Amid public sector initiatives to achieve the objectives of the Paris Climate Agreement, there has been a sharp growth in investors’ use of environmental, social and governance (ESG) approaches to integrate climate risks and opportunities into investment decisions. Financial markets have a critical role to play to help assess the net benefits, channel capital to entities that are transitioning to renewables, embark on a low-carbon trajectory, and provide appropriate surveillance and verification to support an orderly transition to net zero.

While noteworthy progress has been made, considerable challenges hinder the efficient mobilisation of capital. Greater comparability of climate transition metrics, as well as transparency and interoperability of climate finance and ESG approaches, are needed to support the orderly transition to low-carbon economies.  

This high-level roundtable will host a panel discussion with public and private sector participants on progress, challenges and policies for financial markets to foster a low-carbon transition. To support the discussion, the roundtable will include the launch of two OECD reports:

• Financial Markets and Climate Transition: Opportunities, Challenges and Policy Implications

• ESG Investing and Climate Transition: Market Practices, Issues and Policy Considerations, developed for the G20 Sustainable Finance Working Group

Download the agenda

Keynote Speeches

Mathias Cormann, Secretary-General, OECD

Pierre Gramegna, Minister of Finance, Luxembourg

Panel Discussion

Moderator: Mathilde Mesnard, Acting Director, Directorate for Financial and Enterprise Affairs, OECD

Opening and closing remarks: Masamichi Kono, Deputy Secretary-General, OECD

Gelsomina Vigliotti, Director General for International Financial Relations, Department of the Treasury, Italy

Aerdt Houben, Director, Financial Markets Division, De Nederlandsche Bank and Chair, OECD Committee on Financial Markets

Matt Murray, Senior Bureau Official, Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs, United States Department of State

Steve Waygood, Chief Responsible Investment Officer, Aviva Investors

Remy Briand, Head of ESG, MSCI

Brooke Masters, Chief Business Commentator, Financial Times

Documents and links

Environmental, social and governance (ESG) investing

Sustainable and resilient finance

OECD Ministerial Council Meeting