Finance
Addressing Climate Challenges: The Role of Research in Climate Finance
Threatening ecosystems, public health, and economic stability, climate change remains one of the biggest worldwide issues of the twenty-first century. Among the major hazards the United States faces are changing sea levels, more violent storms, and disturbances in food output. Managing these risks and enabling the shift to a low-carbon economy depend on targeted investments in mitigating, adapting, and resilient building—that is, climate finance. The economic effects of climate change on the United States are discussed in this paper together with a discussion of significant policy proposals and an emphasis on ongoing research and innovation in climate finance.
The Economic Consequences of Climate Change in the U.S.
Extreme weather events now occur far more frequently and with far higher intensity, resulting in significant financial losses. Rising sea surface temperatures helped Hurricane Harvey cause before unheard-of flooding in Houston in 2017. One of the most expensive natural disasters in U.S. history, the damages topped $125 billion (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA.). Likewise, California’s ongoing droughts brought on by rising temperatures and less precipitation have stoked terrible wildfires that have destroyed infrastructure and displaced whole populations.
Without major adaptation strategies, yearly damages from hurricanes and coastal floods might reach $500 billion by 2025, according to a 2023 analysis in Nature Climate Change. This emphasizes how urgently studies on financial instruments meant to help reduce economic losses—such as insurance products and climate bonds—should be conducted.
Especially in places like California and the Midwest, climate change has upset established farming cycles. Extended droughts and severe storms have lowered crop harvests and raised manufacturing prices. For instance, the strong windstorm known as the 2020 Midwest derecho damaged about $11 billion worth of crops, including corn and soybeans (U.S. Department of Agriculture, USDA). Food security and affordability will remain at risk without focused investments in climate-resilient agriculture including enhanced irrigation infrastructure and drought-resistant crops.
Rising temperatures both directly and indirectly endanger health. Particularly among susceptible groups like the elderly and those from low-income areas, heat waves raise the frequency of heat-related diseases. Furthermore, moving to new areas as warming increases the habitat of disease-carrying insects are vector-borne diseases such as Lyme disease and West Nile virus. A report from The Lancet Planetary Health claims that tackling these increasing health hazards calls for coordinated plans combining public health preparedness and investments in green infrastructure meant to lower urban heat island effects.
Policy and Financial Mechanisms in Climate Action
To lower greenhouse gas emissions and advance climate resilience, the United States has instituted many historic laws. Allocating $369 billion to renewable energy and environmental projects, the Inflation Reduction Act (2022) marks the highest federal investment in climate change. Important clauses cover tax incentives for electric cars (EVs), renewable energy generation, and energy-efficient building improvements (Congressional Research Service, CRS). The Act seeks to hasten the acceptance of sustainable technologies by providing private sector innovation financial incentives.
The Biden government also rejoined the Paris Agreement, pledging a 50–52% decrease in greenhouse gas emissions from 2005 levels by 2030. Investments in climate adaptation, clean energy infrastructure, and carbon sequestration technologies have top priority among federal agencies including the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Energy (DOE).
Advancement of climate action has been much aided by state and municipal governments. To cut carbon emissions and set a target of 100% renewable energy by 2045, California has instituted a cap-and-trade program aiming at growing the infrastructure supporting renewable energy, New York has started bold clean energy initiatives. Urban cooling techniques and flood fortifications have been used in cities including Boston and Seattle to shield citizens from climatic effects. These municipal initiatives show how important multilevel government is for tackling environmental problems.
With wind and solar power making up a rising portion of electricity generation, the United States has achieved notable advancement in the acceptance of renewable energy. Texas leads the country in wind energy; California stays at the top in solar power. Particularly in Massachusetts and New Jersey, offshore wind projects spread throughout the East Coast are expected to greatly increase the nation’s renewable energy capacity.
The energy transformation revolves mostly around technological innovation. While carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies are being developed to lower emissions from industrial activity, advances in battery storage systems are improving grid dependability. Achieving net-zero emissions worldwide would depend on increasing CCS and hydrogen fuel technologies, per a 2023 International Energy Agency (IEA) assessment.
Opportunities and Challenges in the Green Economy
The shift to a green economy presents significant employment generation possibilities. Two of the fastest-growing jobs in the United States according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) are solar panel installers and wind turbine service technicians. A McKinsey analysis projects that investments in renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, and energy-efficient infrastructure could provide nearly 9 million additional employments by 2030.
Moreover, green infrastructure projects—such as public transit networks and energy-efficient building retrofits—have the potential to boost local economies while lowering emissions. Through reduced energy expenditures and higher productivity, the U.S. Green Building Council projects that every dollar spent in energy efficiency results in up to four dollars in economic benefits.
Notwithstanding great progress, considerable obstacles still exist. While technological issues including the scalability of CCS and the intermittency of renewable energy sources must be resolved, political polarization has hampered the passage of comprehensive climate legislation. Another important problem is making sure workers in sectors dependent on fossil fuels have a fair changeover. To reduce social disturbances during the energy change, policymakers have to give labor retraining and social support programs top priority.
Regarding its approach to climate change, the United States finds itself at a turning point. Although obstacles still exist, the nation’s governmental systems, technological capacity, and economic resources set it in a position to spearhead worldwide climate action. The U.S. can not only lessen the effects of climate change but also build a more sustainable and fair future by encouraging research and invention in climate finance.
The expenses of inaction much exceed the expenditures required to reduce climate effects as extreme weather events and environmental hazards keep becoming more frequent. Now is the moment for audacious, well-coordinated action including civil society, the business sector, and all tiers of government. The United States can provide a strong model for the world in tackling the existential problem of climate change with the correct mix of ambition, creativity, and cooperation.
Finance
One.funding and MV Commercial launch MV Asset Finance
One.funding has partnered with UK-based MV Commercial to introduce MV Asset Finance, which offers an alternative method for MV Commercial’s customers to secure finance, according to a LinkedIn post.
In developing MV Asset Finance, representatives from One.funding worked closely with MV Commercial’s team to better understand business priorities and the requirements of their customer base.
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According to the post, the service aims to remove friction, ensure complete transparency, and enable a seamless process from initial engagement to completion by integrating support within MV Commercial’s operations and presenting it under their brand.
MV Commercial supplies fleet solutions for vehicles within the UK.
The company’s offerings include trucks, trailers, and light commercial vehicles that are available for sale, rental, or contract hire.
Its current rental and Ready to Go fleets consist of 2,000 specialist trucks, vans, and trailers across various depots in Airdrie, Grantham, Livingston, Oxford, Haydock, and London Luton.
One.funding CEO Lee Schofield said: “At One.funding, we’ve 20 years of experience in building point-of-sale finance that fits naturally into how businesses sell. MV Asset Finance shows what’s possible when that experience is embedded into the MV Commercial journey, making it easier for their customers to keep moving and keep growing.”
A recent example involved AMK Plant & Tipper Hire, which added a DAF FAD XD450 Construction eight-by-four tipper truck to its fleet, the company’s first DAF tipper purchase.
The transaction was finalised in three weeks; MV Commercial supplied the vehicle while financing was arranged through the newly launched MV Asset Finance framework.
Finance
RFSD board approves financial assurances, reviews annual audit
The Roaring Fork School District Board of Education approved its annual financial accreditation assurances and reviewed the district’s 2024-25 audited financial statements during its meeting on Wednesday, according to a district news release.
The audit, presented by McMahan and Associates, found the district’s overall financial position to be stable and identified areas for continued improvement in internal controls and financial processes. The district’s General Fund balance remains above minimum levels required by board policy.
Chief Financial Officer Christy Chicoine said the audit reflects progress following prior concerns identified in earlier reviews.
“We have made significant improvements compared to the prior year’s audit as a Finance Department, and I am grateful for the finance team’s commitment towards those improvements as demonstrated in this audit,” Chicoine said. “While we still have work to do to continue to sustain and enhance the district’s fiscal management, the audit report indicates we are clearly headed in the right direction.”
Superintendent Anna Cole said the findings validate work undertaken over the past two years to rebuild internal systems and improve transparency.
“Over the past two years, our teams have worked diligently and transparently to rebuild internal financial systems that left the district at risk,” Cole said. “The outcomes of this audit are evidence that we are on track.”
Cole said the timing of the audit is significant as the district begins developing its budget for the 2026-27 school year and faces mounting external pressures.
“We couldn’t have stabilized internal systems at a better time,” she said. “As we begin the budgeting process for the 26/27 school year, we face external challenges like declining enrollment, instability of state and federal funding, and a rising cost of living that is outpacing staff and teacher salaries. This audit is an important confirmation that our finances are in order as we prepare to navigate oncoming challenges.”
Board President Lindsay DeFrates said the board is better positioned to plan ahead following the audit’s conclusions.
“We are grateful for the leadership of Chief Chicoine and the hard work of the district finance and human resources teams,” DeFrates said. “We are now in a much better place financially and will move forward with clarity, transparency and accountability, able to better navigate the challenges to come.”
Finance
UK’s Former Finance Minister George Osborne Joins Coinbase – Coinspeaker
Key Notes
- Former UK finance minister George Osborne is joining Coinbase’s Global Advisory Council.
- Osborne will focus on crypto regulation, stablecoins, and tokenized assets across the UK and EU.
- The exchange is also expanding beyond crypto trading as it steps into 2026.
Coinbase has appointed former UK finance minister George Osborne as chair of its Global Advisory Council. It is clear that the American crypto exchange wants to deepen its influence with governments outside the United States.
Earlier this week, Coinbase tested the waters in India as its deal to acquire a minority stake in local crypto trading platform CoinDCX was approved by the Competition Commission of India.
https://twitter.com/CCI_India/status/2000905244080034292
Coinbase Expands Policy Reach Beyond the US
Coinbase confirmed that Osborne will take a more active role in advising on government engagement worldwide, with a focus on Britain and the European Union.
Osborne, who first joined Coinbase as an adviser in January 2024, will be based in London. He will work closely with policymakers on issues related to crypto regulation, stablecoins, and tokenized assets.
Coinbase’s chief policy officer Faryar Shirzad said the crypto exchange has already become a powerful lobbying force outside the US. In the UK, the company is pushing for clearer rules on tax treatment, stablecoin payments, and the use of tokenized assets in capital markets.
Osborne’s Background
Osborne served as the UK’s finance minister from 2010 until 2016, stepping down after the Brexit referendum. Since leaving politics, he has built a broad private-sector portfolio.
He currently chairs the British Museum, is a partner at investment bank Robey Warshaw, and leads Lingotto Investment Management.
Just days before the Coinbase announcement, OpenAI named Osborne to support its overseas data centre expansion under its global infrastructure program. His appointment to Coinbase adds crypto and blockchain policy to an already wide-ranging list of responsibilities.
Expansion Across Crypto
According to an earlier report, at its recent System Update event, Coinbase revealed plans to expand into stock trading, prediction markets, custom stablecoins, tokenization platforms, and AI-powered investment advisers.
Coinbase has already launched stock trading and prediction markets on its platform and now rivals firms such as Robinhood and eToro. The exchange has also partnered with Kalshi to offer markets tied to real-world events such as sports, elections, and economic data.
The exchange’s long-term goal is to become an all-in-one financial platform that operates around the clock.
Meanwhile, Deutsche Bank recently initiated coverage with a buy rating, according to CNBC. Analysts expect the company’s broader new everything-in-one strategy to reduce its dependence on crypto trading volumes as it scales into 2026.
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Disclaimer: Coinspeaker is committed to providing unbiased and transparent reporting. This article aims to deliver accurate and timely information but should not be taken as financial or investment advice. Since market conditions can change rapidly, we encourage you to verify information on your own and consult with a professional before making any decisions based on this content.
A crypto journalist with over 5 years of experience in the industry, Parth has worked with major media outlets in the crypto and finance world, gathering experience and expertise in the space after surviving bear and bull markets over the years. Parth is also an author of 4 self-published books.
Parth Dubey on LinkedIn
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