Can Sustainable Finance Ensure Climate Protection?

Is the lack of comprehensible sustainability criteria an obstacle to growth in the sustainable finance sector? In which way do policy measures aimed at a sustainable financial market interact with climate policy instruments? Can investors advance sustainable financial investments effectively by exercising their voting rights? Joined by around 80 online participants, four finance experts from academia and business debated the question of whether sustainable finance can ensure climate protection  and addressed the most relevant current developments and topics in the field of sustainable finance. On 22 September 2021, the 90-minute panel discussion was organised by the Sustainable ZEW initiative.

The perspectives of the key players in sustainable finance were represented in the panel discussion. Dr. Sabine Mauderer, executive board member at Deutsche Bundesbank, shared the perspective of the central banks.

Dr. Karolin Kirschenmann, deputy head of the ZEW Research Department “International Finance and Financial Management“, informed about the current state of research on sustainable finance.

Dr. Gerhard Schick, executive director of Finanzwende gGmbH, explained society’s demand for a change towards a more sustainable approach in finance.

Professor Martin Weber gave an insight into financial literacy. As co-developer of “Arero – Nachhaltig”, he presented the concept of this sustainable fund. The panel discussion was hosted by ZEW President Professor Achim Wambach.

After debating how sustainable finance can contribute to creating a more sustainable, climate-neutral economy and serve as a complementary tool for climate policy, the panel discussed the role of government institutions in achieving a green transition in finance. Furthermore, the panel addressed drivers and barriers for investors, focusing on ways to increase transparency regarding sustainability in companies funded by the capital market. In the concluding discussion, the panellists summarised their standpoints and answered questions from the audience.