BBVA Boosts Sustainable Lending Target to €700B Amid Clean Tech Growth

Spanish banking giant BBVA (BME:BBVA) has raised its sustainable business lending target to €700 billion ($732.7 billion) over the next five years, significantly up from its previous €300 billion goal for 2018-2025. This move aligns with the bank’s commitment to financing clean technologies and infrastructure investments.

Javier Rodriguez Soler, BBVA’s global head of sustainability and corporate and investment banking, highlighted that the latter half of the decade will see robust infrastructure investments and profitable clean technologies. With growing pressure to combat climate change, banks worldwide are prioritizing green financing while phasing out investments in polluting industries.

BBVA aims for net-zero emissions by 2050 and has pledged to end coal financing by 2030 in developed markets and by 2040 globally. However, shifting political landscapes pose challenges. HSBC recently pushed back its net-zero target to 2050, citing slow economic adaptation. Similarly, banks face uncertainty as sustainability policies evolve.

Despite these hurdles, BBVA remains committed to sustainable finance, positioning itself as a key player in the global energy transition.