Our monthly round-up of news, ideas and initiatives related to transforming the UK financial system for people and planet, compiled by the Lab’s CEO, Jesse Griffiths.
The end of the fossil fuel era?
The Iran war confirms that fossil fuel dependence threatens price stability and is a macroeconomic threat. Reaching net zero by 2050 is cheaper than one fossil fuel crisis. The good news is that there are lots of options for reducing the cost of electricity bills. (How much could plug-in solar save you?)
Climate change also continues to drive up insurance losses from natural catastrophes while flooding risk means hundreds of thousands could be trapped in their mortgages.
How awful therefore that economic models make climate crises more likely, while European banks are financing gas power expansion.
How dependent are EU member states on nature? Here’s why investment models to protect Scottish woodlands didn’t work. So how do we go beyond thinking about nature in terms of ‘funding gaps’?
Are ‘green’ pensions bankrolling fossil fuels? The pensions commission owes it to pension savers to integrate environment into its work.
What would Green Monetary Policy look like?
Politics, corruption and risk
It’s time to clean up Westminster. Here’s how to beef up enforcement of political finance rules and make the ban on crypto donations stick.
Meanwhile, the UK waters down rules to hold senior financial services staff accountable for failings.
What will be in the Financial Services Bill at the King’s Speech?
Stablecoins are a threat to emerging markets and open new avenues for tax evasion.
Here’s how anti-corruption efforts can help tackle environmental harm.
And also
International aid was slashed by almost a quarter in 2025. The IMF Spring Meetings were dominated by talk of AI threats to financial stability – but what else happened? And what good could the UK do with its G20 presidency?
UK business investment is the second lowest in the G7. Let’s bust the private finance myth.