Jacqueline van Enden (Co-founder and CEO of Carbon Equity)
To me capital is like the orchestra conductor of the world. Money decides what grows and what does not. Those who understand and work in finance quite literally design the future. This programme in my eyes is about leveraging capital to shape the world for good and help build a sustainable future. Finance is absolutely key to shaping climate outcomes. Having an understanding of climate finance will be relevant for decades to come.
Riks Noorman (Chairman of World Treasury Center)
With nearly 8 billion people, profit can no longer rely on unlimited growth or resource depletion. It must stem from a necessity economy, meeting essential needs within ecological limits, prioritizing well-being over financial growth, and balancing social justice with planetary sustainability. This shift requires transitioning to circular economies and valuing broad prosperity, where economic activities benefit people and the environment rather than harming them. Profit should be redefined beyond financial metrics to include social and environmental value, accounting for external costs like ecological damage and inequality. A sustainable economy must prioritize long-term well-being and ecological balance over short-term gains, demanding a fundamental rethink of economic models.
Vylon Ooms (Policy Advisor Climate Adaptation at Dutch Association of Insurers)
Extreme weather is increasing in severity and frequency. In the insurance sector we see damage caused by weather extremes increasing in our claims data. Tackling climate change related challenges through climate mitigation and climate adaptation is one of the most important topics we currently focus on. Examples are many: from investment in smart solutions to reduce CO2-output, to understanding climate risks of assets, to damage prevention in non-life insurance products, in many ways it is impacting the insurance sector. Therefore, the insurance sector needs financial experts with the tools to understand not only finance, but also the impact of climate change.
Tobias Kamphuis (Senior Manager - Financial Risk Management (FRM) at Deloitte
The possible losses stemming from climate change can be substantial for financial institutions. It is therefore crucial for these organizations to identify key vulnerabilities through detailed risk assessments. Granular data on physical and transition risks is used to assess the impact at the asset level, which is subsequently translated into effects on the organization’s financial indicators. Furthermore, financial institutions extend their assessments to cover also social, governance and nature-related risks. Organizations leverage insights from these assessments to manage risks and adjust their strategic direction. For example, do you still want to target clients in high carbon emitting sectors? Should you provide pricing incentives for homeowners to improve the sustainability of their buildings or to reduce carbon emissions of corporations? In addition to risks, opportunities are also relevant. The energy transition provides financing opportunities, as investments are needed for new energy infrastructure, clean production techniques and climate adaption measures. Understanding the interconnections between these elements will provide you a competitive advantage when entering the job market.
