RT null
T1 Green SMEs and Access to Finance: The Role of Banking Diversity
A1 United Nations Environment Programme, 
K1 finance
K1 green economy
K1 banking
K1 financial institution
K1 innovation
K1 Germany, Federal Republic of
K1 France
K1 Europe
K1 small enterprise
K1 small and medium enterprise
YR 2015
FD 2015
LK https://wedocs.unep.org/handle/20.500.11822/34537
UL https://wedocs.unep.org/handle/20.500.11822/34537
NO This document presents a detailed analysis of how the structure and diversity of the European banking sector shape access to finance for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) within the green economy. Drawing on quantitative and qualitative data, it highlights the crucial role SMEs play in Europe’s economic output, employment, and particularly in the development and adoption of green technologies and practices. The document explains that bank credit remains the dominant external financing source for SMEs, while access to finance stands as a primary constraint—especially acute for green SMEs. It compares commercial, cooperative, and public banks, underscoring how non-commercial banks, with their focus on long-term, local lending and extensive branch networks, are particularly equipped to address the capital needs of SMEs.
DS UN Environment Document Repository
RD Sep 16, 2026