Britain to classify ‘green’ investments to prevent greenwashing

Britain has set up a group of experts to help it classify climate-friendly assets and stop “greenwashing” of investments that don’t live up to their sustainable credentials.

Britain is keen to see more money flowing into investments that are green or sustainable to help it meet net-zero environmental goals.

Self-labelled green investments, however, have raised concerns among regulators that investors don’t have independent information to guide them.

The finance ministry said the Green Technical Advisory Group (GTAG) will oversee the delivery of a “taxonomy” or common framework that sets the bar for investments that can be defined as environmentally sustainable.

The group, made of representatives from academia, business and finance will provide non-binding advice to the government on developing and implementing a green taxonomy in Britain.

A taxonomy will help clamp down on greenwashing and make it easier for investors and consumers to understand how a firm is impacting the GTAG, which will be chaired by Ingrid Holmes from the Green Finance Institute, will meet for the first time this month and run for at least two years, providing its initial recommendations to the government in September.