During the course, students will learn how sustainable finance can affect economic growth and income distribution. They will learn the mechanisms through which funds can be oriented and allocated to activities that account for the projects’ environmental and socio-economic impact and will be able to recognize that there are often trade-offs between short-term profits and long-term impacts. Students will understand what kind of policies and institutions have been designed in Europe to favor the transition from traditional to sustainable finance to enhance ESG awareness across society and the economy. 

 
By the end of the course, the student will have gain knowledge regarding:

• The action plans through which EU institutions are fostering the transition towards sustainable finance.
• The scale of development of ESG and SRI investments relative to traditional ones and how such activities can be distinguished from ‘brown’ ones.
• The channels through which sustainable finance can support economic growth and inclusiveness.
• The costs of transition to de-carbonization and how policies can prevent decline and poverty in coal-based regions.

The course consists of theory lectures and teamworks by students.