Paul Bourke Lecture - Climate finance: Taking a position on climate futures

Climate change is increasingly conceptualised in financial terms. In policy and politics, climate change is viewed as a problem of bridging ‘financing’ gaps between the anticipated costs of climate change and available public and private finance, between developed and developing countries, and between mitigation and adaptation activities. These categorisations tend to frame climate finance as a neutral and technical tool for meeting shared goals for responding to climate change.

In this presentation, hear an alternative geographical perspective that is focused on how the ideas, instruments and institutions of climate finance are reshaping the relationships between our economies and climate change. Illustrated with examples of adaptation finance from the Asia-Pacific region, I outline different configurations of climate finance and demonstrate their potentials for more democratic and just climate futures.

Plus Q&A, followed by a cocktail reception.

Presented in partnership with the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia

About the speaker

Dr Sophie Webber, School of Geosciences, University of Sydney

Dr Sophie Webber is a Senior Lecturer and ARC DECRA Research Fellow in the School of Geosciences at the University of Sydney. Sophie is an economic geographer and political ecologist. Her research in Southeast Asia and the Pacific region is focused on the effectiveness of economic and financial tools in adapting to climate impacts in some of the world’s most vulnerable places. In 2022, Sophie received the Paul Bourke Award for Early Career Research from the Academy of Social Sciences in Australia.

About the Paul Bourke Lecture

The Paul Bourke Lecture is named in honour of the late Paul Francis Bourke (1938–1999), President of the Academy from 1993–1997.

The lecture is presented each year by the recipient of the previous year’s Paul Bourke Award for Early Career Research. The lecture is presented at the lecturer’s home university and is open to the public.