The Net-Zero Banking Alliance (NZBA), a flagship UN-convened coalition of global banks committed to aligning their financing with net-zero emissions goals, has officially paused its activities. Alongside this pause, the NZBA has proposed a major transformation: from a membership-based alliance to a framework-based initiative, a shift currently under member vote with results expected by the end of September 2025.

Since its 2021 launch with 43 founding banks, the NZBA grew rapidly to over 140 members representing $74 trillion in assets by 2024. It aimed to set interim 2030 targets and align lending and investment portfolios with net-zero by 2050. In 2024, the Alliance expanded its scope to include capital markets activities like debt and equity underwriting, signaling a more ambitious commitment.

Despite early momentum, the NZBA faced increasing pressure and controversy, especially from political opposition in the U.S. Beginning in late 2024, major institutions, including Goldman Sachs, began to exit the alliance, followed by a wave of departures from Canadian and European banks in 2025.

In response to the growing tension and attrition, the NZBA softened its stance in April 2025 by dropping the requirement for banks to align their financing strictly with a 1.5°C trajectory. Nevertheless, this did little to stem the tide of exits. By mid-2025, high-profile institutions like HSBC, Barclays, and UBS had all withdrawn. Barclays specifically cited a lack of confidence in the Alliance’s ability to deliver meaningful climate action as a core reason for its departure.

Now, facing dwindling participation and reputational risks, the NZBA is seeking to reinvent itself as a non-membership framework that provides tools, guidance, and voluntary alignment pathways. The proposed model aims to help banks continue their climate commitments under a more flexible and less politically fraught structure, potentially preserving the Alliance’s mission while adapting to a changing financial and regulatory landscape.

Source :

https://www.esgtoday.com/net-zero-banking-alliance-pauses-activities/

https://www.unepfi.org/net-zero-banking/media/nzba-update-august-2025/