Project Scaffolding
In this class, you need to complete an outline in order to help you develop your final project.
For this part of the project, you will also need to summarize, paraphrase, and use quotations from
sources (max. 2 quotations).
Summarizing
A summary is a short retelling of a longer written passage, containing the author’s most
important ideas. Summarizing helps improve both your reading and writing skills. To
summarize, you must read a passage closely, finding the main ideas and supporting ideas. Then
you must briefly write down those ideas in a few sentences or a paragraph.
Quotations must be identical to the original, using a narrow segment of the source. They must
match the source document word for word and must be attributed to the original author.
Paraphrasing involves putting a passage from source material into your own words. A
paraphrase must also be attributed to the original source. Paraphrased material is usually shorter
than the original passage, taking a somewhat broader segment of the source and condensing it
slightly.
After finding the three articles about your topic, complete the outline attached here. Identify
the main idea and other key details of each article. After completing the outline, attach it to this
activity.
Click here to watch this video, which gives you useful tips for how to read scholarly articles.
The Topic I selected: The effectiveness of climate finance in supporting climate resilience and
renewable energy innovation.
My Research Question: How effective is international climate finance in promoting climate
resilience and driving innovation in renewable energy, particularly in developing countries?
INTRODUCTION
Hook
Hook your readers with an interesting fact that might make them curious about this topic. What
is interesting about this question?
Every year, billions of dollars are promised to fight climate change, but a lot of that
money never even reaches the countries that actually need it the most.
Background Information
Create a general context for the paper by telling readers everything that they need to know before
reading the body of the essay. It should begin with general ideas and then progress towards one
specific, focused idea (main idea).
Climate change is hitting developing countries the hardest, and climate finance was
supposed to help them adapt. But just approving the funds isn’t enough. That’s why it’s
important to actually study how effective climate finance really is.
Main Idea
End with a clear main idea that reveals the author’s purpose for writing, expresses the paper’s
main idea/argument, and provides a direction or outline for the body of the paper.
This paper argues that climate finance can actually improve climate resilience and help
push renewable energy innovation in developing countries, but only if the funding is
managed right.
BODY PARAGRAPHS
Article 1
This article talks about how international climate finance was distributed from 2003 to
2022 and what really helps the money get where it should go. The study finds that even
tho grants are used a lot, they don't really have a strong impact on the distribution of
funds. Instead, it’s the approved funding and how fast it’s processed that really matters.
Using panel data models, the research shows that if you make the approval process more
simple, it gets way more efficient. The author also talks about how important it is for
vulnerable countries to get fast support, especially because they face the biggest climate
risks but dont have the resources to deal with it. The study also says that fairness and
equity need to be better, and that the system should be designed in a way that the funds
really reach the people who need it most. In conclusion, Nor (2025) says that fixing how
climate finance is approved and delivered is super important to actually protect the
vulnerable countries from climate change.
Article 2
This article focuses on the connection between green finance, economic policy
uncertainty (PU), and carbon market volatility in China from 2015 to 2023. Using some
advanced time-series models like TVP-VAR, the authors find that when policies are
unstable, carbon markets get way more volatile. But when green financial instruments
like bonds and certificates are issued, it helps calm the market down. The study says that
green finance sends a strong message about being serious on sustainability, and that
encourages more investment and innovation. The authors also show how regional
differences and geopolitical events, like the Russia-Ukraine conflict, can also change how
the market acts. In the end, the research says that green finance is not just about money,
it’s a way to build more confidence and lower the risk in economies that are trying to
transition. In conclusion, Uddin et al. (2025) say that strong green finance policies, mixed
with stable economic direction, can protect carbon markets from shocks and really help
support climate goals.
Article 3
The article studies how green finance helps support renewable energy tech innovation
(RETI) across China’s provinces from 2013 to 2022. It finds that green finance plays a
big role in pushing RETI forward, especially when innovation levels pass a certain point.
Through funding and financial tools like green bonds, credit, and government programs,
green finance helps renewable energy companies deal with high investment costs and
long payback times. The study also shows that these innovations are super important for
reaching carbon neutrality and moving to a low-carbon economy. It also says that RETI
isn’t just good for the environment, but it also helps lower production costs and makes
energy more efficient. In conclusion, Shi and Shi (2025) say that green finance is a key
thing for pushing technology forward in the renewable energy sector, which is super
important for China’s dual-carbon goals.
ANALYSIS
1. Explain how the ideas from the three articles are different or the same.
All three articles agree that climate finance and green finance play a big role in helping
developing countries deal with climate change, especially by supporting innovation and
making them more resilient. The first article focuses more on the disbursement side, like
how funds are approved and actually used. The second article goes into the relationship
between green finance, policy uncertainty, and market behavior, especially how carbon
markets get more volatile. The third article zooms in on renewable energy tech
innovation and how green finance directly helps that happen in China. Even though each
article takes a slightly different angle, they all show the same thing: smart and targeted
financial strategies are super important for fighting climate change in a real way.
2. Do you agree or disagree with the authors?
I agree with all three authors. What they found makes a lot of sense and shows the gaps
and opportunities in how climate finance is managed and used. I especially agree that the
approval processes need to be faster and that green finance shouldn’t just fund projects
but also be used to lower risks and help spark innovation.
1. Reinstatement of the main points of the project.
Climate finance is one of the strongest tools we got for lowering the impact of climate
change in vulnerable communities. Whether it’s making disbursements faster and more
effective, reducing carbon market volatility, or helping push innovation in renewable
energy, all the research shows that green finance can really move us closer to a more
sustainable future.
2. What is your answer to the research question? (Give the facts that support your point.)
The answer is yes, climate finance is effective, especially when it’s backed by strong
policies and smart implementation. The approval of funds (Nor, 2025), policy stability
(Uddin et al., 2025), and smart financial support for green innovation (Shi and Shi, 2025)
all show that when climate finance is done right, it actually works.
3. One last sentence that brings your paper to a sound end with a question, an inspiring
quote, or a call to action.
Climate finance isn’t just about money, it’s about how we choose to shape the future. So
the real question is: are we going to invest in change before it’s too late?
Works Cited
Nor, Mohamed Ibrahim. "Investigating the dynamics of climate finance disbursements: A panel data
approach from 2003 to 2022." PLoS ONE, vol. 20, no. 3, 7 Mar. 2025, p. e0318170. Gale
Academic OneFile, [Link]/10.1371/[Link].0318170. Accessed 26 Apr.
2025.
Shi, Xiaoyan, and Daimin Shi. "Impact of Green Finance on Renewable Energy Technology Innovation:
Empirical Evidence from China." Sustainability, vol. 17, no. 5, Mar. 2025, p. NA(NA). Gale
Academic OneFile, [Link]/10.3390/su17052201. Accessed 26 Apr. 2025.
Uddin, Mohammed Ahmar, et al. "The Interplay Between Green Finance, Policy Uncertainty and
Carbon Market Volatility: A Time Frequency Approach." Sustainability, vol. 17, no. 3, Feb.
2025. Gale Academic OneFile, [Link]/10.3390/su17031198. Accessed 26 Apr. 2025.
