Meeting climate, biodiversity, water and broader environmental goals requires the massive scaling and alignment of all sources of finance - public, private, domestic and international - and the redirection of environmentally harmful financial flows.

Empowering and protecting financial consumers in their everyday dealings with financial matters is key to supporting their financial well-being and promoting fairer and more inclusive financial markets. The OECD conducts research, provides policy analysis and facilitates international co-operation to support policy makers and other stakeholders in developing effective financial consumer protection, financial education and financial inclusion policies.

Well-functioning financial markets are fundamental to long-term sustainable economic growth and financial stability. They provide a platform to raise and allocate capital efficiently, manage risks, determine asset prices and inform investor decisions. Well regulated financial markets foster investor confidence through transparency, fairness, and clearly defined rules of engagement. The OECD’s work on financial markets aims to promote efficient market-orientated financial systems through sound policies for capital markets, sustainable finance, digital finance, public debt management, financial literacy and consumer protection, pensions, and insurance.

Infrastructure plays a critical role in the wellbeing of people and in the development of countries and communities around the world. It enables the flow of goods, people and information, and provides services such as energy and water that constitute the foundation of our daily lives and economies. As such, infrastructure is essential to addressing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and climate change. OECD work on infrastructure integrates a horizontal approach across multiple policy areas, from environmental policy to investment, finance, local and national approaches, and from the perspective of developing countries.

The OECD's work on investment supports governments in attracting more and better-quality investment, prioritising sustainability, while caring about security. The OECD aims to equip governments with the tools to attract more capital into productive sectors and generating positive social and environmental outcomes. This approach contributes to building resilient, inclusive, and prosperous economies globally.

Well-functioning pensions and insurance systems are vital for stable economies and individual financial security. In the face of challenges like population ageing and climate disasters, reforms are necessary to maintain the robustness and soundness of pensions and insurance systems. The OECD offers crucial guidance on system design, regulation, supervision, risk management, and retirement planning.

Responsible business conduct (RBC) sets out an expectation that all businesses – regardless of their legal status, size, ownership or sector – avoid and address negative impacts of their operations, while contributing to sustainable development in the countries where they operate.

Subnational governments are key policy actors, accounting for about 40% of total public expenditure and 55% of total public investment on average in OECD countries. Subnational governments are also key public employers, representing more than 60% of public staff expenditure on average in the OECD.