This presentation introduces degrowth-aligned finance in a webinar hosted by the Sustainable Finance Network of the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA), the largest professional body for environmental practitioners in the UK and worldwide.
There’s also a brief presentation by Adrian Vodislav, Structured Finance Officer of the European Investment Fund (EIF), discussing the EIF’s first circular economy transaction in 2023. Then there’s a lively Q&A discussion with Jennifer, Adrian, Albert Seoane, steering group member of the IEMA Sustainable Finance Network, and Rufus Howard, IEMA Policy and Engagement Lead for Impact Assessment and Sustainable Finance.
The degrowth-aligned finance presentation covers the following:
- Firstly, it describes sustainable finance as an increasingly complex set of sustainability instruments being introduced in waves to the mainstream financial system. Applying the mantra of changing finance and financing change, degrowth-aligned finance is described as (i) aligning finance to degrowth and (ii) financing degrowth-alignment.
- Secondly, the presentation considers the real economy, looking at its positive and negative social and environmental impacts over the last generation, as well as the effects of climate damages on GDP.
- Thirdly, it defines a sustainable economy as one that operates within social and ecological boundaries, but is also affected by time, in particular the urgency of avoiding climate and biodiversity tipping points.
- Fourthly, the theory of decoupling is explored and the extent to which it is occurring, compared to the limits and time pressures mentioned above.
- Fifthly, the theory of degrowth and its effects on the real economy are explained.
- Finally, the two sides of degrowth finance (aligning finance to degrowth and financing degrowth-alignment) are explored on a principles and values basis.
Behind the scenes at IEMA were David Luck, Vanessa Hawes and Mariabelen Malaga-Hardy.
We are the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment. We are the global professional organisation at the centre of the sustainability agenda, connecting businesses and individuals across industries, sectors and borders. This is a growing and evolving profession, and we are committed to supporting, encouraging and improving the confidence and performance as well as the profile and recognition of all environment and sustainability professionals. Through our global sustainability standards and partnerships, we are driving understanding and uptake of crucial skills that will keep the world of business in business. Together, we’re transforming the world to sustainability.
Featured image by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash.
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