Ideas worth spreading

The crucial intersection of climate and capital

1,751,695 views | Nili Gilbert • Countdown Summit

The financial sector often talks of decarbonizing investment portfolios as a way to fight climate change. But portfolios can be "cleaned" without having any real impact on the problem, says investment expert Nili Gilbert. Bringing science to finance, she unpacks how investors can actually help decarbonize the world -- a costly endeavor, estimated at three to five trillion dollars per year between now and 2050 -- and ensure the climate transition is just, global and interconnected. "Changing the markets can be a way to change the world," she says.

The financial sector often talks of decarbonizing investment portfolios as a way to fight climate change. But portfolios can be "cleaned" without having any real impact on the problem, says investment expert Nili Gilbert. Bringing science to finance, she unpacks how investors can actually help decarbonize the world -- a costly endeavor, estimated at three to five trillion dollars per year between now and 2050 -- and ensure the climate transition is just, global and interconnected. "Changing the markets can be a way to change the world," she says.

This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

Consider investing in climate-aware funds. When looking across the range of available options, consider which are really investing in the real-world transformations and solutions that we need.

About the speaker

Investment decarbonization expert

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Nili Gilbert focuses on socially aware portfolio decarbonization and bringing science into finance.

Global Financial Markets Association (GFMA) and Boston Consulting Group (BCG), 2020 | Explore

"Climate Finance Markets and the Real Economy"

This report details the scale of finance needed across high emitting industries to achieve net-zero, and also offers a useful regional breakdown.

Learn more

This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

Consider investing in climate-aware funds. When looking across the range of available options, consider which are really investing in the real-world transformations and solutions that we need.