Date: Monday, November 16, 2026
Time: 12:00–1:00 p.m.
Venue: Auditorium between Buildings 4 and 5
As momentum builds towards COP31, the Office of Sustainability invites you to this timely conversation about how science can inform financial decisions that matter for climate and nature.
As part of the Sustainability Seminar Series, KAUST Alumna Dr. Maha Cziesielski from MSCI will join us online to share insights into the growing connections between earth sciences, climate and nature-related financial risks, and investment decision-making.
For years, climate finance has basically meant one thing: carbon. Who emits it, who prices it, who offsets it. But the next frontier is physical climate and nature risk, and it plays by different rules: it is local, shaped by conditions on the ground, and reshaping how financial institutions understand their investment risks. In finance, risk means how likely an event is to happen and how much it could cost the institution, from droughts affecting farms to the loss of nature that a business depends on.
This talk will look into how earth sciences can contribute to understanding climate and nature-related financial risks. If you are a student or researcher wondering where your science can go next, or a decision-maker weighing what these risks mean for your organization, join this session to explore how science and finance can work together.
The event supports engagement with SDG 13: Climate Action, SDG 15: Life on Land, and SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals, connecting global ambitions with the knowledge and collaboration needed to put them into practice.
About the Speaker
Dr. Maha Cziesielski is Vice President in Climate Products for Geospatial Asset Intelligence, Supply Chain and Nature Solutions at MSCI, a global financial data and analytics company. She holds a PhD from KAUST, where her research on climate change impacts on coral reef ecosystems shaped her work in translating science into actionable decisions. Previously, she worked as a policy consultant, advising public and multilateral institutions on biodiversity policy, nature and climate adaptation finance. She holds a biodiversity finance certificate from the Frankfurt School of Finance & Management.
Join us for an engaging discussion on how scientific knowledge can help shape more informed financial decisions in a changing climate.