Work Package Leader
UNIVERSITA’ DEGLI STUDI DI SIENA SIENA Italy
Objectives
The general objective is to systematically explore relations between finance and the environment broadly conceived to include built environment and the production of nature as well as natural resources; to analyse sector specific environmental impacts of – and on – financialisation; and to investigate how the financial system may promote sustainable development.
Specifically it will:
- Review and assess relevant theoretical perspectives on connections between financialisation on the one hand, and the real economy, sustainability and political ecology on the other hand.
- Investigate the impacts of the financial crisis and the subsequent recession on progress towards a low carbon economy, including an analysis of innovative financing mechanisms to encourage firm-level investments in carbon mitigation.
- Analyse the energy crisis within the global economic crisis and assess which forms of financial regulation could promote transition towards a more sustainable and efficient energy regime.
- Explore the requirements of investors and corporate and financial capital on financial instruments in the energy sector, from the perspective of sustainability.
- Explore the conditions under which financial and carbon markets might generate or catalyse investments that accelerate the transition to a low carbon economy/society.
- Analyse how monetary flows have historically become increasingly fetishized and alienated from the “real” economy of global socio-ecological flows of matter and energy.
- Investigate relations between financialisation of the built environment and urban regeneration and development in European cities, with focus on planning and the social and natural dimensions of urban sustainability.
- Synthesize the findings of the above research tasks into a comprehensive report on financialisation, environment and sustainability.