European Investment Bank Group Sustainability Report 2020

Supporting sustainable and inclusive growth is at the heart of the EIB Group's lending. The EIB Group 2020 Sustainability Report looks at the impact of our global activities and our own corporate responsibility efforts. The Sustainability report should be read in conjunction with its two annexes: the GRI and SASB disclosures.

Investments supported by the European Investment Bank help achieve EU and international policy goals. The report specifically measures the effectiveness of our investments in three key areas: Additionality: the EIB's role is to step in where the market has failed to deliver. Specifically, the EIB examines how our support for a project strengthens it compared to what would have happened without our involvement. Impact: The EIB now measures how its investments contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). By doing so, the EIB is signalling its commitment to supporting the United Nations' Decade of Action to create peace and prosperity for people and the planet. Climate: The 2021 report focuses on barriers to investment in climate action, environmental sustainability and research and development and innovation for the decarbonisation of energy-intensive industries.

Over the last years, the European Investment Bank Group has shown that fighting COVID-19, financing the recovery, and investing in climate action and environmental sustainability are mutually supportive goals. Innovation, development and green finance are the cornerstones of our approach to creating a more sustainable economy. In 2021, the coronavirus pandemic continued to disrupt lives and businesses around the globe. At the same time, it became clear that the climate and environment crises had reached emergency levels. Urgent action is required if we are to meet the Paris Agreement's commitments and avoid biodiversity loss. The European investment Bank Group is ready to tackle these challenges, the biggest of our time. This report shows how we delivered a record €94.9 billion in financing in 2021, supporting sustainable and inclusive growth in Europe and beyond. The Sustainability report should be read in conjunction with its two annexes, the GRI and SASB disclosures, as well as with the Group's 2021 TCFD report.

The Europe Union's massive efforts to rebuild after the coronavirus pandemic present a unique opportunity to transform its economy, making it more green and digital – and ultimately more competitive. The Investment Report 2020-2021 looks at the toll the pandemic took on European firms' investment and future plans, as well as their efforts to meet the demands of climate change and the digital revolution. The report's analysis is based on a unique set of databases and data from a survey of 12 500 firms conducted in the summer of 2020, in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis. While providing a snapshot of the heavy toll the pandemic took on some forms of investment, the report also offers hope by pointing out the economic areas in which Europe remains strong, such as technologies that combine green and digital innovation.

Building on decades of experience working in Europe's neighbourhood, in Africa and around the world, under EU mandates and in support of EU policy priorities, EIB Global brings together all the financial, engineering and scientific expertise of the European Investment Bank to maximise impact. The new structure fosters strong, focused partnerships within Team Europe, with multilateral development banks and bilateral development agencies. With a stronger presence on the ground, it increases our cooperation with partner countries, clients, EU Member States and other development finance institutions. This publication reports on the first year of EIB Global. The first section reviews the development context, looking at global macroeconomic development and the different regions where EIB Global operates: EU neighbourhood countries sub-Saharan Africa the Western Balkans and Türkiye Asia and the Pacific, and Latin America and the Caribbean The report then turns to the overarching priorities of EIB Global and the European Fund for Sustainable Development Plus, examining investment needs and describing the response by EIB Global: Climate change Jobs and inclusive growth The Global Gateway The final part brings together all the information on the results and impact of EIB Global operations and the financial and non-financial contribution we make. It covers: How we measure results and impact Expected results of new projects EIB Global's contribution to new projects Evidence on the EIB's crowding-in effect Carbon footprint exercise Macroeconomic impact modelling Results of completed projects Lending volumes List of operations signed in 2022 A companion volume to this report, EIB Global Report: The Story, delves deeper into the rationale for, and experience gained from, individual EIB Global projects.

Our flagship report highlights the European Investment Bank's key contribution to combatting the COVID-19, climate change and development challenges that dominated 2020. It tells the stories of our crisis solutions. Built around 20 stories profiling 30 of our projects or programmes, the report's "Solutions" sections explain how the EU bank responded swiftly and decisively to a year of crises and laid the foundations for future innovation and growth. The stories take you through the Bank's work in innovation, infrastructure, small and medium-sized enterprises, and climate and environment inside the European Union and beyond the EU's borders.

A blueprint presents drawings, dimensions and notes. This report draws vivid pictures of the beneficiaries of European Investment Bank projects in 2023. It includes data on the dimensions of our massive overall investment and the importance of our loans to each of our beneficiaries during the year. It notes the EU policies and expertise that lead us to make each of our investments.

The European Investment Bank plants the seeds for many future success stories. Now another seed has been planted: EIB Global, the EIB's development arm, which began operating in 2022. This report tells the stories of projects that make a difference on the ground, with sections on Ukraine, sustainability, climate and energy. The challenges we face know no borders. EIB Global represents our commitment to sustainable and inclusive societies everywhere.