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A climate-friendly bank is not established by a green label or a net-zero pledge alone. To assess one, compare its reported fossil-fuel financing, the scope and exceptions in its fossil-fuel policies, and the evidence behind its climate targets. Then check that the account is available and suitable in your country.

What should I look for in a climate-friendly bank?

Use several kinds of evidence together. UNEP FI’s October 2025 Guidance for Climate Target Setting for Banks – Version 4 recommends that banks publicly disclose long-term and interim targets, measure emissions and review progress. Independent financing analysis and policy assessments can help test how those commitments compare with reported activity and restrictions.

  • Targets: Look for both long-term goals and interim milestones, and note which sectors and financial activities they cover.
  • Measurement: Check whether the bank reports a baseline and emissions connected to lending, investments and capital-markets activity, with a clearly described scope.
  • Policies: Read the actual restrictions on coal, oil and gas. Check whether they address expansion and identify exceptions or limits on coverage.
  • Reported financing: Compare the bank’s activity in independent datasets, paying attention to the reporting period, companies covered and methodology.
  • Comparability: Confirm which bank entity is assessed and use the same years and definitions when comparing institutions.

UNEP FI’s guidance says banks are recommended to “individually and independently set and publicly disclose long-term and intermediate targets to support meeting a net-zero GHG emissions goal and towards alignment with the Paris Agreement.” That is guidance on target-setting, not proof that a particular bank’s activities already align with its goals. Read UNEP FI’s Version 4 guidance.

How do I know whether my bank funds fossil fuels?

Look for financing data that identifies the bank, the companies or activities covered, and the years analyzed. Banking on Climate Chaos (BOCC) publishes financing analysis and separate oil-and-gas and coal policy trackers. Its 2026 report page says the report covers the world’s 65 biggest banks and reports financing for 860 oil, gas and coal companies expanding fossil fuels in 2025. The company selection draws on Urgewald’s 2025 Global Oil & Gas Exit List and Global Coal Exit List.

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Those figures describe BOCC’s report scope; they are not a census of every bank or transaction. Its financing totals are method-dependent estimates, not a bank’s entire balance sheet or a direct measurement of the effect of one customer’s deposit. BOCC’s methodology FAQ describes the transaction scope, company selection, financing allocation and bank feedback process. See BOCC’s 2026 report and data and review its methodology FAQ.

Use financing data and policy assessments to answer different questions. Financing analysis estimates reported activity under a stated methodology; a policy tracker evaluates what a bank says it will restrict. A strong-sounding policy does not establish low financing, and a financing estimate does not by itself show what restrictions the bank has adopted.

How to assess a bank’s climate targets

A net-zero commitment is a statement of intent. To judge its detail, find the bank’s latest climate or sustainability report and record the publication year, baseline year, target dates, interim milestones, sectors covered and financial activities included. Check whether emissions measurement and progress reporting recur regularly, and whether the bank explains the scenarios used to set targets.

Independent assessments can provide a structured comparison, but confirm their coverage and dimensions before drawing conclusions. The Transition Pathway Initiative (TPI) says its 2025 assessment covered 36 major international banks. It evaluates which sectors and activities are included in decarbonization targets, their timeframes and alignment against low-carbon benchmarks. That assessment does not cover every bank or decide which account is best for an individual customer. Explore TPI’s Banking Tool.

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Alliance membership can help you find banks to investigate, but membership alone does not establish current performance. The Global Alliance for Banking on Values is one possible discovery route, not a substitute for checking a bank’s disclosures, independent assessments and local account terms. Visit the Global Alliance for Banking on Values.

A practical bank-checking checklist

  1. Find the bank’s latest climate or sustainability report and note its publication year.
  2. Record its target dates, interim milestones, baseline year, emissions-measurement method and covered sectors and activities.
  3. Read the fossil-fuel policies themselves. Check treatment of coal, oil and gas, new expansion, exclusions and other limits.
  4. Compare the policies with a recent independent financing dataset. Keep policy assessments and financing volumes distinct, and check their periods, definitions and bank-entity coverage.
  5. Before switching, verify deposit protection, fees, eligibility, access and transfer arrangements through official sources for your country.
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What to check before switching banks

Global research coverage does not guarantee that a bank offers consumer accounts in your country. Local deposit protection, eligibility, fees, branch or digital access, and transfer arrangements depend on jurisdiction and account terms; verify them with official local sources and the bank before moving money. Without your country and current account details, the available evidence cannot establish a best bank or recommend a specific account.

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