THE UNIVERSITY of EDINBURGH

DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2020/2021

Information in the Degree Programme Tables may still be subject to change in response to Covid-19

University Homepage
DRPS Homepage
DRPS Search
DRPS Contact
DRPS : Course Catalogue : Business School : Common Courses (Management School)

Postgraduate Course: Low Carbon and Green Investment (CMSE11362)

Course Outline
SchoolBusiness School CollegeCollege of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) AvailabilityNot available to visiting students
SCQF Credits15 ECTS Credits7.5
SummaryHigh levels of investment are expected in order to transition to a low carbon future, for example, the Paris Agreement reiterates the commitment for developing countries to provide at least $100 billion/yr in climate finance, while the IEA estimates cumulative investment of $35.9 trillion in low carbon energy between 2015 - 2030. A variety of different mechanisms, including both public and private sector finance, will be required for different technologies, sectors and countries. This course aims to provide students with an understanding of the nature of these new financial flows and the implications and opportunities for business. In addition, many of the skills related to low carbon investment are equally applicable to other areas of green or environmental finance, and this broader application is explored in the course.
Course description The course aims to provide students with an understanding of trajectories towards a low-carbon economy and what this implies in terms of investment requirements and opportunities at different points in time, in different countries and sectors. Students should be able to apply their understanding of investment appraisal to investment decisions made by various types of investors such as individuals, private equity funds, pension funds, insurance firms or green mutual funds. Students are expected to learn how these investors operate and what attracts them to invest in low carbon projects. Broader aspects of green or environmental finance, beyond carbon finance, will also be discussed.

Outline Syllabus
1. Conceptualising climate change mitigation as an investment issue
2. Who will finance the low carbon transition and what drives investment?
3. How to write an investment prospectus/proposal
4. Climate finance and climate funds
5. Green investment banks
6. Climate insurance and risk analysis
7. Low carbon investment portfolio management
8. Green bonds
9. Micro and community finance
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Other requirements None
Course Delivery Information
Not being delivered
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
  1. Describe and critically evaluate the challenges and opportunities for low-carbon/green investment.
  2. Understand and critically discuss the different types of institutional and individual investors: their business models, institutional framework, incentive structures and the role of low carbon/green investment opportunities on their dashboards.
  3. Understand and apply best practice for developing an investment proposal.
  4. Understand and critically evaluate different innovative financial instruments for supporting low carbon/green investments.
  5. Critically evaluate an individual investment proposition from different perspectives, with a focus on commercial low carbon/green investment but also acknowledging wider social cost-benefit.
Reading List
A full weekly reading list is posted on Learn via an online Resource List.
Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills Knowledge and Understanding
After completing this course, students should have:

* An in-depth understanding of the scale and timing of investment required for a low carbon transition
* Detailed knowledge and understanding of the key players, stages of investment, and types of finance associated with low carbon investment
* Detailed understanding of the role of policy in low carbon investment decisions


Practice: Applied Knowledge, Skills and Understanding
After completing this course, students should be able to:

* Calculate the internal rate of return (IRR), net present value (NPV), and profitability index for an investment project
* Write and present an investment proposal
* Evaluate the risks and opportunities associated with low-carbon/green investments

Cognitive Skills
After completing this course, students should be able to:

* Critically appraise investment proposals from a range of perspectives
* Make informed judgements based on the analysis of risks and returns
* Understand, speak and write in the language of low-carbon/green investment


Communication, ICT, and Numeracy Skills
After completing this course, students should be able to:

* Calculate and apply standard investment appraisal metrics, e.g. IRR, NPV and PI
* Cooperate with others from different professional, educational and cultural backgrounds to produce group analysis and present the results of group work.
KeywordsNot entered
Contacts
Course organiserDr Ian Cochran
Tel: (0131 6)50 9295
Email: Ian.Cochran@ed.ac.uk
Course secretaryMrs Kelly-Ann De Wet
Tel: (0131 6)50 8071
Email: K.deWet@ed.ac.uk
Navigation
Help & Information
Home
Introduction
Glossary
Search DPTs and Courses
Regulations
Regulations
Degree Programmes
Introduction
Browse DPTs
Courses
Introduction
Humanities and Social Science
Science and Engineering
Medicine and Veterinary Medicine
Other Information
Combined Course Timetable
Prospectuses
Important Information