Australia’s financial sector entered the COVID-19 crisis in a strong position, enabling it to play a key role in cushioning the pandemic’s impact. Once the national economy reopens, policymakers will turn their focus to securing a robust, sustainable and inclusive recovery. However, low...

The purpose of this paper is to highlight some issues and proffer solutions that can make sustainable finance become sustainable. One, there should be greater focus on how some aspects of finance can contribute to sustainability. Two, light-touch regulation may be needed to grow the relatively...

The finance sector is the lifeblood of any economy and its smooth functioning is central to rapid and inclusive economic growth. A well-functioning financial system must intermediate efficiently between savers and borrowers; manage risks prudently; provide a wide variety of financial services to...

This paper provides a first empirical analysis of the impact of the European Central Bank's (ECB's) climate-risk-related supervisory efforts on (i) climate risk exposure and related risk management of banks; and (ii) on the induced shifts in banks' portfolio choices with regard to additional...

We study the effects of green capital requirements that give preferential capital treatment to clean loans. From a positive perspective, our analysis clarifies the differential effects of green supporting and brown penalizing factors. From a normative perspective, we contrast optimal capital...

This paper takes stock of the current state of development of the financial systems in five Central European transition economies (the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, the Slovak Republic, and Slovenia) that are also leading EU accession candidates. It presents both a progress report and an...

Concerns regarding social and environmental issues have become a pervasive aspect of economic relationships, prompting banks' role in social-environmental sustainability to occupy a growing share in the economic debate. Nevertheless, what is the relationship between bank behavior and sustainable...

The European Commission's (EU Commission) Sustainable Growth Action Programme aims to transform national economies in the European Union towards a Green Economy. This is linked to the aspiration to achieve the EU climate protection goals and the Sustainable Development Goals of the United...

The purpose of this paper is to develop a new model or approach to earnings management for sustainability. The challenges posed by climate change and environmental degradation have stimulated interest in sustainability. But such interest has not led to the development of new models that...

The concept of sustainable development affects every part of economic life. The provision of liquidity and capital should contribute to a habitable ecological and social environment. This paper surveys the role of finance in the concept of sustainability. It starts with a discussion of finance...