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Climate Risk, Financed Emissions and Responsible Banking Take Centre Stage at First Leadership Summit
Pooja Srivastava | Anytime News Network
Punjab National Bank (PNB), one of India’s leading public sector banks, has brought together key stakeholders from the financial ecosystem to deliberate on the role of finance in building a resilient, responsible and climate-conscious economy. The bank hosted the inaugural Sustainable Finance Leadership Summit 2026 alongside the third PCAF India Accelerator Session at its corporate office in Dwarka, New Delhi.
The summit brought together senior representatives from regulatory bodies, banks, development finance institutions, corporations and sustainability organisations. Discussions focused on integrating environmental considerations into financial decision-making and strengthening institutional preparedness for emerging climate-related challenges.
Climate Risk Moves to the Forefront
The deliberations highlighted climate risk, responsible banking, nature-related risks and financed emissions as critical priorities for the financial sector. Participants explored how financial institutions can support India’s economic transformation while improving accountability and incorporating sustainability considerations into lending, investment and risk management practices.
PNB’s Chief Group Risk Officer, Mousumi Majumdar, addressed the inaugural session and outlined the bank’s sustainability journey and future roadmap. Dr. Balakrishna Pisupaty, India Country Head of the United Nations Environment Programme, shared perspectives on sustainable finance. Saket Kumar, Deputy General Manager and Head of the Sustainable Finance Group at the Reserve Bank of India, delivered a special lecture on climate risk and sustainable finance from a regulatory perspective.
Leadership Debate on India’s Financial Transition
A key highlight was the panel discussion titled “What Is the Way Forward for Sustainable Finance in India?” Bringing together perspectives from banking, development finance, industry, renewable energy and sustainability, the discussion examined opportunities and barriers to scaling sustainable finance. It also emphasised stronger institutional cooperation to support India’s transition towards a more sustainable economy.
Measuring Emissions, Strengthening Accountability
The third PCAF India Accelerator Session focused on building the technical and institutional capacity of financial institutions to measure and disclose emissions associated with their financing activities. Sessions covered PCAF’s global journey, its expansion in India, technical methodologies and practical applications of financed-emissions accounting in the Indian financial context.
The summit also included an assessment of PNB’s carbon footprint, underlining the importance of measuring emissions and establishing accountability in sustainability initiatives.
Experts from UNEP FI, Crédit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank, Climate Risk Horizons, Step Change and EY led knowledge sessions covering responsible banking principles, nature-related risks and financing India’s transition.
From Commitment to Measurable Action
The summit concluded with an address by PNB General Manager Pratap Keshari Mallik. Through the initiative, PNB reaffirmed its commitment to industry collaboration, knowledge-sharing and institutional capacity-building.
The larger challenge now lies in translating discussions into measurable outcomes, transparent reporting and financing decisions that deliver tangible progress towards a climate-resilient and sustainable financial ecosystem.
