The Leibniz Institute for Financial Research SAFE hosted a UK-German seminar on sustainable finance on 26 January 2024 in cooperation with the British Embassy in Berlin, the Green & Sustainable Finance Cluster Germany (GSFCG), and the German Sustainable Finance Advisory Council (SFB). The event brought together a diverse group of experts, including policymakers, financial services practitioners, and academics.
The seminars’ participants emphasized the need for a collective effort to address climate change through investments. To effectively mobilize private finance, the discussants identified clear and coherent policy and regulatory frameworks, with smart use of limited public funds to de-risk climate investments, as key drivers. This approach also considers supporting adaptation efforts for countries in the Global South.
Strong support for interoperability in global standards-setting
Both the UK and Germany strongly advocate for interoperability in global standards-setting or disclosure frameworks, in line with initiatives such as the ongoing work of the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB), Transition Planning, and the Taskforce for Nature-Related Financial Disclosures (TNFD).
Discussions during the seminar covered a range of topics, including the relevance of transition planning for companies across different sectors of the economy, developing systemic capabilities to mainstream sustainability, integrating nature into climate transition frameworks, addressing ESG data challenges, and directing global capital towards emerging markets and developing economies.
