Sustainable Finance and the Global Health Crisis: Building a More Sustainable, Resilient and Social Economy

The speed with which the various economies recover from the Covid-19 pandemic will significantly determine the economic pressure placed on the environment in the medium-to-long-term. Furthermore, the pandemic has highlighted the strong interrelations between natural and societal systems, with societal resilience depending on a resilient environmental support system. In this context, the book argues that the pandemic represents a wake-up call for financial systems to be better prepared for the climate crisis and social risk, and has provided a stimulus to scale down the reliance of the global economy on fossil fuels. The first part of the book provides a deep and creative discussion between leading international researchers and experts on the policy options and financial instruments which can help to catalyze the green finance transition in the post-Covid-19 era. The contributions show that sustainable finance is emerging as a powerful tool to advance the transition towards a more environmentally and socially sustainable economic model. Instruments such as sovereign green bonds, green securities, and other sustainability-related securities can play a significant role in the post-Covid-19 world to fund economic stimulus and to lead the way to new and more sustainable future. The second part of the book supports the debate by highlighting a number of selected case studies on financing transitions in different regional contexts including Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America. The book marks a significant contribution to the literature on environmental economics and finance, climate change, and sustainability transitions.

Pasquale Marcello Falcone is Associate Professor of Economic Policy at the Department of Business and Economics - University of Naples ＂Parthenope＂ (Italy) where he holds courses, both at Master Degree and PhD level, on Environmental Economics and Policy. He obtained a PhD in Economics at University of Foggia (Italy) and a MSc in Economics at the University of Leicester (UK). His works focus on the mechanisms through which sustainability transitions can be intertwined with socio-economic, policy and financial aspects and are regularly published in esteemed and highly impacted journals. He has been included in the Top 100.000 Scientists worldwide across all knowledge areas (PLOS Biology) and topics of reference are ＂Energy, Economics and Environment＂.

Edgardo Sica is Associate Professor of Economics at the Department of Economics, Management and Territory - DEMeT, University of Foggia (Italy) where he teaches Microeconomics and Macroeconomics. He obtained a Master in ＂Economics and Finance - MEF at the University of Naples ＂Federico II＂ (Italy), a MA in ＂Development Economics＂ at the University of Sussex (UK), a Ph.D. in ＂Economics and Technologies for the Sustainable Development＂ at the University of Foggia and a Ph.D. in ＂Technology and Innovation Management＂ at the SPRU (UK). He is author of numerous publications in the filed of energy transitions, with a focus on the role of sustainable finance for eco-innovative enterprises.