Harnessing Finance for Climate
The Swedish House of Finance at the Stockholm School of Economics and Berkeley Haas invited interested academics and practitioners to a conference on Sustainable Finance on May 23, 2023, in Stockholm.
Financing large amounts of investment in new businesses, new energy systems, and in developing new technologies, are required to protect Earth's climate. Policy makers around the world are exploring avenues for accelerating climate action through public-private partnerships, taxes and subsidies, investment in research and technology development, and other policy tools. Banks, asset managers, other financial institutions, and owners of capital have made large investment commitments to supporting the transition to a net zero consistent economy.
The conference aimed to examine the possible implications of these developments. Examples of topics included:
- How can the financial system be harnessed as a tool in addressing climate change?
- How do policy options such as taxes, capital requirements, and subsidies factor into the mobilization of climate-aligned investment and compare in their impact?
- Are there innovations in financial tools or structures that facilitate climate-aligned investment?
- Which holders of capital can best take advantage of climate investment opportunities?
- What reporting, certification, and evaluation systems are required for effective climate finance, and for measuring performance on net zero or other commitments?
Conference format
Academic presentations 09.00-16.00: The first part was around presentations of research papers with comments by invited discussants. These sessions will be open to attend for primarily academics but also selected policymakers and practitioners with an academic interest.
Policy discussions 16.30-18.45: The second part of the conference was open to the public and private financial sectors and features two panel discussions on policy implications.
Policy discussions
Per Strömberg, SSE Centennial Professor of Finance and Private Equity at the Stockholm School of Economics and Swedish House of Finance
Patrick Bolton, Barbara and David Zalaznick Professor of Business Finance and Economics Columbia University/Imperial College London
Adair Morse, Soloman P. Lee Chair in Business Ethics and Professor of Finance at the Haas School of Business, former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Capital Access at the Department of the US Treasury
Jan Ståhlberg, founder Trill Impact
Frédéric Samama, Head of Strategic Development at Sustainable1, S&P Global
Alexander Hartman, Chief Financial Officer at Northvolt
Andreas Hoepner, Professor of Operational Risk, Banking & Finance at University College Dublin, Smurfit Graduate Business School,