking stories from around the world. If you’re unsure about moving your money to a better bank, here’s your inspiration.
The Four Steps We Take To Generate Our Bank Ratings
How do we know enough about the activities of banks to be able to build a rating system? Well, it takes a lot of work. To give you an insight into that work, we've broken down the method we use to categorize the financing activities of an ever-growing number of retail banks.
Bank Greenwashing: Website Edition
Banks are under pressure to take climate action, which is a great opportunity to whack some wholesome messaging on their websites. But what if those same banks are also financing environmental devastation? Welcome to greenwashing.
A Brief Guide to the Latest IPCC Report on Climate Change
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) recently published its latest report. We take a look at what it means and why we must take urgent action now more than ever.
COP26: Success is the Only Option
If you're familiar with the term COP26, you probably feel like it's been talked about for so long that it must already be over. Well, after a 12-month Covid-19 postponement, COP26 is on the horizon: October 31 to November 12, in Glasgow.
Line 3: An Unthinkable Pipeline Powered by Our Cash
Banks continue to use our money to enable fossil fuel megaprojects. With Keystone XL blocked by Biden, the Line 3 “Replacement” Project is now a headline battle in North America’s pipeline war. Is your bank financing this quest for unimaginable greenhouse gas emissions?
A Conquistador, the Climate Crisis, and the Finances of Atrocity
Hernán Cortés, the conquistador who toppled the Aztec Empire, was a man of terrible and unrelenting ambition. Yet his conquests shrank as time went on. Learn about how Cortés’ crimes were brought to a halt, as the crimes of the climate crisis can be too.