The UN Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) saw more than 2500 participants join Day 1 of its 16th Global Roundtable, held virtually for the first time ever from 13–14 October 2020, under the theme “Financing a Resilient Future”. Below are highlights of the keynotes delivered.
Amina Mohammed, Deputy Secretary General, United Nations, gave the opening keynote address by reminding participants that sustainable finance wields an enormous opportunity to transform our markets, businesses, societies and environment.
Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), outlined the needs to have policies to mobilise financial resources for the green transformation that is so urgently needed and build forward low-carbon, climate-resilient economies.
Mark Carney, UN Special Envoy on Climate Action and Finance, emphasised the importance of financial institutions in managing the risk and seizing the opportunities in tackling climate change across all sectors of the economy and mainstream finance. He also called for banks to link executive pay to the goals of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.
Christiana Figueres, Convenor of Mission2020, pointed out that where finance goes, so go emissions, or emission reductions. She said efforts to decarbonize are about managing financial risk, increasing financial stability in the medium and long-term and ultimately it is about prosperity.
David Blood, Co-founder and Senior Partner, Generation Investment Management, explained that the next 10 years will be the most critical for the future of the planet and humanity and that to meet global environmental and social goals, businesses and investors must take responsibility for the impact of their decisions on the world.
Johan Rockström, Director, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research told delegates that planetary boundaries provide a scientific target for a safe operating space, with science able to provide the guardrails for sustainable financial sector investment.
A full recap of the event can be found here.
