OUR WORK
Scotland Beyond Net Zero is a coalition designed to catalyse research collaboration, empower our communities and inform the policymaking and action Scotland needs to reach its ambitious targets.
Scotland Beyond Net Zero’s partner universities, will work to combine our research strengths to build interdisciplinary collaborations around six core themes: Built Environment, Energy, Finance, Food, Natural Systems, and Transport. Read more about each of these themes and meet the related researchers via the quick links below.
From research in modern architecture, urban planning, and civil engineering to the design of energy-efficient buildings and the use of sustainable construction materials, our researchers are considering how the world that we have forged around us holds the potential to accelerate our race to achieving Net Zero.
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Energy is perhaps the most obvious research area that springs to mind when considering our goal of achieving net-zero emissions. From increased understanding of renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, hydro, and geothermal power to improving energy efficiency and storage capabilities, research into energy is fundamental to achieving our goal of reaching net zero emissions.
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Interestingly, finance is closely linked to the climate crisis, but academic research can highlight the ways that investment practices can align with sustainability objectives. Financial investments should channel efforts towards low-carbon and climate-resilient projects to help accelerate the transition to a net-zero carbon economy.
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Almost a third of greenhouse gas emissions are associated with our current food systems. To understand the role food production plays in achieving net zero, we’re bringing together interdisciplinary research that looks at the impact and opportunities across multiple stages of the food supply lifecycle.
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The true power of nature and its ability to help solve the climate crisis is still widely unknown. Through research into ecosystems, biodiversity, and natural processes, we can unlock the knowledge to develop strategies that harness nature’s potential to sequester carbon and mitigate climate change.
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With a wave of new developments and advancements in environmental technologies, it’s an exciting and pivotal moment in the transportation sector. Further research aims to understand how cutting-edge technologies can not only mitigate the transport sector’s traditional environmental impacts, but shape the future of how we get around.
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Finance is closely linked to the climate crisis, both through its investment decisions – for example funding fossil fuels – as well as its carbon impact (for example trading or mining). But with these negative associations comes opportunities; the rise of green finance, political advocacy, and carbon pricing or taxes.
Shifting financial practices towards sustainable investments and integrating climate considerations into decision-making processes is crucial for addressing the climate crisis effectively.
Research in finance explores new financial mechanisms that incentivize sustainable investments and discourage high-carbon activities. Studies into green finance, sustainable investment strategies, and the integration of environmental, social, and governance criteria into financial decision-making provide critical insights for reshaping the financial landscape.
Academic research in finance contributes to the development of risk assessment models that account for climate-related risks, fostering a more resilient financial system. Our research aims to create a clear roadmap for how investment practices can align with sustainability objectives. The aim is to redirect capital flows towards low-carbon and climate-resilient projects, to help accelerate the transition to a net-zero carbon economy.
Meet the researchers involved with studies on finance and its role in achieving net zero.
Reader in Science Technology and Innovation Studies
Ronan.bolton@ed.ac.uk
Lecturer in Climate Finance & Investment
icochran@ed.ac.uk
Professor and Chair of Finance; Director of the Edinburgh Centre for Financial Innovations
Gbenga.Ibikunle@ed.ac.uk
Director of the Mary Robinson Centre for Climate Justice
t.jafry@gcu.ac.uk
Senior Lecturer Economics
Theodore.Koutmeridis@glasgow.ac.uk
Interdisciplinary Director for Data and Artificial Intelligence
georgios.leontidis@abdn.ac.uk
Business Development Manager, School of GeoSciences
stuart.simmons@ed.ac.uk
Director of the Sustainable Scotland Network (SSN)
george.tarvit@ed.ac.uk
Professor of Accounting and Sustainability
Ithomson002@dundee.ac.uk
Read the latest articles about finance from our universities.
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