We are pleased to announce the International Conference on Biodiversity Finance (ICBF2025), to be held on 7-8 November 2025 in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China, jointly organized by Southwestern University of Finance and Economics (China), Swansea University (UK), and Shanghai Business School (China).

This event intends to bring together global researchers, practitioners, and policymakers to explore the intersection of biodiversity, finance, and sustainability. The conference will address key challenges in Biodiversity Finance/risk, Ecosystems, Climate Risks, International Economy and Emerging markets, aiming to bridge the gap between environmental conservation and financial markets.

Conference Paper Submission

Authors are invited to submit their papers (or extended abstracts) in English and in PDF format (with a titlepage that contains all authors’ information) no later than 7th, October, 2025 to gaoxiang@sbs.edu.cn. Inquires can also be addressed to Professor Xiang GAO at gaoxiang@sbs.edu.cn or Professor Ding LI at liding@swufe.edu.cn.

Keynote Speakers

Professor Haoyu Gao, Professor and doctoral supervisor of Finance at Renmin University of China. Professor Gao is a recipient of the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars and was selected for the 5th China Association for Science and Technology's "Young Talent Support Program." His research has been published in top-tier journals, including The Journal of Finance, Review of Financial Studies, Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Journal of Financial Economics, Journal of Financial Research, Journal of Management Sciences in China, and The World Economy. Professor Gao will share his expertise on cutting-edge topics in financial markets during the conference.

Professor Hafiz Hoque, Professor in Finance at Swansea University, UK. Professor Hoque serves as the Associate Editor of the International Journal of Finance and Economics and the Journal of International Financial Management and Accounting. He holds a PhD in Finance from Bayes Business School (formerly Cass), UK, and specializes in corporate finance, sustainable finance, and FinTech, with a focus on biodiversity risk, ESG integration, and climate-related financial innovations. His research spans IPO dynamics, director networks, Islamic banking, and the intersection of AI with financial markets, published in leading journals such as the Review of Financial Studies, Journal of Corporate Finance, Journal of Banking and Finance, and Journal of International Money and Finance. Currently, he directs the Hawkes Centre for Empirical Finance at Swansea, driving projects on green innovation and biodiversity finance. Professor Hoque will deliver a session on contemporary issues in Biodiversity.

Professor Shusen Qi, Associate professor and doctoral supervisor of the Department of Finance, School of Management, Xiamen University and Research Fellow at Peking University's Digital Finance Research Center. Professor Qi serves as an Associate Editor for the International Review of Economics & Finance and is a Research Fellow at the Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR). His expertise spans banking, corporate finance, and climate finance, with publications in leading journals such as Journal of International Business Studies, Production and Operations Management, and Review of Finance. Professor Qi has been invited to present his research at major central banks and financial institutions worldwide, including the Bank for International Settlements, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and the central banks of the UK, Germany, Finland, Hungary, India, and South Africa. Professor Qi will share his insights on the intersection of finance and sustainability during the conference.

Topics include, but are not limited to:

· Valuing Biodiversity for Financial Decision-Making

· Biodiversity Credits and Nature-Based Asset Markets

· Mainstreaming Biodiversity into Sustainable Finance

· Biodiversity/climate as a Systemic Financial Risk

· Role of Central Banks and Regulators

· Biodiversity Metrics and Market Transparency

· Financing Biodiversity/climate in Emerging Economies

· Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) in Biodiversity Conservation

· Integrating Biodiversity and Climate Finance

· Biodiversity Economics and Social Justice

· Long-Term Models for Biodiversity Finance

· Corporate Governance and Nature-Related Risks

· Institutional Investors and Stewardship in Biodiversity

· AI and Machine Learning in Biodiversity Finance

Registration deadline and fees

· The deadline to register is - 15^th October 2025 (Invitation to register with be sent after evaluation of the submitted papers)

• Registration fee - RMB 2000      (1000 for students)

Conference Organizing Committee/ Manuscript handling

Xiang Gao, Professor in Finance at Shanghai Business School, Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Transition Economics and Finance and Associate Editor of Journal of International Money and Finance.

Hafiz Hoque, Professor in Finance at Swansea University, Associate Editor of International Journal of Finance & Economics and the Journal of International Financial Management and Accounting.

Ding Li, Professor in School of Public Administration, Southwestern University of Finance and Economics. He is Associate Editor of Frontiers in Public Health and Journal of Chinese Economic and Business Studies, Editorial Board Member of Journal of International Money and Finance.

Prizes and Awards

World Scientific Publishing’s Journal of Transition Economics and Finance is delighted to sponsor two best paper awards

l RMB 5,000 for the best paper presented

l RMB 3,000 for the best student paper presented

Publication Opportunities

International Journal of Finance & Economics

The Conference Organizing Committee will choose 10 selected papers from those presented at the conference to be considered for publication at the Special Section of the International Journal of Finance & Economics. The submission portal will open shortly after the conference, and authors should address all the comments received during ICBF2025 prior to submission to the journal.

Other supporting journals

The Conference Organizing Committee will also choose selected papers from those presented at the conference to be considered for publication at the Journal of International Money and Finance, Journal of Asian Economics, and the China Finance Review International. Within two months of the conference date, these papers will go through a blind review process. Papers submitted must not be under review at any journals.

Conference Venue

Ÿ 555 Liutai Avenue, Wenjiang District, Chengdu, Sichuan, China

Ÿ Conference dates: 7-8 November 2025