Masterclass in Sustainable Finance for Journalists
Course director: Sophie Robinson-Tillett, Senior Associate, Public and Third Sector Academy for Sustainable Finance.
About
Trillions of dollars of privately-run capital has been committed to Net Zero by 2050 and sweeping policy packages have been proposed all around the world to align economies with environmental and social objectives. Headlines about these commitments are now a daily occurrence – in the mainstream press as well as in specialist media. Journalists therefore play a critical role in advancing the sustainability agenda, both through their ability to report on, and hold to account financial markets and actors, but also as an instrument in providing credible and accessible information to their audiences. This masterclass is for non-financial journalists that are interested in covering efforts to decarbonise the economy and make financial markets more sustainable across the globe.
Format
Dates
- Session one – 4th April 2024, 1200-1330 BST
- Session two – 11th April 2024, 1200-1330 BST
- Session three – 18th April 2024, 1200-1330 BST
- Session four – 25th April 2024, 1200-1330 BST
Fees
- Free
Applications
Places on this course are limited to those who have primary employment in journalism, but we may also consider candidates from other media and communication professions. Evidence of this may be requested and required.
To apply please complete the application form, for both individual and group bookings. We aim to respond within 10 working days of receipt of the application.
Objectives
By the end of this Masterclass participants will be able to:
- Identify key actors and outline their perspectives and motivations for engaging with sustainability issues.
- Understand how some of the big headlines we’re seeing in the media have much more nuanced stories behind them, and why it’s important to understand some of the tensions and competing interests at play as financial institutions try to integrate sustainability objectives into their strategies.
- Asses different types of greenwashing and analyse different efforts being made globally to get a handle on the sustainability claims being made by institutions, as well as examine ‘greenhushing’ and what that means for journalists and other stakeholders.
- Explain how the ‘just transition’ fits into the Paris Accord, how it impacts different countries and regions, and what investors and companies are doing to try and bake social considerations into their decarbonisation efforts
Masterclass Syllabus
Session one
- The financial ecosystem and why different players are joining the climate movement
- Paris Agreement through to GFANZ
- Climate dominates, but there are efforts on biodiversity, water etc
Session two
- Explanation of limitations around fiduciary duty, acting in concert
- The tension between civil society and client expectations
- Geopolitical issues and the ESG pushback in the US
Session three
- Examples of greenwashing in the media and in the courts
- What are the different types of greenwashing and why do they happen
- What is driving the trend for greenwashing to be called out?
Session four
- What are the potential trade offs between social needs and planetary boundaries
- What are the implications for emerging markets?
- What are investors doing to manage the just transition
Download Course Brochure
OxSFG was established in 2012 and is a multidisciplinary research centre working to be the world’s best place for research and teaching on sustainable finance and investment. We work globally across asset classes, finance professions, and with different parts of the financial system.