Dr Sheeja Sivaprasad, Principal Lecturer in Finance at the University of Westminster, was recently invited as a keynote speaker at the Green Banks 2025 poster session in Albania to talk about the growing financial implications of biodiversity loss and the need for strong biodiversity finance mechanisms.
The poster session was part of the project Green Banks - Financial Institutions or Facilities Dedicated to Accelerating the Transition to a Sustainable Economy, which is financed by Aleksandër Moisiu University in Albania.
Held on 7 November, the session brought together researchers and innovative thinkers committed to shaping a more sustainable financial future. Through posters, discussions and shared ideas, they explored how green finance, sustainable banking and responsible investment can drive the transition toward a greener economy.
In Dr Sivaprasad’s talk titled Biodiversity: The Next Big Ecosystem Risk, she reiterated the importance of biodiversity and the urgent need for collective action in tackling biodiversity issues. From a finance angle, she addressed biodiversity risks, such as physical risks arising from habitat and ecosystem degradation. She also addressed transition risks linked to evolving biodiversity-related regulations and liability risks resulting from legal or reputational damage caused by biodiversity loss, such as lawsuits over deforestation or habitat destruction. Sivaprasad emphasised that managing these risks requires adequate and well-structured biodiversity financing sources.
Dr Sivaprasad said: “The Green Banks 2025 Poster session was a great opportunity to highlight biodiversity as the next big ecosystem risk. Biodiversity is a key feature of natural capital, however, there is a scarcity of resources dedicated to biodiversity preservation. There is a need for collective action to raise financial resources to progress the biodiversity agenda globally.”
Dr Sivaprasad’s talk directly contributes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 15: Life on Land. Since 2019, the University of Westminster has used the SDGs holistically to frame strategic decisions to help students and colleagues fulfil their potential and contribute to a more sustainable, equitable and healthier society.
Learn more about Accounting and Finance courses at the University of Westminster.
Find out more about sustainability in the University’s latest Sustainable Development Report.
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