Vancity discloses GHG emissions of its loans and investments

Partnership for Carbon Accounting Financials methodology used to measure financed emissions

Disclosure is a primary step towards Vancity’s 2040 net-zero goal

TERRITORIES OF MUSQUEAM, SQUAMISH and TSLEIL-WAUTUTH NATIONS and VANCOUVER, British Columbia, June 24, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —  Vancity immediately introduced its public disclosure of its financed greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) – these from the loans, in addition to from the investments it manages on behalf of members. Making use of the methodology from the Partnership for Carbon Accounting Financials (PCAF), Vancity’s disclosure allows a better understanding of its environmental influence throughout the framework of the Paris Settlement and lays the preliminary groundwork for setting its 2025 interim local weather targets. This accounting permits Vancity to generate the foundational knowledge wanted to set its roadmap to net-zero.

A worldwide partnership launched in 2019, PCAF standardizes GHG accounting for the monetary sector, enabling a harmonized strategy to the evaluation and disclosure of greenhouse gasoline emissions financed by loans and investments. PCAF is utilized by asset homeowners, asset managers and monetary establishments to assist a broad vary of local weather initiatives and members of PCAF characterize CAD$50 trillion from monetary establishments globally. Vancity was the primary Canadian monetary establishment to affix PCAF as a working group member to contribute to the event of what’s now the Global GHG Accounting and Reporting Standard for the Financial Industry.

Vancity’s estimated financed and operational emissions for 2020 are as follows:

A photograph accompanying this announcement is on the market at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2d183f2c-3f58-4bca-a902-f385f76ad63c

Key findings:

• Whereas these preliminary outcomes are estimates, and largely depend on sector, constructing or car averages, they supply significant insights and a beginning place for future disclosures. The outcomes additionally underscore the necessity for higher knowledge availability sector-wide.
• Financed emissions from Vancity’s lending, as presently calculated, are 36 instances greater than its operational emissions. A Climate Disclosure Project report estimates that the typical distinction between lending and operations throughout the banking sector is nearer to 700 instances.
• Vancity’s business actual property portfolio (loans used to buy and refinance business actual property) is chargeable for essentially the most emissions, whereas motorcar loans generate the best emissions per greenback loaned.
• Most emissions attributed to residential mortgages are generated by single indifferent properties and are associated to pure gasoline utilization.
• A major supply of emissions generated from Vancity’s normal enterprise loans is said to the development and renovation of buildings, a sector with round 10 instances the emissions of another sector supported by the credit score union.

Whereas many monetary establishments should take care of emissions from fossil fuels, Vancity doesn’t lend or instantly spend money on that sector and most of its financed emissions come from its mortgage portfolio. The insights from this disclosure level to alternatives for the best reductions, comparable to creating merchandise and partnerships, and making info accessible that can assist members to affordably retrofit properties and substitute gas-powered heating and cooling programs with extra decrease emitting options.

“Tackling the local weather disaster requires an pressing system-wide response, and monetary establishments need to take formidable motion – even when meaning shifting how all of us do enterprise. Credible local weather accounting and disclosure are on the coronary heart of the required shift,” mentioned Christine Bergeron, Vancity President and CEO.

“What will get measured, issues,” mentioned Christine. “When the monetary sector decides that emissions are essential, it turns into a precedence within the wider financial system. Local weather targets should include actions to scale back emissions. And to do this that you must know the place you’re ranging from. Vancity’s disclosure is voluntary, and we’ll proceed to report out yearly, however Canada’s monetary system wants a standardized strategy to local weather danger metrics if we’re going to have the ability to perceive the broader dangers posed by the local weather disaster,” she continued.

“We’re happy to see Vancity proceed to set an instance within the area as not solely an early adopter of PCAF, but in addition one of many first North American monetary establishments to measure and disclose their financed emissions utilizing the PCAF Normal,” mentioned Nicole Labutong, PCAF North America Regional Lead.

Vancity will disclose its emissions yearly whereas looking for to enhance knowledge high quality and availability because it builds scenario-based interim targets, starting with targets for 2025. The credit score union has dedicated to reaching net-zero emissions throughout its lending portfolio by 2040.

Supporting info

• Vancity set its net-zero by 2040 goal in January 2021
• In April 2021, Vancity grew to become the primary, and to this point, solely, Canadian monetary establishment to affix the Net-Zero Banking Alliance
• In 2020, Vancity declared its assist for the Job Pressure on Local weather-related Monetary Disclosures (TCFD)
• In 2019, the credit score union signed the World Alliance for Banking on Values’ Local weather Change Dedication and joined the Partnership for Carbon Accounting Financials (PCAF), committing to measure and disclose the local weather influence of its loans and investments
• Vancity can also be a signatory to the United Nations Surroundings Programme Finance Initiative’s (UNEP FI) Collective Commitment to Climate Action, which requires signatories to set and publish targets for aligning their portfolios to attempt for a 1.5 diploma Celsius trajectory, based mostly on scientifically established local weather eventualities
• Vancity’s President and CEO, Christine Bergeron, represents North America on the UNEP FI’s Banking Board

For extra details about Vancity’s local weather disclosure and commitments, please go to rethink.vancity.com/climatedisclosures

About Vancity
Vancity is a values-based monetary co-operative serving the wants of its greater than 550,000 member-owners and their communities, with workplaces and 55 branches situated in Metro Vancouver, the Fraser Valley, Victoria, Squamish and Alert Bay, throughout the territories of the Coast Salish and Kwakwaka’wakw individuals. With $30.5 billion in belongings plus belongings underneath administration, Vancity is Canada’s largest neighborhood credit score union. Vancity makes use of its belongings to assist enhance the monetary well-being of its members whereas on the similar time serving to to develop wholesome communities which might be socially, economically and environmentally sustainable.

About PCAF
The Partnership for Carbon Accounting Financials (PCAF) was launched globally in September 2019. At present, greater than 130 banks and buyers have subscribed to the PCAF initiative. PCAF contributors work collectively to collectively develop the Global GHG Accounting and Reporting Standard for the Financial Industry to measure and disclose the greenhouse gasoline emissions of their loans and investments. By doing so, PCAF contributors take an essential step to evaluate climate-related dangers, set targets according to the Paris Local weather Settlement and develop efficient methods to decarbonize our society.

For extra info see https://carbonaccountingfinancials.com/

Media Contact:
Nora Eastwood | Vancity
mediarelations@vancity.com
T: 778-837-0394