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Module

NBS8633 : Green Finance and Sustainability

  • Offered for Year: 2024/25
  • Module Leader(s): Dr Iftekhar Ahmed
  • Owning School: Newcastle University Business School
  • Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters

Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.

Semester 2 Credit Value: 10
ECTS Credits: 5.0
European Credit Transfer System

Aims

This module introduces students to the so-called green finance and its linkages to sustainable investments in the context of climate change and the transition to a carbon-neutral economy. The module examines financial sustainability through the lenses of agency, stakeholder, and other theories. Moreover, it supports students in understanding the role of green financial instruments in promoting sustainability and how these are linked to climate-related risks in the banking and financial markets. Students are exposed to a range of risk management approaches and investment frameworks, which are currently used to identify and quantify the risks related to climate change. The module also analyses the role of institutional investors like banks and that of supervisory authorities and governments in aligning financial markets with social, environmental, and government goals.

Outline Of Syllabus

Indicative content

•The social and environmental challenges in the economy and the environmental goals
•What is financial sustainability and why is it important in a business context?
•The role of the financial sector and other institutions in the transition to the green economy
•Financial sustainability through the lenses of agency and stakeholder theories
•Corporate responsibility and Governance in the context of the ESG framework
•The current stage of ESG in the UK and internationally
•Carbon-neutral and low-carbon policies in promotion of sustainability
•Financial policy instruments and the environmental regulatory and supervisory frameworks
•Climate-related financial products
•Environmental risk modelling

Teaching Methods

Teaching Activities
Category Activity Number Length Student Hours Comment
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesLecture72:0014:00Present-in-person lectures
Guided Independent StudyAssessment preparation and completion131:0031:00N/A
Guided Independent StudyDirected research and reading125:0025:00N/A
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesSmall group teaching31:003:00Present-in-person seminars
Guided Independent StudyIndependent study125:0025:00N/A
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesScheduled on-line contact time21:002:002 hs of whole cohort on-line sessions:1h mid-term follow-up clinic;1h pre-assessment clinic
Total100:00
Teaching Rationale And Relationship

The learning environment consists of lectures and seminars, combined with in-class learning activities. Lectures are based on formal notes that present, discuss, and analyse the key theories, concepts, tools, and techniques which lie behind sustainability and green finance. Formal notes are supplemented by journal articles, policy research papers, and market-based reports. Seminars illustrate the material covered in lectures and are mainly based on case studies, numerical and real-life examples to help students to acquire a more practical and day-to-day view of the material covered in lectures.

Assessment Methods

The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners

Exams
Description Length Semester When Set Percentage Comment
Written Examination902A100N/A
Formative Assessments

Formative Assessment is an assessment which develops your skills in being assessed, allows for you to receive feedback, and prepares you for being assessed. However, it does not count to your final mark.

Description Semester When Set Comment
Prob solv exercises1MN/A
Assessment Rationale And Relationship

Students are typically expected to take a closed-book written examination at the end of the semester. Examination will consist of numerical, practical, and theoretical/conceptual questions. All questions will be based on the material covered in lectures and seminars and also on any additional readings and in-class discussions.

Reading Lists

Timetable