Workshop: Financial Markets and Sustainable Development in Times of Climate Change

organized by Kurt Hübner (University of British Columbia), Berthold Kuhn (Freie Universität Berlin) and Itay Fishhendler (Hebrew University)

Dear participants,

Thank you for choosing our workshop! Please find below the program for our live session on October 20, 4-6:00 pm (CEST UTC+2): 


4:00 – 4:15          Welcome Notes

4:15 – 4:25          Prof. Dr. Kurt Hübner, University of British Columbia

4:25- 5:25            Short Input Presentations á 7 minutes:

Bjarne Steffen (ETH Zurich) – “Taking stock of Green Financial Policies”

Dr. Florian Egli (ETH Zurich) – “Who Divests from Fossil Fuels?”

Dr. Christoph Nedopil Wang (BRI Center) – “Addressing the Missing Linkage in Sustainable Finance: the SDG Finance Taxonomy”

Q&A with participants

Simone Wagner (University of Hamburg) – “CEO Hazard Experiences and Preferences for Sustainability”

Claudia Tober (Independent Sustainable Finance Expert) – “Sustainable Investment – Spotlights on Risks and Stranded Assets”

Dr. Berthold Kuhn (Freie Universität Berlin) – “Sustainable Finance in Germany: Discourses, Stakeholders and Policy Initiatives”

                           Q&A with participants 

5.25 – 5:50          Interaction between speakers and participants 

5:50 – 6:00          Wrapping up

Abstract
The world is on a growth trajectory that runs the severe risk to miss even the modest 2-degree target of the Paris Agreement and to jeopardize the achievement of the sustainable development goals. From a global perspective, climate policies have not been very successful. National governments and the financial industry need to step up their efforts to incorporate environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles into business decisions, economic growth processes, and investment strategies. The awareness of climate-related financial risks is growing, not least due to increasing risks stemming from damage to property, land, and infrastructure as well as from weather-related damages.

Covid-19 brought new attention to global risks, and recovery plans of many governments integrate now strong greening elements. Central banks and financial institutions are starting to engage in carbon counting of their portfolios. As society’s expectations change, the finance industry must be transparent and clear about how its products and services simultaneously create value for its customers, clients, investors, as well as for society.

As a result of all those economic and political processes, finance industry and financial markets have moved center in promoting sustainable development. This includes the practices of financial institutions like pensions funds, the role of central banks in designing frameworks for green finance, and also the efforts of financial actors to create new financial products and services in support of sustainability transitions.

Please click here for the overview of pre-recorded presentations.

Live Session Access:
Participant Link: https://fu-berlin.webex.com/fu-berlin-en/j.php?MTID=m81a0e4a84cb80f19b27b090b719bb64a
Meeting number: 121 985 4422, Password: UAS2020