Net Zero and Climate Finance

Redcliffe's net zero courses cover six sections

Understanding ESG and Environmental Issues

• Global Trends on ESG
• Key concepts of Sustainable Finance and related initiatives
• What is ESG?
• Global market for sustainability and finance
• Key drivers
• Environmental megatrends
• Multilateral agreements
• United Nations Sustainable Development GoalsParis Agreement
• COPs
• NDC
• Other agreements

Understanding Climate Risks for Corporates and Financial Institutions

• Redcliffe's net zero training courses explore the systemic relationships between investee companies’ activities and environmental issues:
  • Materiality and double materiality
• Impact and dependence of business on natural resources
• The systemic impact of climate risks on the financial system
• Climate risk
• Transition risks:
  • Modelling transition risk
• Physical risks
• Opportunities for financial institutions
• Exercises

Understanding the Data

• Identifying ESG materiality
• Financial materiality
• Impact materiality
• Main sustainability reporting and disclosure frameworks
• Data type
• Data sources and providers
• Data availability across different asset classes and regions
• Challenges and considerations for effective identification and use of data
• Greenwashing

Integrating the Results and Putting it All Together

• Regulation and industry initiatives
• TCFD, TNFD, CSRD, European taxonomy, SFDR, MiFID II and Basel principles: understanding regulations and financial sector requirements
• Building greener products and processes
• Climate finance: drivers and barriers
• Transition sectors
• Circular economy
• Blue economy
• Low carbon market
• Financial institutions and Green financing deals for the low-carbon transition
• Understanding client motivation
• Aligning wealth management and expectations
• Understanding your client

 Reporting 

●     Reporting on climate to different stakeholders

Net Zero Course Final Group Exercise

• Identifying the data, method and analytical tools for the development of green finance products across different types of financial institutions

A former investment banker, sustainable finance and green finance expert delivers Redcliffe Training’s net zero training courses. Most recently, he led the Centre for Sustainable Finance at the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL), which helps financial institutions play a leading role in building a more sustainable economy. He led work across the finance industry, which includes banks, insurers and investors. Particularly focusing on producing cutting-edge research, tools and frameworks that drive change in how institutions work with the wider economy, ensuring they manage risks and grasp new business opportunities.

He also sat on the Advisory Panel for GFANZ (The Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero), providing expertise, critique and support to the finance industry in developing robust and credible net zero transition plans.

This net zero course trainer plays a senior leadership role at CISL, sitting on the executive committee to set strategy and oversee financial performance. This vital role ensures there is effective delivery across the wider organisation. Before joining CISL, he spent 20 years in investment banking at Credit Suisse and Dresdner Kleinwort, advising global financial institutions on balance sheet structure, capital raising and post-crisis regulations.

Redcliffe’s net zero training for business, which includes corporates and financial institutions, will provide the following:

• Key concepts related to environmental issues.
• The systemic impact of climate risks on the financial system and how that relates to asset management and portfolio construction.
• Key environmental risks and how they impact business models.
• To apply material environmental factors to financial modelling; ratio analysis; risk assessment; and quality of management.
• To identify sectors and companies that can benefit from opportunities relating to a transition to a low-carbon economy.
• Climate change and the main ways it impacts individuals (and corporations) and their finances.
• The role financial institutions can play in the transition to a low-carbon society via their products.
• The various approaches to align climate finance and financial products with a low-carbon economy, as well as the methodologies underpinning these approaches.
• The strengths and weaknesses (as well as biases) of these approaches.
• Become able to hold a basic level discussion about the possible contributions of different products and asset classes to a low carbon economy.

• Net zero courses at Redcliffe will give you an in-depth understanding of the expectations and practical implications of seeking to become a financial institution that is sustainable and green.
• Focus on actual climate finance products.
• Awareness of the latest climate-related regulatory trends.
• Insight into practical aspects of the implementation of the theory.
• A thorough review of related academic research and its implications surrounding climate finance.
• Perspective based on international experience in climate finance strategy.
• Practical insights on ESG policy at the level of the portfolio and the financial institution.

Addressing the E in ESG has become critical, which is why net zero training for business is imperative. Environmental risks, especially climate change, are already having a significant impact on financial decision-making and the economy as a whole. Furthermore, with investors increasingly pressured to demonstrate that they are steering their capital to a low-carbon economy, how can one make sense of the different types of low-carbon funds, key characteristics, portfolio construction biases and client perception?

This Net Zero course, focusing on climate finance, introduces sustainable investment: an investment approach intentionally seeking to create both financial return and a positive impact on climate stability.
While climate is currently the best-addressed environmental factor by governments, businesses and financial institutions; the range of environmental factors that have a material financial impact on investments and loans is broad and far-reaching.

Redcliffe’s net zero courses also identify and describe the key environmental factors and external drivers that finance professionals should consider when assessing ESG risks and opportunities.