High level government representatives from the energy, industry, and finance fields participated alongside business leaders at the Eighth Turkish Wind Energy Congress (TWEC 2019). Experts at the event agreed, “We have created a success story in energy, with wind energy leading the sector.” The event was held in Ankara and organized by theTurkish Wind Energy Association (TWEA).

Human beings have always dreamed of magnificent cities. The imagined and mythical, like the so-called Lyonesse not far from the coast of Cornwall, or the Seven Cities of Cíbola located somewhere in the southwest of North America, or El Dorado, hidden in the pre-Colombian jungle. Surely behind these dreams looms the aspiration to find a model of harmonious coexistence. These would be cities attuned with the natural environment that surrounds them. With hanging gardens like those in ancient Babylonia or cloistered in a precious valley like Machu Pichhu, although these two examples actually did exist.

Between January 2016 and December 2018, BBVA Group reduced its energy consumption by 7 percent per employee. This savings reaffirms the bank’s commitment to sustainability. By December 2018, the Group had hit its targets of having 35 percent of the energy it consumes coming from renewable sources and reducing its CO2 output by 27 percent compared to 2016. October 21 marks World Energy Savings Day and intends to raise awareness about energy efficiency and the need for responsible and sustainable guidelines governing the consumption of the planet’s resources.

Garanti BBVA joined 129 other banks from around the world in signing the United Nations Environment Program Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) Principles for Responsible Banking at the UN General Assembly in New York. The participating banks represent over $47 trillion in total assets. By signing these principles, Garanti BBVA and five other Turkish banks – ING, the Investment and Development Bank, Şekerbank, TSKB and Yapı Kredi – formalized their commitment to leading the way for sustainability in the country.

Roger Launius, former chief historian at NASA was at BBVA headquarters to deliver one of the featured speeches for Values Day: “Getting to the Moon: the value of the most important idea in human history.”  Launius used the history of the Apollo program and man’s landing on the Moon as examples of two of BBVA’s corporate values: ‘We are one team,’ and ‘We think big.’

BBVA has named the winner of its newly created Open Talent Award for Sustainability as Australian last mile start-up AgUnity.

Garanti BBVA has been awarded the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) platinum certificate for the overall sustainability of its headquarters building in Istanbul. It is the only bank in Turkey to have received such recognition, which is one of the most rigorous green building rating systems in the world, developed by the American Council of Green Buildings (USGBC).

“The financial sector’s Collective Commitment for Climate Action is an important step toward working as a true global coalition. It is the industry’s most ambitious commitment to the climate,” explained Antoni Ballabriga, the Global Head of Responsible Business at BBVA, during his presentation at one of the round table discussions taking place in parallel to the climate conference held in New York this week.

World Car-free Day is held on September 22 to raise awareness about the environmental impact of large-scale car use. BBVA Momentum, the bank’s program that supports social entrepreneurship, has backed businesses that are working for sustainable, more environmentally friendly transportation.

The term agribusiness is used to refer to economic activities derived from or connected to farm products. In other words, crop production, as well as crop processing, transportation and distribution. Agriculture and all of its economic, social and demographic derivatives… a sector that has an impact on practically all the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

• U.S. is one of the largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), making its involvement in the fight against climate change a matter of critical importance.
• Efforts outside the federal government could enable the U.S. to fulfill two-thirds of its commitment to reduce GHG emissions.

Following a six-month public consultative process, the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) has this week released the final official versions of the UNEP FI Principles for Responsible Banking and their supporting framework documents. Endorsed by more than 100 financial institutions ahead of their 22 September global launch. BBVA is one of the 30 Founding Banks for this initiative.

Over eight million tons of plastic per year. As part of its Pledge 2025, BBVA works to attain the United Nations’ (UN) Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14  by protecting marine life and financing ecology and biology research teams. The goal is the conservation of habitats and/or endangered species in Spain.

According to the United Nations, today, more than half of the world’s population lives in cities, a situation that will continue to escalate in the future. This has led to an increase in environmental pollution, inequality and poverty in these cities, a situation that testifies to the need to focus on advancing in UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) no. 11: To make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. In this task, BBVA also has a lot to say and to do.

It is a known fact that water is the source of life, and survival depends on its constant cycle. The United Nation’s sixth Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) recognizes the fundamental right to water and sanitation, establishing that every human has the right to between 50 and 100 liters (13 to 26 gallons) of safe and affordable water per day at a distance of less than 1,000 meters (just over half a mile) – or a half hour – from their home. BBVA is also contributing to the fulfillment of this SDG with its ‘Pledge 2025’ specifically with activity aimed at saving water and raising awareness about the responsible use of this life-giving resource.

In commemoration of Earth Day, the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) publicly acknowledged those companies listed on the exchange that have integrated sustainable practices into their business models, promoting sustainability with their actions, in their business dealings, and with their stakeholders. BBVA was one of the companies the American stock exchange singled out for their significant Earth-friendly efforts, like BBVA’s ‘Pledge 2025’.

The planet needs all of us. Helping it with a one-hour blackout is something that means very little to each of us, but it is very important to the place where we live — and not just symbolically. For the 12th year since Earth Hour was first launched in 2007 by World Wildlife Fund (WWF, the large independent organization dedicated to the conservation of nature) in 2007, the biggest capitals in the world will turn off their lights to fight climate change.

BBVA has released its updated financing policy addressing sectors that have a serious environmental or social impact. The main change to the policy is the inclusion of more limits and a tightening of restrictions for the mining, energy, infrastructure, and agribusiness sectors. In addition, the updated policy provides clear guidance on the management of clients and business activities related to these industries. The transportation of tar sands has been explicitly added to list of prohibited activities.

The impact of human action on biodiversity is a challez nge that remains unresolved. Numerous scientific studies confirm that these changes are causing the extinction of more and more species – the consequences of which are at least as severe as climate change. The work of civil society organization is essential to combat this phenomenon. This year, the BBVA Foundation once again sought to recognize the work of some of these organizations with its Biodiversity Conservation Awards.

Practicing energy efficiency is essential for the protection of the environment. A few simple household tricks will help you manage to reduce your energy consumption while at the same time adding to the household pocketbook.

World economic growth is causing energy consumption levels to skyrocket. According to forecasts, energy needs will expand by 30 percent between today and 2040. This new scenario calls for practices aimed at promoting the efficient use of energy. But, is society really aware of the importance of curbing energy consumption?

BBVA is listed in this year’s edition of the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI), the market’s benchmark index, which tracks the stock performance of about 3,400 listed companies in terms of environmental, social and corporate governance matters.

BBVA Compass has put its innovative design thinking methodology to work, solving a real-world problem outside its own four walls. Using a common refrain among those who provide response and relief to disasters: all disasters are local. But the increase in the incidence of natural disasters worldwide since the 1970s has made it increasingly difficult for local communities to handle disaster response on their own.

BBVA’s Group Executive Chairman is convinced that, to tackle the enormous environmental, social and technological challenges that climate change poses, the social role of banks needs to completely change. “We need to reimagine the role of banking,” said Francisco González a few days ago, during the BBVA Sustainable Finance Forum event.

The importance of building ties between the public and private sectors to drive the fight against climate change and the opportunities this will spawn for businesses are the main takeaways of the panel on How can institutions foster sustainable development? held during the first edition of the BBVA Sustainable Finance Forum.

Almost nine months after the devastating and historic Hurricane Harvey came through the Texas Gulf Coast, BBVA Compass is reopening the last of its temporarily closed branches with a new design, location and state-of-the-art features.

This Wednesday BBVA will hold the BBVA Sustainable Finance Forum, bringing together investors, businesspeople, institutional representatives, and sustainable finance experts with the aim to boost the finance industry’s role in sustainable development and the fight against climate change. Taking place at BBVA’s headquarters in Madrid, the forum will be inaugurated by the Francisco González, Group Executive Chairman of BBVA, and Spain’s Vice President, Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría.

BBVA’s Annual General Meeting, which took place on March 16th in Bilbao, boasted an event sustainability management system that was compliant with the UNE-ISO 20121:2013 standard, as certified by AENOR. This certification validates the 2018 Annual General Meeting as a Sustainable Event due to its “clear commitment” to the environmentally, socially and economically sustainable criteria defined by the standard.

The European Commission has published its Action Plan to boost the contribution of the financial industry to the aim of achieving a more sustainable global economy. The Plan is in line with BBVA’s 2025 Commitment, the Bank’s strategy on climate change and sustainability, which involves the mobilization of €100 billion over the next eight years to promote the transition toward a low-carbon economy and the sustainable development.

Fair-trade coffee, quality guarantee, ecological tomatoes… consumers read the labels on the things they eat. But is there any way of checking that what they say is correct? In order to do so, you would need a register of the processes to which the product has been submitted, something blockchain can do.

• Bond issues: Based on the Green Bond Principles, within the Social Bond Principles and the Sustainable Bond Guidelines of the ICMA, the bank will also publish the framework linked to the Sustainable Development Goals required for the issue of its own sustainable bonds
• First Spanish bank to commit to the Science Based Targets Initiative to certify that emission goals are consistent with the decarbonization level required to meet the 2ºC goal set for 2050
• Renewable power pledge: BBVA has pledged to deliver 70 percent of its energy consumption with renewable sources by 2025, and to cut its CO2 emissions by 68 percent
• Fossil fuels: In line with its commitment to transparency, the bank reveals its total exposure to fossil fuels as 3.4 percent of its total assets

BBVA today announced its strategy around climate change and sustainable development, Pledge 2025. The strategy will help the bank meet the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and is in line with the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. Pledge 2025 will help the bank align its activity to a 2ºC Scenario and strike a balance between sustainable energy and fossil fuel investments and is based on three lines of action: financing, management and engagement.

Switzerland offers us a multitude of exciting destinations to visit. Unforgettable landscapes, international organizations and cities such as Geneva, Basel or Zurich make knowing the Swiss country a unique experience.

Rosemary and Peter Grant have devoted 40 years of their lives to studying the finches of the Galapagos Archipelago, the birds that inspired Darwin’s theory of evolution. The couple´s work has allowed them to prove that evolution can take place at a much faster pace than previously believed; in less than a decade, the beaks and bodies of these birds can transform to adapt to environmental changes.

Europe’s banks want an active role for the financial sector in the fight against climate change. They are asking Brussels to draw up an urgent plan based on the recommendations of the European Union’s High-Level Expert Group on Sustainable Finance.

A chronic deficit in infrastructure for telecommunications and logistics has hindered  Argentina’s competitiveness in the tourism industry. Even so, since 2015 the country has moved up seven positions in the World Economic Forum’s biannual report on Latin America.

Customer experience, the new business models and investment in social commitment are the three opportunities for the banking industry, as it seeks to maintain a relevant role in society. “Investing in social sustainability is part of the banking industry’s responsibility,” said José Manuel González-Páramo, BBVA’s Executive Director and Head of Economy, Regulation and Institutional Relations, during the event entitled XIII Banking Industry Meeting organized by IESE (13th Meeting of the Banking Sector, organized by IESE) in Madrid.

ShareAction, one of the most important observers of responsible investing, has published a study on the 15 biggest European banks, analyzing how we manage the risks and opportunities related to climate change. This study follows the guide for investors on discussing climate change with their bank that was published a few months ago.

Big Data can play an important role in achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, which the international community hopes to do by the year 2030. However, to reach this objective, more information and more public-private cooperation is needed.

UN Global Pulse, a United Nations agency that seeks to use big data for the public good, has announced the winners of Data for Climate Action – an open innovation initiative to find solutions for climate change.  BBVA Data & Analytics collaborated with the initiative by providing statistics on credit and debit card transactions in Spain.

The Conference on the United Nations Convention on Climate Change is currently taking place in Bonn, from Nov. 6-17. At a side event hosted by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), BBVA was invited to share its approach to green finance.

This coming Sunday, October 29th, at 3:00 a.m., Spain’s time will change for the second time in 2017. Clocks will be set back an hour to 2:00 a.m., so we’ll get to sleep an extra hour. This will mark the end of Daylight Savings Time, which began on March 31st.

Consumers might see their products at grocery stores across Texas, on airplanes, or at their factory nestled in Houston’s historic East End, an up-and-coming community undergoing a rebirth. Pita Pal Foods, LP is much more than a company producing a suite of Mediterranean products and gourmet foods:  it’s a symbol of how far East End has come.

Agriculture stands at the threshold of a new revolution. The rising population, the competition for increasingly scarce resources and the phenomenon of climate change are just some of the challenges facing the sector as it seeks to feed all of humanity. We need to produce more with less, a challenge that the farm sector has already begun to answer, thanks to the Internet of Things, whose sensors have brought the benefits of big data to the farmsteads and croplands.

BBVA has joined a group of 14 banks that have made a commitment to the United Nations Environment Programme – Finance Initiative (UNEP-FI) to implement the recommendations on financing and climate change published by the Financial Stability Board in July in the framework of the G20.

Known as one of, if not the, oil and gas hub of the United States, the East Texas region suffered another dire consequence of Hurricane Harvey’s ripple effect: the interruptions to the energy companies who had set up shop in the affected areas.

Climate change is one of the greatest problems facing humanity. Abrupt temperature changes, famine, disease and floods are all evidence that changes in the climate are not a myth. The consequences could get worse if we do not manage to reduce the greenhouse effect, as Matthew Liao warns in his book The Next Step: Exponential Life. It can be downloaded at no charge  on BBVA’s website for the OpenMind project.

The possibility of using blockchain technology to monitor the origin of a product or to record intangibles, such as hours worked, opens up a new field that could revolutionize the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility. In this new post on #RevoluciónBlockchain, Iñigo Molero invites you to imagine the uses for a new mechanism to guarantee and give authenticity to companies’ social commitments.