How far does a banks responsibility extend when its financing enables harm to people or the planet? As sustainable finance moves to the forefront of regulatory priorities, financial institutions are under increasing pressure to integrate ESG considerations into their credit decisions. While this evolution is increasingly reflected in European regulation, its implications for banks private-law duties remain largely unexplored.
This book offers a pioneering legal analysis of banks potential liability for environmental and social harm caused by their borrowers. It adopts a dual approach, examining both the Belgian liability framework and the influence of emerging prudential regulations at the EU level. Drawing on foreign case law and legal scholarship, it applies a functional comparative methodology to identify lessons from jurisdictions where banks have already faced climate-related litigation.
