BEUN Continues Its Science Café Events with a Discussion on Climate Change and Sustainable Finance

Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University (BEUN) continues its Science Café events, which bring academic knowledge together with students and the wider community. The discussion titled “Climate Change, Sustainable Finance and Our Future from the Perspective of COP31”, organised by the BEUN Science Communication Office, was held at the Faculty of Engineering.

The event was moderated by Lecturerru7 Yağmur Atalay, Head of the BEUN Science Communication Office, and Prof. Dr. Ersin Kanat, Director of the BEUN School of Applied Sciences, took part as the speaker. Held within the framework of the 31st Conference of the Parties (COP31) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the discussion addressed global climate negotiations, the effects of climate change on financial markets and projects accepted within BEUN.

“Holding COP31 in Türkiye Is of Great Importance”

At the opening of the discussion, Prof. Dr. Ersin Kanat answered questions from Instructor Yağmur Atalay about the purpose of COP31 and its importance for Türkiye. He stated that these conferences are critical platforms where countries make joint decisions on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, transitioning to renewable energy and climate finance. Emphasising that the real measure of success is how these decisions are reflected in countries' domestic policies, Prof. Dr. Kanat drew attention to the importance of holding the event in Antalya:

“Holding COP31 in Antalya will enable Türkiye to take part in international climate negotiations as the host country. Areas such as water resources, agricultural production, energy consumption, urbanisation and disaster risks can be directly affected by climatic conditions. However, it is not enough to evaluate these issues solely within the framework of environmental policies; climate change is also directly related to economic development and the use of public resources.”

How Do Climate Risks Affect Banks and Investors?

Stating that climate change has a significant economic dimension as well as an environmental one, Prof. Dr. Ersin Kanat explained that climate risks in the field of finance are considered under two main categories: “physical risks” and “transition risks”. He noted that natural events such as extreme temperatures, floods and droughts can disrupt production facilities, agriculture and supply chains, affecting companies' costs. He also stated that the transition to a low-carbon economy changes companies' investment decisions and regulatory frameworks. Emphasising that banks now closely monitor the exposure of businesses they lend to climate risks and their repayment capacity, Prof. Dr. Kanat added that investors in financial markets also take climate-related data into account when analysing companies' future profitability.

“Simply Having the Word ‘Green’ in the Name of a Financing Instrument Is Not Enough”

Explaining the difference between sustainable finance and green financing, Prof. Dr. Ersin Kanat stated that sustainable finance is an approach that considers environmental and social risks alongside economic returns, while green financing focuses directly on funding projects with environmental objectives, such as renewable energy and energy efficiency.

Noting that green bonds are among the important instruments used in this process, Prof. Dr. Kanat offered an important reminder:

“What matters here is not simply having the word ‘green’ in the name of a financing instrument. The key factors are the specific projects in which the funds are used, how the results are reported and whether environmental claims can be verified. This issue is also directly connected to citizens' daily lives; energy efficiency in homes, transportation choices and saving habits are all part of this process.”

Two Important Projects by BEUN Academics Accepted for COP31

In the final part of the discussion, Prof. Dr. Ersin Kanat answered Instructor Yağmur Atalay's question about the work carried out at BEUN and shared details of two important projects accepted within the scope of COP31. He explained that, as part of the first project, titled “Sustainable Finance and the Effects of Climate Change on Financial Markets during the COP31 Process”, they organised a training seminar with the participation of students from the Finance and Banking Department of the School of Applied Sciences. Prof. Dr. Kanat stated that the seminar received a high satisfaction score of 4.94 out of 5 from students and that they aim to extend these training activities to different academic units.

Regarding the second accepted project, titled “Analysis of the Effects of Artificial Intelligence-Supported Climate Risks on Financial Markets”, Prof. Dr. Kanat stated that they examined the role of climate data in predicting fluctuations in financial markets using artificial intelligence methods. He noted that their initial analyses of Borsa İstanbul indices had yielded positive results and that they aimed to turn this study into an international scientific article.

Following the question-and-answer session, during which participants asked questions about topics they were curious about, the event ended with a commemorative photograph.