一份比較世界40大銀行處理氣候變遷的報告中，高盛在投資銀行拔得頭籌，貝爾斯登銀行則敬陪末座。這份由位於波士頓的Ceres投資人聯盟8日發佈的商業銀行排行中，匯豐銀行居首，中國銀行殿後。
匯豐銀行永續發展部門負責人威廉(Jon Williams)10日在電話媒體記者會中表示，「匯豐在研發和資助解決氣候變遷問題，一直致力於扮演領導角色。我們將氣候變遷視為本世紀最重要的單一社會和環境挑戰，以這樣的心態長期投入和關注此議題。」
威廉稱匯豐為「全世界第一個碳平衡銀行」，為降低銀行對環境的直接衝擊，匯豐投資9000萬美元改善建築的環境效益；自2005年起開始，為銀行建築物所消耗的能源進行碳補償。
匯豐銀行聘請英國經濟學家史登爵士擔氣候變遷部門主管的特別顧問，史登爵士曾在英國政府擔任類似職務。他在2006年發表的「史登報告」，針對經濟和氣候變遷首次提出執行方案，如何以可負擔的花費減低氣候變遷風險層級。
「氣候變遷是全世界這兩世紀要面對的最大風險，」史登爵士在遠端會議對記者表示，「這個風險規模則視我們如何因應而定。」
「市場失職，因此我們要面對這麼大的風險，」史登進一步說明，「市場完全低估人們忽略氣候變遷將造成的影響幅度，這可說是有史以來最嚴峻的市場失敗。」
根據Ceres報告，愈來愈多歐洲、美國和日系銀行設定溫室氣體減量目標，以因應氣候變遷所帶來的風險和機會，並資援能源相關研究、提高對乾淨能源計畫的借款和放款，但仍有許多銀行仍未針對氣候變遷採取任何舉措。
「銀行管理與氣候變遷」完整報告請見www.ceres.org。
Goldman Sachs ranks highest and Bear Stearns ranks lowest of the investment banks rated in a first-ever analysis of the climate change governance practices of 40 of the world’s largest banks. Of the diversified banks, the report issued Thursday by the Ceres investor coalition based in Boston ranks HSBC Holdings at the top and the Bank of China at the foot of the list.
Jon Williams, head of Group Sustainable Development, HSBC Holdings, said on a telephone news conference call Thursday that the bank is "committed to playing a leading role in finding and funding solutions to climate change." He said HSBC "has a longstanding commitment to climate change as the single largest social and environmental challenge this century."
Calling HSBC "the world's first carbon neutral bank," Williams explained that the bank has reduced its direct climate impacts by investing $90 million to improve the environmental efficiency of its buildings and has offset the greenhouse gases emitted by the energy used by its buildings since 2005.
As special advisor to the chairman on climate change matters HSBC appointed British economist Lord Nicholas Stern, a former adviser to the British government on the economics of climate change and development. His 2006 report, "The Stern Review" on the economics of climate change was first to make the point that strong action at manageable cost can dimish the magnitude of the climate change risk.
"Climate change is the biggest risk the world faces this century and next," Stern told reporters on the tele-conference. "How big it turns out to be depends on our decisions."
"We face these risks largely because markets have failed," he said. "They've failed on the crucial dimension that people don't face the costs of the damages they inflict on others through climate change. Indeed, it's the greatest market failure the world has seen."
The Ceres report shows that a growing number of European, U.S. banks and Japanese banks are responding to the risks and opportunities posed by climate change by setting internal greenhouse gas reduction targets, boosting climate-related equity research, and elevating lending and financing for clean energy projects. But many others still are not addressing climate change.
The report, "Corporate Governance and Climate Change: The Banking Sector is online at: www.ceres.org.
全文及圖片詳見 ENS
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In my healing journey and learning to attain the breath awareness, I become aware of the reality that all the creatures of the world are breathing the same breath. Take action, here and now. From my physical being to the every corner of this out of balance's planet.
