Driving sustainability transitions through financial tipping points

Abstract. Achieving a net-zero carbon economy requires significant structural changes in the financial system, including a substantial shift in investment towards low-carbon assets. Through the alignment of expectations, promotion of herding behavior, utilization of public finance, reduction of capital costs and attainment of low-carbon investment thresholds in developing nations, and implementation of robust financial regulations and policies, the financial system can assume a central role in re-orienting economies onto a net-zero course. Taken together, such mechanisms highlight the positive tipping points that can be triggered within sustainable finance and emphasize the necessity of policy interventions to activate and capitalize on these dynamics. The identification and activation of critical and positive tipping points can lead to the amplification of sustainable investments and foster transformative changes in the practices of the financial sector.