Amid political skepticism about the cost of achieving net zero in the UK, investors are urging major banks to reinforce their climate commitments. At Barclays’ AGM, a group managing £1.36 trillion in assets will call for a clear renewable energy funding target. Similar pressure is being applied to Standard Chartered and HSBC this week.
Barclays has pledged $1 trillion in sustainable financing by 2030, with $162.2 billion already delivered. However, investors led by ShareAction are demanding detailed disclosures on how the bank quantifies its progress and are pushing for a specific goal for renewable power investments.
Standard Chartered investors will highlight the bank’s potential to support clean energy in emerging markets. HSBC reaffirmed its net-zero commitment at its AGM, despite growing political resistance to green finance both in the UK and globally.
