Barclays, which had assets totalling 1.7 trillion pounds as of Sept. 30, will count financing it helps companies raise in the debt and equity capital markets, so-called 'facilitated' finance as well as direct lending, towards the $1 trillion total.
Climate activist groups have criticised such targets for being outside the scope of formal regulatory scrutiny and too broad in what they count towards the total, although Barclays will report on its progress and can be judged by its investors. In addition, Barclays also said it would increase the amount of its own capital it invests in climate start-ups through itsinitiative to 500 million pounds by 2027, from 175 million pounds by 2025.
"We are helping to drive the transition and drive financing to where it's really needed, both to decarbonise high-emitting sectors and to scale up the next wave of climate technologies that are going to be required to decarbonise industries and create green jobs," said the bank's global head of sustainable finance, Daniel Hanna.