Conference Chairs: Sean Cleary (Smith School of Business) and J. Andrew Grant (Queen's Political Studies)

The 2015 Paris Agreement represented the commitment of 197 nations to limit global warming to no more than 2°C, setting climate resilience and clean growth as one of the most influential multi-level governance opportunities of the 21stcentury. This set a new direction for even the world’s most progressive economies, requiring a sea of change in the interaction between rapid technological innovation, international policies, consumption patterns, and investment behaviours.  The October 2018 report prepared by the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) shows that without significant action over the next 12 years, we are facing dire long-term consequences due to climate change. It is universally accepted that finance plays a critical role in achieving the transition to a clean economy, and that it will require significant collaboration and governance co-ordination between private and public financial institutions, and with policy makers. 

This conference serves as an ideal opportunity to engage leaders from academia, civil society, the financial industry and government to share interests, present new research ideas, reflect on multi-level governance trends, and discuss current and challenging issues in sustainable finance.

For further details, registration, and draft agenda, see: https://www.queensu.ca/iigr/conferences/state-federation