Dr Chris Jones discusses the role of investors in tackling climate change
16 October 2019
Knowledge Exchange Fellow Chris Jones took part in a panel discussion on climate change with BEIS Minister Kwasi Kwarteng at this year’s Conservative Party Conference.
The panel session, on the role of business in tackling climate change, was organised by Aberdeen Standard Investments and also featured Eva Cairns of Aberdeen Standard Investments and Sir Richard Gifford, Chairman of the Green Finance Institute. The panel discussion focused on the role of investors in tackling climate change and what more needs to be done to reduce greenhouse gas emissions at a much faster rate. The panel discussed how many investment portfolios are at risk from climate change and that there are shortcomings in current investment practices that mean long term risks are not sufficiently considered. In his introductory speech Chris highlighted the need for investors to urgently move towards a more prudent approach of paring down long term risk through rapid decarbonisation instead of sustaining high carbon practices. The session took place on the second day of the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester on the 30 September.
The event highlighted the need to act with urgency, and that this requires greater action from investors and business leaders as well as Government.