to understand it, we have to quantify it. so we accumulate essential data to monitor developments in order to take effective decisions. we do that as a national central bank but especially tandem with the ecb and fsb. for example, statisticians from central banks in the euro area have recently been working hard with the ecb to generate sustainability data. data that indicate the carbon footprint of the financial sector's investments, which can be used to gauge the degree of exposure of the sector to transition risks. data that indicate'physical risks'due to climate change through loans and investments. data that indicate the extent to which financial institutions have invested in bonds aimed at promoting sustainability, the socalled green bonds. of course, these data are not yet complete, but they are urgently needed. today, not tomorrow. because we need to know as much as we can to take on our role as long - term economic advisers. not only for the financial institutions we supervise and advise, but as policy advisers for our governments. nationally and internationally. 2 / 4 bis - central bankers'speeches because they have to take the lead in the transition that must take place. they have to develop and enforce a clear climate policy. they have to take the responsibility to enable and inspire the sustainable choices we must all make. tough, major choices will have to be made : between intensive farming and nature, between fossil fuels and green energy, between heavy industry and air quality. we can help to make that happen. in our role as forward thinkers. especially because'forward'means to me : independent and for the long term, not under the influence of voters, not just until the next elections. that is an important role we have to invest in : to be that angel or devil, or the jiminy cricket on the shoulder of our politicians, whispering in their ears – or pulling themto make sure that sustainable choices are not only made, but are successfully stimulated and implemented. and that takes us to our third role : a leader by example. as an organisation we can and must set an example, we must make our own sustainable choices. for instance in our payment systems, in our monetary operations and of course in our own investments as a central bank. that is our responsibility as a central bank. that is why i am proud that dnb was the first central bank to sign the principles for responsible investment in 2019. this marked the start of our journey towards the integration of responsible investment in our own -

account portfolios. in our internal operations, too, we try to be as sustainable as possible in the choices we make, for instance in the renovation of our headquarters building. in the choice of materials and in the choice of solutions for energy consumption. for example : we made the old concrete carbon - neutral by injecting it with co2. that is a world - first. we will also have a lot of greenery in and around our building, and up on the roofs. we will place nesting boxes and insect hotels in those green areas. these features will help our building contribute to biodiversity, right in the heart of amsterdam. we are doing all this not only to help the transition, to do our bit to save our planet, but also to set an example, a practical example. for the financial institutions we supervise, for our clients and partners, and for the people in our country and in the rest of europe. because the transition we need is not only a matter of policy, of rules and regulations. the transition we need is fuelled by change, by changing people's minds and behaviour. by encouraging and inspiring people and businesses to think and act differently, to make different choices. that is why it is important that you are all here to talk about what we can do to advance the transition to sustainability. 3 / 4 bis - central bankers'speeches to talk about how to take up our roles as supervisors and regulators, as long - term economic advisers and as leaders by example. about how to double down on our efforts to mitigate the impact of the climate crisis to reverse the devastation of our planet, as your president said in glasgow. all while keeping in mind that saving the planet is a team effort. or as sir as david attenborough said during that same climate summit in glasgow : " if working apart, we are a force powerful enough to destabilise our planet, surely, working together, we are powerful enough to save it. " 4 / 4 bis - central bankers'speeches