Five Essays on Empirical and Sustainable Finance

Abstract

Climate change, social inequality, and governance failures are reshaping the understanding of risk and value. Investors, regulators, and society increasingly demand more than financial returns. This dissertation explores the potential of sustainable finance to drive genuine sustainability beyond greenwashing. It focuses on ESG-linked financial instruments, corporate incentive structures, and real-world outcomes. The aim is to systematically analyze the mechanisms, opportunities, and limitations of sustainable finance in aligning market practices with long-term environmental and social goals.