![\"Debate](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/1750158850_764_960x0.jpg\")
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Debaters at SXSW London Nature & Climate House. L to R: Marissa Drew, Fiona Howarth, Rhian-Mari … More Thomas, Erinch Sahan, Chaitanya Kumar and Kathy Baughman-McLeod.<\/p>\n
Joan Michelson<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat we are trying to get at is whether we can realistically and successfully invest our way to a green future considering our current economic system and the state of the climate emergency.\u201d That is how Sophie Lambin, CEO of Kite Insights, tee\u2019d up a friendly debate held at SXSW London last week in one of the more interesting sessions there.<\/p>\n
SXSW London Street sign<\/p>\n
Joan Michelson<\/p>\n
Kite Insights curated it and moderated the \u201cfor\u201d side of the debate. Stephen Dunbar-Johnson, president, International of The New York Times Company, moderated the \u201cagainst\u201d side. Held at the Nature & Climate House, presented by SXSW London partner Bellwethers Group on June 5th in the heart of London\u2019s Shoreditch neighborhood, the \u201cdebate\u201d including six expert debaters.<\/p>\n
Debate moderators, Sophie Lambin and Stephen Dunbar-Johnson<\/p>\n
Joan Michelson<\/p>\n
Three experts argued on the \u201cfor\u201d side that the green transition is financially viable today. They were: Rhian-Mari Thomas<\/a>, Ph.D., CEO, Green Finance Institute; Marisa Drew<\/a>, Chief Sustainability Officer, Standard Chartered Bank; and Fiona Howarth<\/a>, Founder\/CEO of Octopus Electric Vehicles.<\/p>\n The three experts arguing \u201cagainst,\u201d that is that the green transition is not financially viable today, were: Enrich Sahan, Business and Enterprise Lead at Doughnut Economics Action Lab; Chaitanya Kumar, Acting Head of Economic and Environmental Policy at the New Economics Foundation; and Kathy Baughman-McLeod<\/a>, CEO of Climate Resilience For All.<\/p>\n UN Estimates Green Economy worth $10 trillion – 2022, press.un.org<\/p>\n Screenshot – press.un.org<\/p>\n \u201cThe UN estimates that globally the green economy could be worth $10.3 trillion by 2030, and the IEA (International Energy Agency) says it could be as much as $100 trillion by 2050. These are humongous numbers, but it’s not just about the numbers,\u201d Dunbar-Johnson said, framing the discussion.<\/p>\n Here are the arguments the green transition is <\/strong>financially viable today, made by the \u201cfor\u201d team<\/strong> (Note: Author is not providing clarifying facts, just the ones the teams presented):<\/p>\n Thomas summarized the \u201cfor\u201d team\u2019s position by saying, \u201cWe stand firmly in support of the motion. Yes, the green transition is financially viable. Indeed. Not only is it viable, it is economically strategic, it is socially imperative and it is already underway.\u201d<\/p>\n Debate – Fiona Howarth<\/p>\n Joan Michelson<\/p>\n Howarth went so far as to call it, \u201cthe biggest financial opportunity that we have seen for decades, both for s companies and individuals.\u201d<\/p>\n Then the \u201cfor\u201d team quoted statistics including:<\/p>\n Rhian-Mari Thomas headshot, from SXSW London website<\/p>\n Rhian-Mari Thomas<\/p>\n Thomas explained that, \u201cThe upfront investments in clean energy, sustainable infrastructure, and low carbon technologies are not costs to be feared or to be avoided. They’re investments that shield us, that protect us from the catastrophic economic consequences of unchecked climate change. Trillions in disaster damages, food system breakdowns, migration crises and social unrest. Every fraction of a degree we prevent not only saves economies, but it saves lives.\u201d<\/p>\n The \u201cagainst\u201d team was just as enthusiastic in the debate. Here are their arguments that the green transition is not<\/strong> financially viable at this time:<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cIt isn’t viable today. That’s what we are debating,\u201d Erinch Sahan began the arguments for the \u201cagainst\u201d team. He removed his belt to dramatically illustrate that, \u201cFinancial markets have become a straitjacket. It’s wrapped around business, it’s wrapped around economic activities wrapped around governments, it’s wrapped around the private sector and it’s become a straitjacket on the transition itself.\u201d He described it as \u201can economy that’s in service to finance,\u201d which is inconsistent with the green economy.<\/p>\n Erinch Sahan<\/p>\n Erinch Sahan<\/p>\n These are the facts the \u201dagainst\u201d team cited:<\/p>\n\n