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A Quiet Revolution: Central Banks, Financial Regulators, and Climate Finance

Author

Listed:
  • Neil Gunningham

    (School of Regulation and Global Governance (RegNet), Australian National University, Canberra ACT 0200, Australia)

Abstract

If the free market cannot deliver a low carbon financial revolution, what sort of interventions in financial markets might be necessary to do so? Using interviews, participant observation, document analysis, and applying regulatory theory, this article argues for (i) cross cutting mechanisms designed to curb short-termism, to leverage the social license of financial institutions and to expand corporate conceptions of fiduciary duty to embrace climate change; and (ii) approaches tailored to the characteristics of each individual industry sector. Institutional investors and banks are used as case studies to highlight the importance of third-party benchmarking, expanding rights to litigate, requiring pension funds to address climate risks when making investment decisions, and disincentivizing high carbon investments by bank clients. Finally, it shows that a multi-instrumental approach can create a web of regulation that is more resilient and effective than its individual constituents. Its principal contribution is to show how Central Banks and Financial Regulators (CBFRs) might best fast-track a low-carbon financial transition.

Suggested Citation

  • Neil Gunningham, 2020. "A Quiet Revolution: Central Banks, Financial Regulators, and Climate Finance," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(22), pages 1-22, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:22:p:9596-:d:446848
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    Cited by:

    1. Arno J. van Niekerk, 2024. "Economic Inclusion: Green Finance and the SDGs," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(3), pages 1-21, January.
    2. Aghilasse Kashi & Mohamed Eskandar Shah, 2023. "Bibliometric Review on Sustainable Finance," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-30, April.
    3. Federica Viganò, 2023. "The Climate Financialization Trap: Claiming for Public Action," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-7, March.
    4. Bhatnagar, S. & Sharma, D., 2022. "Evolution of green finance and its enablers: A bibliometric analysis," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 162(C).
    5. Abdulazeez Y. H. Saif-Alyousfi & Turki Rashed Alshammari, 2025. "Environmental Sustainability and Climate Change: An Emerging Concern in Banking Sectors," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(3), pages 1-20, January.
    6. Radu Șimandan & Cristian Păun, 2021. "The Costs and Trade-Offs of Green Central Banking: A Framework for Analysis," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-25, August.
    7. Polat, Onur & Demirer, Riza & Ekşi, İbrahim Halil, 2024. "What drives green betas? Climate uncertainty or speculation," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 60(C).
    8. Carè, R. & Fatima, R. & Boitan, I.A., 2024. "Central banks and climate risks: Where we are and where we are going?," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 1200-1229.
    9. Igor A. Yakovlev & Lyudmila S. Kabir & Svetlana I. Nikulina, 2021. "Changes in Climate Policies and Financial Strategies of Their Implementation in the EU and Russia," Finansovyj žhurnal — Financial Journal, Financial Research Institute, Moscow 125375, Russia, issue 5, pages 11-28, October.
    10. Jing Lu & Guohua Cao & Chuan Lin & Stavros Sindakis & Saloome Showkat, 2024. "RETRACTED ARTICLE: Examining the Governance Effect of Institutional Investors on Stock Price Crash Risk," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 15(2), pages 9053-9081, June.
    11. Peter Gallo & Ján Dobrovič & Veronika Čabinová & Petra Pártlová & Jarmila Straková & Bohuslava Mihalčová, 2021. "Increasing the Efficiency of Enterprises in Tourism Sector Using Innovative Management Methods and Tools," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-13, April.
    12. Marc Ringel & Saranda Mjekic, 2023. "Analyzing the Role of Banks in Providing Green Finance for Retail Customers: The Case of Germany," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-24, May.
    13. Clara McDonnell, 2024. "Pension funds and fossil fuel phase-out: historical developments and limitations of pension climate strategies," International Environmental Agreements: Politics, Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 24(1), pages 169-191, March.

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