Abstract. The finance sector has been attracting significant attention in the media lately for their support, or lack thereof, for projects that are expected to exacerbate the problem of climate change. In some circles, the finance sector is also hailed for their proactive strategies in funding renewable energy, or the transition to the clean economy. But what is the rationale behind this sector’s interest in climate change and the environment more broadly? What forces and processes are at play within banks, investors, insurance companies, and asset managers that could be used to the benefit of the environment? This presentation will aim to summarise key topics such as current trends in global climate finance, the state of financing climate change adaptation and resilience in Australia, divestment, and the way environmental impacts manifest as financial risks and opportunities in finance. The seminar will be followed by a discussion and reflection on how finance intersects with reef science, governance and management.

Biography. Zsuzsa is a Lecturer in Corporate Environmental Management at JCU. Her interests lie in embedding ‘good’ science into business decisions through understanding how environmental issues factor into corporate decision-making. Prior to joining JCU early 2017, she was a Visiting Research Fellow at the Griffith Institute for Tourism. She took on leadership roles in two research projects funded by the National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility in 2016, ‘Mechanisms to finance climate change adaptation in Australia’ and ‘Building the business case for adaptation’. She completed her PhD at Griffith University and also taught environmental assessment and management and professional practice in the Environmental Planning discipline in the School of Environment. Zsuzsa is an environmental scientist, with BSc in Environmental Biology from the University of Alberta, Canada, and corporate experience in environmental management as a senior environmental consultant for Deloitte in Europe.