Ceres

Climate Transition Finance & Business Case Research

The Bekenstein intern at Ceres will work on two projects, one focused on climate transition finance and the other on the business case for deepening corporate engagement on sustainability, including climate change mitigation and adaption, with Ceres.

• Climate Transition Finance: Future of Banking Financing the Transition
  There is a significant opportunity for banks to integrate elements of climate transition finance into their products and services. Climate transition finance aims to enable the decarbonization of high-emitting entities and hard-to-abate sectors. While many transition finance activities involve fossil fuels and may not strictly be “sustainable,” they can significantly reduce emissions and create a pathway for deeper decarbonization. Definitions of transition finance vary in specificity and scope. Despite extensive research, guidance, and discussions around transition finance, particularly following COP28, its adoption has been inconsistent across financial institutions. To help Ceres more effectively guide its member banks on the topic, the Bekenstein intern would research and benchmark existing third party and bank frameworks and methodologies to identify best practices and synthesize findings and key resources in a memo, focusing on the following key questions:
  • Comparing Bank Approaches: What are different banks considering under transition finance, and on what terms? How do these approaches vary across institutions?
  • Frameworks and Guidance: Compare different transition finance frameworks and resources to identify commonalities, differences, and gaps. Evaluate the effectiveness of these frameworks in guiding banks’ transition finance strategies.
  • Credibility of Transition Finance: What is the credibility of transition finance especially for clients with revolving credit lines and what guardrails are banks employing to ensure the integrity and impact of their transition finance initiatives.
  • Stakeholder Reactions: Based on the information available online, gauge and compile stakeholder perspectives and concerns from different stakeholders, including clients, regulators, and civil society, around transition finance initiatives.
• Refining the Business Case
  In addition to this project, the Bekenstein intern will refine the existing Ceres Company Network business case for corporate ac-on on climate mi-ga-on and adaptation and broader sustainability priorities. Given how dynamic the landscape is, and the growing regulatory, political, and investor pressures, it is more important than ever to have a compelling business case for corporate action. The Bekenstein intern will conduct landscape research on these evolving pressures and synthesize findings and key resources in a memo, focusing on the following key questions:
  • Why should a company keep investing time/money/resources in sustainability if there’s less of a (US) regulatory requirement to do so?
  • How can companies counteract political pressure to pull back from their climate and broader sustainability commitments?
  • How can internal champions most effectively make the business case to company leadership for maintaining ambition?
  • What are the quantifiable risks of inaction and benefits of action?

Qualifications

• Interest in environmental or sustainability issues
• Strong administrative, organizational, communication, and time-management skills.
• Demonstrated ability to take initiative, prioritize, multitask, and meet deadlines.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills and effective presentation style.
• Knowledge of quantitative and/or qualitative research methods a plus.
• Excellent analytical skills and ability to comprehend, synthesize, and communicate complex sustainability issues.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, PowerPoint, Excel), databases, and e-mail computer applications.
• Candidates must be flexible to work with employees in all US time zones.

Timeline

• Climate Transition Finance : Weeks 1-6
  • Weeks 1-3 : Research and benchmarking
  • Weeks 3-4 : ID of barriers & best practices
  • Week 5 : Synthesis of key findings
  • Weeks 4-6 : Memo generation
• Business Case : Weeks 7-12
  • Weeks 7-9 : Landscape research
  • Weeks 7-10 : Quantifying risks of inaction and benefits of action
  • Week 11 : Synthesis of key findings
  • Weeks 10-12 : Memo generation

Background

Ceres is a nonprofit advocacy organization working to accelerate the transition to a cleaner, more just, and sustainable economy. We make the business case for ac-on on the greatest sustainability challenges facing our world today: climate change, water scarcity and pollution, and nature and biodiversity loss. We inspire the world’s most influential investors and companies with the greatest impact on our economy to urgently act on these threats and take advantage of the business opportunities in the transition. United under a shared vision, our powerful networks of investors and companies are proving sustainability is the bottom line—changing markets and sectors from the inside out.