Sustainable finance in the EU
Agent Green press release
Agent Green, through Dr. Theodor Cojoianu, is the only organisation from Romania selected for the European Commission’s Platform on Sustainable Finance
Bucharest/Brussels, 26 October 2020 – Agent Green, a Romanian NGO dedicated to biodiversity conservation and responsible management of natural resources, through Dr. Theodor Cojoianu, Lecturer at Queen’s University Belfast, has been selected as a Member of the European Commission’s Platform on Sustainable Finance to contribute expertise in environmental management and responsible investment.
The Platform on Sustainable Finance will advise the European Commission on developing technical criteria for the EU Green Taxonomy, a new classification system for sustainable economic activities, as well as on sustainable finance policy and monitoring sustainable investment at European level.[1]
Valdis Dombrovskis, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission for an Economy that Works for People, said: “This Platform on sustainable finance will provide valuable ideas and contribute to our work to drive green finance forward and develop the taxonomy, playing a crucial role in channelling investment into green economic activities. It has been encouraging to see such a broad range of experts and stakeholders showing such great interest in joining the platform. We have ensured a very balanced selection of people from a range of sectors, including civil society, industry and academia, and with different skills. I look forward to working closely with the platform over the coming months.”[2]
Agent Green, the only organisation from Romania selected for the Platform, was chosen from more than 500 applicants. In total, the European Commission selected 50 members based on their expertise in sustainable development and responsible investment, including Dr. Cojoianu from Romania, alongside other European companies/groups or organisations/societies such as Airbus, Allianz Group or E.ON SE.[3]
Regarding this strategic selection of Agent Green, Gabriel Păun, President of Agent Green, said:
“Closely tracking investments in sustainable and unsustainable companies is vital if we are to dare to hope for a normal future. This platform is therefore crucial to ensuring that only truly green businesses are supported in the future. We are grateful to be part of this initiative to develop new sustainability policies and are determined to bring a breath of fresh green air throughout the process.”
Dr. Theodor Cojoianu, Member of the Platform on Sustainable Finance (Agent Green’s representative), Lecturer in Finance at Queen’s University Belfast, said:
“I am honoured to be appointed together with Agent Green as a Member of the Platform on Sustainable Finance. The platform’s work is crucial to achieving the objectives of the EU Green Deal, including climate neutrality by 2050 and ensuring biodiversity protection and restoration. In this regard, I am delighted to contribute my expertise in sustainable investment and scientific data to guide the European Commission. I am also inspired to work alongside the Agent Green team, which for more than a decade has played a very important role in ensuring environmental protection and biodiversity conservation in Romania and Eastern Europe, raising environmental policy ambition to the highest standard.”
Contact person:
Dr. Theodor COJOIANU, theodor.cojoianu@agentgreen.org, office@agentgreen.org
About Agent Green
Agent Green is a non-governmental, non-profit organisation (NGO) dedicated to environmental protection, founded in 2009 in Romania to conserve biodiversity. Agent Green focuses on solving complex environmental problems affecting biodiversity. A large part of our work therefore involves ensuring the conservation of intact ecosystems and increasing the country’s strictly protected area to 10%, mitigating climate change and monitoring the management of natural capital by governments and corporations in Eastern Europe, particularly Romania.
About Dr. Theodor Cojoianu
Dr. Theodor Cojoianu is a Lecturer at Queen’s University Belfast. Theodor’s research lies at the intersection of sustainable development, data science and finance, seeking scientific solutions to global economic, social and environmental problems. Theodor is also Academic-in-Residence at Sustainable Nation Ireland, serves on the board of the EU Energy Efficiency Mortgages Initiative, is a member of Green Finance Ireland and an executive committee member of the Global Network on Financial Geography (Fingeo).
Theodor received his doctorate in Economic Geography and the Environment from the University of Oxford, his master’s in Carbon Finance (with distinction) and his master’s in Electrical Engineering and Management, both from the University of Edinburgh. Theodor has presented his research findings to Allianz Global Investors, Banking and Payments Federation Ireland, BNP Paribas, Brunel Pension Partnership, Environmental Agency Pension Fund, the Environment Agency Austria (Umweltbundesamt), Investment Innovation Benchmark, Joint Research Centre of the European Commission, International Finance Corporation / World Bank, National Australia Bank, the Central Bank Network for Greening the Financial System and other global financial institutions.
Theodor’s studies in the field have been published in leading academic journals such as Business Strategy and the Environment, Environmental and Resource Economics, Journal of Economic Geography, Small Business Economics and Research Policy.
[1] EU Commission Platform on Sustainable Finance
[2] EU Commission Press Release
[3] List of members of the EU Platform on Sustainable Finance (PDF in English, archived version)
Original English version of the press release
Agent Green Press Release
Dr. Theodor Cojoianu of Agent Green is appointed to the EU Commission’s Platform on Sustainable Finance
Bucharest, 26 October 2020 – Agent Green, a Romanian-based NGO dedicated to thriving biodiversity and responsible management of natural resources, through Dr. Theodor Cojoianu, Academic-in-Residence within Agent Green and Assistant Professor of Finance at Queen’s University Belfast, has been appointed as a Member of the Platform on Sustainable Finance at the European Commission, in recognition of world-class expertise in environmental management and sustainable finance.
The Platform on Sustainable Finance will advise the Commission on the development of robust and science-based technical screening criteria for the EU green taxonomy, on sustainable finance policy as well as on the monitoring and reporting of capital flows towards sustainable investments in Europe. The platform will reach out to a wide range of stakeholders through both public consultations and targeted outreach.[1]
Speaking about the Platform, Valdis Dombrovskis, Executive Vice-President for an Economy that Works for the People, said: “This Sustainable Finance Platform will provide valuable ideas and input in our work to drive green finance forward and to develop the taxonomy, which will play a crucial role in channeling investment into green economic activities. It has been heartening to see such tremendous interest from such a wide range of experts and stakeholders to join the Platform. We have struck a very careful balance in selecting people from a wide range of sectors including civil society, industry and academia, and with different skills. I look forward to working closely with the Platform over the next months.”[2]
Agent Green and Dr. Cojoianu as its representative have been selected from over 500 applications, Agent Green being thus the only organisation on the Platform from Romania. In total, the Commission selected 50 members and 9 special observers based on their environmental, sustainable finance or social/human rights expertise, along with other organisations and companies such as Airbus, Allianz Group or E.ON SE.[3]
Regarding this high-profile appointment, Gabriel Paun, President of Agent Green, declared:
“Understanding and tracking the financial flows to both environmentally sustainable and unsustainable companies is vital to dare to hope for a kind of a normal future. Therefore, this Platform is of utmost importance. We are grateful to be part of this policy initiative and determined to bring a fresh green blow to the process.”
Dr. Theodor Cojoianu, Member of the Platform on Sustainable Finance (appointed as representative of Agent Green) and Assistant Professor of Finance at Queen’s University Belfast, also declared:
“I am honored to be appointed together with Agent Green and to serve as a member on the Platform on Sustainable Finance. The work of the Platform is crucial towards achieving the EU Green Deal objectives, including the achievement of climate neutrality by 2050 and ensuring the protection and restauration of biodiversity. In this respect, I am delighted to use my expertise at the intersection between evidence-based sustainable investment and data science towards to inform the work of the Commission. I am also inspired to work with my colleagues from Agent Green, who for more than a decade, have been instrumental in their work towards ensuring and campaigning for sound environmental protection and the preservation of biodiversity in Romania and Eastern Europe.”
To engage with Agent Green with respect to its work on the EU Platform on Sustainable Finance, please send us an email at:
theodor.cojoianu@agentgreen.org and gabriel.paun@agentgreen.org.
About Agent Green
Agent Green is a non-governmental, non-profit organisation (NGO) dedicated to environmental protection, founded in 2009 in Romania for the purpose of preserving biodiversity. Agent Green focuses its activity on solving complex environmental issues that impact biodiversity. Hence, a large part of our work includes ensuring the preservation of intact ecosystems, increasing the surface of strictly protected areas, climate change mitigation and the monitoring of natural capital management by governments and corporations in Eastern Europe, in particular Romania.
About Dr. Theodor Cojoianu
Dr. Theodor Cojoianu is an Assistant Professor in Finance at Queen’s University Belfast and an Academic-in-Residence with Agent Green. Theodor’s work at the intersection between sustainability, data science and finance is focused on applying innovative research methods to the study of sustainable development issues. Theodor also serves as an Academic-in-Residence in Sustainable Nation Ireland, on the advisory board of the EU Energy Efficiency Mortgages Initiative, as a member of Green Finance Ireland and as an Executive Committee Member of the Global Network on Financial Geography (Fingeo).
Theodor received his D.Phil. in Geography and the Environment from the University of Oxford and his MSc in Carbon Finance (Distinction) and MEng in Electrical Engineering and Management from the University of Edinburgh. Theodor presented professionally relevant insights to Allianz Global Investors, Banking and Payments Federation Ireland, BNP Paribas, Brunel Pension Partnership, Environmental Agency Pension Fund, the Environment Agency Austria (Umweltbundesamt), Investment Innovation Benchmark, Joint Research Centre of the European Commission, International Finance Corporation / World Bank, National Australia Bank, the Central Bank Network for Greening the Financial System and other global financial institutions.
Theodor’s work has been published in journals such as Business Strategy and the Environment, Environmental and Resource Economics, Journal of Economic Geography, Small Business Economics and Research Policy, as well as communicated for practice in high-profile reports for international financial institutions looking to invest sustainably.
[1] EU Commission Platform on Sustainable Finance (archived page)
[2] EU Commission Press Release
[3] List of members of the EU Platform on Sustainable Finance (PDF in English, archived version)
