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World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU) leaders spotlighted the growing role of credit unions in climate finance Tuesday as they unveiled new research at the 8th Annual United in Sustainability (UIS) Summit in Montréal, hosted by United Nations Federal Credit Union.
The presentation, delivered by Angelina Tracy, WOCCU’s vice president of strategic growth and global programs, drew from the organization’s newly published study, Unlocking Global Climate Capital Through Credit Unions. The report analyzed data from 76 countries across the Global South, including 186 surveyed credit unions, and found that cooperative financial institutions are already reaching the communities most vulnerable to climate impacts. Nearly all surveyed credit unions report service to women, youth and low-income households — groups that “frequently make up the majority of their members and borrowers,” the study noted. About half of their total lending was directed to underserved populations.
Climate finance is emerging but accelerating across the sector, with products tied to renewable energy, sustainable agriculture and green housing becoming more common. Many institutions view climate action not as compliance, Tracy said, but “as an extension of their founding mission to strengthen member well-being and community resilience.”
The study also underscored the need for capacity building, blended finance partnerships and clearer reporting frameworks to help credit unions channel more global climate capital to local communities, especially in emerging markets where large financial intermediaries rarely reach.
Tracy presented alongside leaders from Canada and Ireland, emphasizing how cross-border partnerships can help credit unions scale climate solutions that deliver “local impact on a global scale.”
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