The Institute

Pioneering thought leadership and constructive discussion to shape a more sustainable economy

About the Institute

We are committed to playing an active role in building a more sustainable economy and society. We aim to bring clients, companies and the wider community together to identify our key challenges and the best ways to solve them.
Mike Ryan, Head of the UBS Sustainability and Impact Institute

Statistic of the week

  • 0%

    14 out of 91 EV models on sale in the US are eligible for the IRA’s $7500 EV tax credit

  • The Inflation Reduction Act offers generous subsidies for electric vehicles. They must be made in North America
  • Debate has raged over the rules for determining this – such as what battery materials are in scope
  • The US Treasury recently released a list of eligible EV models; just 15% meet the IRA’s criteria

Insights

White papers

May 2023

The rise of the impact economy

A more comprehensive approach for efficiently allocating scarce resources to effectively meet society’s current and future needs

Reports

June 2023

Running dry

A focus on intensifying urban water stress in APAC, promising solutions and the role of private and public institutions in their implementation.

Blogs

May 2023 Sustainable chemistry

Chemical pollution and the need to transition to sustainable chemistry

May 2023 Nations are wealthier than you might think

Natural capital accounting is calling into question our traditional use of GDP, but it has a long way to go

May 2023 There’s a problem with GDP

Does money buy happiness? Most of us would probably agree that it doesn’t hurt

Inspiring discussions

Interviews

In conversation with the Institute

Michael Baldinger: 90% of the world’s GDP is now covered by a net-zero commitment

Videos

Progress to Net Zero

What is Net Zero and why is it important? Francis Condon, Head of Thematic Engagement at UBS Asset Management, explains.

Podcasts

sustainability-impact

The podcast with Fiona Reynolds and Paul Donovan on the impact economy

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This is the second if a two-part series exploring the impact economy. Prompted by a new white paper from The UBS Sustainability and Impact Institute, this episode features the CEO of Conexus Financial, Fiona Reynolds and UBS Global Wealth Management chief economist Paul Donovan. They discuss the shortcomings of GDP, why we need an impact economy and what needs to happen to bring one about. Fiona Reynolds is a one of the founding members of the UBS Sustainability and Impact Forum, established in 2022 to drive the discourse on sustainable finance. Paul Donovan is a fellow of the Institute.

The podcast with Prof. Sir Partha Dasgupta on the impact economy

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This is the first of a two-part series exploring the impact economy. Prompted by a new white paper from the UBS Sustainability and Impact Institute, this episode features Sir Partha Dasgupta, Professor Emeritus of Economics at the University of Cambridge, to discuss the interconnectedness of a flourishing natural environment, economic growth and human development. Much of Sir Partha’s celebrated research has covered ecological economics. Prof. Dasgupta is a one of the founding members of the UBS Sustainability and Impact Forum, established in 2022 to drive the discourse on sustainable finance.