We strive to mobilize adequate, affordable finance for the energy transition and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). By engaging with public and private institutions, we critically analyze financing pathways, address barriers to scaling sustainable finance, and support innovative financing solutions and approaches at the local, national, regional, and international levels.
The Climate Law & Finance Initiative
The Sabin Center for Climate Change Law and the Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment established the Climate Law and Finance Initiative (CLFI) to drive transdisciplinary research and engagement that advances global understanding of the role of the interrelated areas of law, policy, and finance in addressing the climate crisis. Supported by seed funding from the Wells Fargo Foundation and project-specific funding from other partners and philanthropies, CLFI seeks to drive increased climate finance that translates into lower GHG emissions in the real economy. Centered at the Law School and Climate School at Columbia University, CLFI draws on expertise and convening power from across the University.
Below is a snapshot of CLFI’s four research pillars and our recent work under each.
Financing the Energy Transition
Together with UN agencies, regional associations, national governments, public and private financial institutions, and other stakeholders, CLFI is addressing the legal and structural challenges to mobilizing adequate, affordable finance for the energy transition.
Regulation for Finance and Markets
CLFI supports the critical analysis and understanding of government mechanisms that are decisive to aligning finance with climate goals and the energy transition, including energy roadmaps, public finance, subsidies and pricing mechanisms, market regulation, and financial regulation.
Methodologies and Metrics
The metrics and methodologies purporting to measure financial and business alignment with climate goals are too often misaligned, imprecise, not interoperable, or gameable. CLFI seeks to pinpoint the challenges and improve the performance of those critical methodologies and metrics.
