The Role of Green and Transition Finance in Achieving Carbon Neutrality and Sustainable Energy

Suk Hyunis a Head Professor of the Graduate School of Environmental Finance at Yonsei University, Japan, with expertise in international finance, bond markets, and the Japanese economy. Before his current position, he worked as a visiting scholar at the University of Southern California and as a research fellow at the Korea Capital Market Institute. He also served as a bond market specialist at Japan Bank for International Cooperation in Japan and as an economist at the Bank of Korea. His recent research focuses on infrastructure bonds, green bonds, capital market development, and financial integration in Asia.

Dr. Farhad Taghizadeh-Hesary is an Associate Professor at the Research Institute for Environment and Sustainability (TRIES) at Tokai University in Tokyo, Japan, and Vice-President of the International Society for Energy Transition Studies (ISETS). He also serves as Chief Economist at Climate Finance Asia and Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Environmental Assessment Policy and Management. In 2024-5, he led a project to draft Just Transition guidelines for banks, commissioned by a group of leading global banks, international organizations, and philanthropic foundations. In 2023, he was awarded the Medal and Commendation for Science and Technology by Japan's Minister of Education for his contributions to renewable energy finance. Recognized as a Highly Cited Researcher by Clarivate Analytics, Dr. Taghizadeh-Hesary has authored over 400 academic papers and book chapters, as well as 30 books, primarily focusing on energy transition, policy, finance, and sustainability. He holds a Ph.D. in economics from Keio University in Japan.

Inhyung Lee is a Senior Research Fellow and former Vice President at the Korea Capital Market Institute in Seoul, Republic of Korea, where he led the sustainability research agenda on ratings and disclosure, delivered research papers for the public, and conducted commissioned consultation research for the Financial Services Commission and the Korea Exchange. Additionally, he has held positions at FnGuide, the University of Suwon, and LG Business Research.

Bing Xu is a Professor of Finance at the Edinburgh Business School and the Economics & Business theme lead of the Heriot-Watt University NetZero Global Research Institute. She is passionate about working on multidisciplinary projects on low-carbon fuels, sustainable cold chains, and circular chemical economy, which are recognized as central to achieving net zero. Currently, Bing leads on the "Policy, Society and Finance" theme of work on several multidisciplinary UKRI-funded projects to address non-technological barriers around business and finance models, social dynamics, multi-criteria decision-making analysis, and policy, such as Zero Emission Cold-Chain (EP/V042548/1); GREEN-ICEs (EP/T022701/1); Sustainable Cold-Chain (UKERC); UKRI Interdisciplinary Centre for Circular Chemical Economy (EP/V011863/1); Digital Circular Electrochemical Economy (EP/V042432/1); CCUS for UK cluster decarbonization (IDRIC Wave 2).