Finance involves the management and creation of money by individuals, corporations, and governments, covering personal savings, investments, pension fund growth, and major banking decisions.

The financial system is a network of institutions, markets and regulators involved in the management of money.  The major players are banks, pension funds, asset managers and insurance providers.

Banks: Take your deposits, retain a percentage, and use the rest to provide new loans

Pension funds:  Manage a pool of money collected from workers which is grown over time to provide retirement income 

Insurance companies: Helps protect things (homes, cars, health, buildings etc) from financial loss by collecting payments (premiums) from customers and providing money to cover expenses in the event of an accident or damage. They invest some premiums to generate income to ensure they can provide payouts in the long term.

Asset manager: Hired to manage, grow and invest money on behalf of a client

Sustainable finance aims to support projects and companies that contribute positively to society and the environment, ensuring long-term economic stability and ethical responsibility.

This term refers to the financial support provided to the fossil fuel industry (oil, gas, and coal companies). Such investments include loans, insurance, and equity stakes that enable these industries to continue their operations, often at the expense of the environment and long-term economic health.

Misleading claims about the environmental benefits of a product, service, or investment. This practice can deceive consumers and investors into believing they are supporting sustainable initiatives when they are not. It undermines genuine efforts to address climate change and can lead to continued environmental harm.

The overvaluation of fossil fuel companies based on the assumption that all their reserves will be burned, which is incompatible with global climate targets and poses a risk of sudden devaluation.