The new ‘Depoliticizing uncomfortable knowledge: Why and how some central banks attempt to evade environmental issues’ project aims to explore the research question of why and how some central banks attempt to evade addressing environmental issues.

While some central banks have taken proactive steps to integrate environmental considerations into their policies, others remain resistant, choosing to sideline these issues. The project relies on a qualitative approach incorporating case study analysis, content analysis, and discourse analysis. The focus is on the case of the Swiss National Bank (SNB), which has, to date, resisted integrating environmental considerations into its policies and practices. Empirical material will include public communications and speeches from SNB officials and relevant external stakeholders, technical documents primarily produced by the SNB, and semi-structured interviews with SNB staff and external stakeholders, analyzed through content and discourse analysis.

The reasons and strategies through which central banks navigate environmental challenges hold practical significance not only for scholars but also for policymakers and civil society. The findings address diverse audiences which will be reached through academic publications and policy briefs thanks to the Geneva Graduate Institute, particularly the Department of International Relations and Political Science and the Global Governance Centre, which jointly host the project.

Timeline:  June 2025 - June 2026.

Funding organisation: