Asset Impact at UNEP FI's Regional Roundtable Europe 2025

Forward-looking data, transition planning, and the gap between ambition and implementation

Recently, Asset Impact was in Brussels for the UNEP FI Regional Roundtable Europe—where the focus was firmly on how banks are preparing for the transition, and what this means in practice for their clients.

Our Research Director Dr. Alex Clark joined Gillian Lofts (EY), Kate Hosking (Barclays), Irina Kuzmina (Swedbank), and Orestis Velentzas (UNEP FI) for a panel on transition planning—bringing perspectives on how forward-looking, asset-level data can help move beyond climate ambition into measurable, actionable progress.

Key themes that emerged:

• Disclosure gaps and blind spots

Companies remain highly selective in what they report. Subsidiaries are often excluded from disclosure, and few firms provide structured, asset-level visibility—leaving banks with limited transparency into real-economy exposures.

• Disconnect between plans and portfolios

Many transition strategies sound credible on paper, but it’s often unclear how they relate to the underlying assets—what’s being built, shut down, or sold to meet stated targets. The “how” is still missing from many corporate plans.

What asset-based data adds to the picture

This challenge was echoed across sessions. Our contribution focused on how bottom-up, forward-looking datasets can support financial institutions by:

• Clarifying what’s already happening across loan books

• Identifying where transition finance is needed to close gaps

• Supporting regulatory disclosures, like EBA Pillar 3 emissions intensity reporting

• Surfacing new low-carbon investment opportunities

Transition planning in practice: RWE as a case study

Dr. Clark shared an example from our data on German utility RWE, showing how stated ambitions don’t always translate into implementation:

• About 40% of emissions reductions come from planned asset retirements or renewable investments

• 5% rely on hydrogen blending, and 15% on CCUS

• The remaining ~35% of emissions lack a clear plan—some even tied to assets RWE doesn’t control

• Result: a well-articulated ambition, but a transition pathway full of uncertainty

This case illustrates why granular, forward-looking data isn’t just useful—it’s essential. Especially as banks are increasingly expected to assess physical emissions intensities and scenario alignment under evolving disclosure rules.

What’s next?

Transition planning is no longer just about risk—it’s also about financing opportunity. If you're working to assess where your institution stands today, identify gaps, and chart a course toward alignment, we’d be happy to speak.

🔗Reach out to our team

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