Financing a Sustainable Future

Financial Markets Group
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The Initiative in Sustainable Finance (ISF) was established as part of the LSE Global School of Sustainability to apply academic rigour to the study of the incentives the private sector has to finance a sustainable future. In this podcast, Dr Tom Gosling, Professor in Practice in LSE, talks to academics about their research in a way accessible to practitioners and the general public. To learn more about the Initiative in Sustainable Finance, visit https://www.fmg.ac.uk/isf

Episodes

  1. 12/09/2025

    Credit Substitution in Sustainable Finance: An Achilles Heel?

    Alperen Gözlügöl and Tom Gosling discuss the role that credit substitution plays in sustainable finance. One theory of change in sustainable finance is that directing credit allocation away from dirty firms and towards clean firms can cause the former to shrink and the latter to grow. In this interview, they discuss the ways in which credit substitution can cause this to break down. Putting pressure on bank credit can simply cause a shift to private credit. Differences in sustainable finance regulation across territories can result in shifts in financing and business activities. And even within regions, inconsistent sustainable finance regulation across different subsections of finance can create opportunities for credit substitution. Without a high level of consistency across and within regions and a holistic approach to regulation, credit substitution has significant potential to undermine sustainable finance goals. Host: ⁠Tom Gosling Contributor: Alperen Gözlügöl Read Alperen Gözlügöl's paper: Credit Substitution in Sustainable Finance: An Achilles Heel? To learn more about the Initiative in Sustainable Finance (ISF), visit ISF's website (⁠https://www.fmg.ac.uk/isf⁠).

    24 min

  2. 11/11/2025

    The impact of green investors on stock prices

    Tom Gosling talks to Dimitri Vayanos about the impact the green investors can have on stock prices by divesting from dirty firms and investing in green firms. There's a debate in the academic literature about whether the impacts are negligible or substantial. Using a theoretical model, Dimitri and his co-authors identify a significant but modest impact on cost of capital, measured in a few tens of basis points and share price impacts over a decade of around 10%. So noticeable, but not transformative in the context of the green transition.   Host: ⁠⁠Tom Gosling⁠ Contributor: Dimitri Vayanos Read Dimitri Vayanos's paper, The Impact of Green Investors on Stock Prices, co-authored with Gong Cheng, Eric Jondeau and Benoît Mojon. To learn more about the Initiative in Sustainable Finance (ISF), visit ISF's website (⁠⁠https://www.fmg.ac.uk/isf⁠⁠).

    17 min

  3. 10/08/2025

    When private firms provide public goods: the allocation of CSR spending

    Tom Gosling interviews Kim Fe Cramer, Assistant Professor of Finance on the compulsory CSR spending mandated for large Indian firms. They discuss how firms choose their CSR priorities and where they spend the money. CSR spending is focussed on a firm’s area of competitive advantage so is efficient, but is focussed in their home region, which often means that richer regions benefit from higher CSR spending, raising questions about equity. Host: ⁠Tom Gosling Contributor: Kim Fe Cramer Read Kim Fe Cramer's paper, When private firms provide public goods: the allocation of CSR spending, co-authored with Lucie Gadenne and Noémie Pinardon-Touati. To learn more about the Initiative in Sustainable Finance (ISF), visit ISF's website (⁠https://www.fmg.ac.uk/isf⁠).

    18 min

  4. 09/24/2025

    How co-ordinated engagements can enhance sustainability impact

    Dr Xi Li discusses her research on coordinated shareholder engagement through the UN PRI. She explains why engagements with a clear leader are more likely to succeed, what makes effective leaders, and how collaboration pays off—both in impact and fund flows. Host: Tom Gosling Contributor: Dr Xi Li Read Dr Xi Li's paper, Coordinated Engagements co-authored with Elroy Dimson and Oğuzhan Karakaş To learn more about the Initiative in Sustainable Finance (ISF), visit ISF's website (https://www.fmg.ac.uk/isf).

    15 min

  5. 09/02/2025

    Sustainable investing: beliefs, constraints, and the limits of impact

    Tom Gosling speaks with Professor Dirk Jenter about what investors really believe about sustainability, how the constraints they face shape decisions, and why most aren’t willing to trade returns for impact. A candid look at the limits of sustainable investing today. Read Professor Dirk Jenter's paper 'Sustainable Investing in Practice: Objectives, Constraints, and Limits to Impact', co-authored with Alex Edmans and Tom Gosling. (https://www.fmg.ac.uk/isf/publications/discussion-papers/sustainable-investing-practice-objectives-constraints-and-limits) Host: Tom Gosling (https://www.fmg.ac.uk/people/tom-gosling) Contributor: Professor Dirk Jenter (https://www.fmg.ac.uk/people/dirk-jenter) To learn more about the Initiative in Sustainable Finance (ISF), visit ISF's website (⁠https://www.fmg.ac.uk/isf⁠) .

    39 min
  6. The role of bank capital requirements in addressing climate change

    07/23/2025

    The role of bank capital requirements in addressing climate change

    Host: Tom Gosling Contributor: Martin Oehmke Tom Gosling interviews Professor Martin Oehmke on how bank capital rules might integrate climate risks. They debate whether rules can be used to incentivize green lending—or whether this would backfire—and why capital requirements can't play the same role as a carbon tax. Read Professor Martin Oehmke's paper Green Capital Requirements To learn more about the Initiative in Sustainable Finance (ISF), visit ISF's website.

    43 min
  • 6 Episodes

About

The Initiative in Sustainable Finance (ISF) was established as part of the LSE Global School of Sustainability to apply academic rigour to the study of the incentives the private sector has to finance a sustainable future. In this podcast, Dr Tom Gosling, Professor in Practice in LSE, talks to academics about their research in a way accessible to practitioners and the general public. To learn more about the Initiative in Sustainable Finance, visit https://www.fmg.ac.uk/isf

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