The Westminster Business School welcomed academics, financial professionals and members of the public to its Marylebone Campus for a discussion on how the financial sector can play a pivotal role in addressing climate change and promoting sustainable development.
The thought-provoking green finance public engagement event was hosted by the School of Finance and Accounting’s Financial Markets, Institutions and FinTech Research Group on 12 June.
Dr Emma Elkington, Head of the School of Finance and Accounting, opened the event by highlighting the need to equip future business leaders with the tools and knowledge to address immediate sustainability global challenges. She highlighted the vital role of green finance in tackling these concerns, pointing to the scope and opportunities offered by the green financial instruments and mechanisms.
A compelling keynote address was delivered by Dr Amir Lebdioui, Director of the University of Oxford’s Technology and Industrialisation for Development (TIDE) Centre and author of Survival of the Greenest. Dr Lebdioui spoke on the urgent need for resource-dependent economies to pursue green industrial strategies, emphasising biodiversity-based development and low carbon innovation. Drawing on his extensive academic and advisory experience, he outlined practical pathways for achieving inclusive and sustainable economic transformation.
A panel discussion followed, chaired by Professor Abdelhafid Benamraoui, Professor of Finance and Co-leader of the Financial Markets, Institutions and FinTech Research Group. The panel brought together experts from academia and the financial sector to debate pressing challenges and emerging opportunities in green finance and sustainability.
Panellists included Professor Elias Boukrami, a leading voice on innovation and business model dynamics; Dr Simon Smith, an expert in sustainable development and responsible management education; Mourad Berrahoui, Managing Director at Lloyds Banking Group and specialist in climate risk modelling; and Karim Henide, Portfolio Manager and Researcher in green bonds and sustainable investing.
The panel explored topics ranging from the pricing of environmental risk to integrating sustainability principles into leadership, risk governance and financial regulation.
The event concluded with a networking session, offering attendees the chance to connect, collaborate and reflect on the role of finance in building a more sustainable future.
Professor Benamraoui said: "The public engagement event enabled debates and a share of insights on this very important topic with input from well-established academic researchers and practitioners from the field. Bringing together leading academics and industry practitioners, the event created a valuable platform for discussion around the economic transformation needed to address global sustainability challenges and the role of green finance to deliver on the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Events like this are crucial in bridging academic insight with real-world practice to shape more sustainable financial systems and support a greener future for all.”
Through bringing people together to tackle global challenges around climate change, the event directly contributes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, (SDG) 13: Climate Action and 17: Partnerships for the Goals. 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.
Find out more about the School of Finance and Accounting at the University of Westminster.
Related articles
