Green Finance Institute

Geopolitical uncertainty and the fraying consensus on net-zero goals are emerging as obstacles to climate action. However, there is still an opportunity to attract international investment to drive growth by focusing on finance fundamentals, accelerated by an honest assessment of the mechanisms that are working most effectively when it comes to mobilising capital. Supporting governments and investors to develop these investment opportunities remains the core mission of the GFI. Our sixth edition Green Finance Quarterly looks at leveraging international expertise to deliver local solutions, covering: 🏡 The value of global collaboration to decarbonise the built environment by amending local policies to drive demand 🔑Unlocking financing to catalyse Nordic cleantech to unleash the region’s innovations to support global decarbonisation 📍Scaling place-based investment through Community Municipal Investment to drive private capital directly into communities Subscribe to the GFQ today by emailing comms@gfi.green Read here: https://lnkd.in/eK_DYPrg

Our CEO, Rhian-Mari Thomas OBE was featured on Reuters Events Trailblazing Women in Climate List among 11 other brilliant climate leaders across policy, finance, business and activism.    Dr. Rhian-Mari Thomas OBE, comments on the list:  “In an increasingly partisan and polarised world, leadership that bridges divides through genuine collaboration needs to be encouraged if we are to solve the complex and interconnected challenges we all face. Success in this nascent field is less about commanding attention than paying attention. It requires the humility to listen but also the courage to challenge conformity and to act.”   Read the full list here: https://lnkd.in/eWNJqW3K

Innovation Zero offers a space for knowledge sharing, collaboration, cross-industry dialogue, and co-designing the solutions to overcome the major obstacles to low carbon innovation in the UK and beyond. We are delighted to be Finance Forum partners this year. While the sustainability agenda is facing headwinds, we remain optimistic that momentum will continue if we demonstrate that sustainable investments can deliver attractive risk-adjusted returns and make commercial sense. We look forward to seeing you there in April, to discuss pragmatic solutions to mobilising finance. Register today: https://lnkd.in/ev8z9Fb4 #InnovationZero #innovation #economy

We were in Brussels last week alongside Systemiq Ltd. and Mission Possible Partnership presenting to the EU commissioner on Project SkyPower’s key asks to the EU-Commission to scale up e-SAF production in Europe.   Highlights include: 👉 Great appetite across both policy makers and industry to create enabling conditions for e-SAF in Europe. Over 400 participants joined us for the e-SAF focused T&E event - From the Green Deal to the Clean Industrial Deal - watch the replay here: https://lnkd.in/eNiHBiUW 👉 The European Commission supported the ask of an enabling framework over subsidies, appreciating the industry wants to invest, it just needs the right conditions to do so. 👉 Mechanisms proposed by the Project SkyPower team, such as the market intermediary and bridging mechanism are highly transferable. Their successful implementation for e-SAF could unlock significant potential for cross-sector decarbonisation across Europe.   Read the full letter here:  https://lnkd.in/dQUA2Djv   #eSAF #ProjectSkyPower #ReFuelEU

Project SkyPower, a collaboration between GFI, Systemiq Ltd. and Mission Possible Partnership, alongside 70+ companies across the eSAF ecosystem, has published an open letter to the EU Commission with five key asks to de-risk the scale-up of e-SAF production capacity in Europe to ensure success for critical aviation mandates.   Producing e-SAF in Europe presents a clear case to strengthen energy security, create high-value jobs and drive cleantech innovation, placing Europe at the centre of what could be a EUR 350+ billion global market.    But key barriers are slowing progress— a lack of long-term revenue certainty, price risk, regulatory risk, and the challenges of first-of-a-kind projects. The window of opportunity is rapidly closing: to scale e-SAF in time to meet ReFuelEU Aviation sub-mandates and industry emissions targets, first-of-a-kind plants must reach Final Investment Decision by end 2025 in order to be operational by the turn of the decade.    Read the full letter here:  https://lnkd.in/dQUA2Djv   #eSAF #ProjectSkyPower #ReFuelEU

🌿 Join the Public-Private Community of Practice for Nature and Development Finance! 🌿   The Green Finance Institute along with partners, United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) and BIOFIN - Biodiversity Finance Initiative are mobilising private sector investment for nature through the global Revenues for Nature (R4N) project.    Are you interested in learning about models that can unlock private sector investment while creating additional revenue streams? Sign up to our Public-Private Community of Practice for Nature and Development Finance. It is open to all and will provide insights into scalable, replicable financing models for nature restoration and conservation via invite-only workshops and webinars.    Sign up or find out more by visiting: https://lnkd.in/eqAhnPEP   #RevenuesforNature #NatureFinancing #GreenFinance   

GFI’s CEO Rhian-Mari Thomas OBE spoke with Grantham Research Institute’s Sarah Gordon on the latest Zero in Conversation podcast from Innovation Zero, hosted by Instinctif Partners, to discuss how innovation, policy and finance can work together to deliver a net zero future.   “The value of demonstrating what is possible is going to become increasingly important in our discussions with policy makers. As the deadlines and legal requirements for actually making change start bearing down on us, there are those who have a genuine vested interest in maintaining the status quo saying this is impossible. We need to be able to counter that by saying, it’s not impossible. It’s difficult. It’s been done, maybe not in this country, or at the scale it needs to be done, but there are examples.   The solution? “A greater focus on deal doing. Pragmatically informing how policy is developed so that it is forensically unlocking capital for sector-specific investment. A financial, product led approach to policy when it comes to green infrastructure, technology development and, importantly innovation.”   Listen here: https://lnkd.in/eenqxsP4   #ZeroInConversation #InnovationZero #IZWorld25 #GreenFinance

We are delighted to partner with the #InnovationZero World Congress 2025 to showcase how innovation – in business, finance, technology and policy – can deliver a greener, more prosperous future. As well as Rhian-Mari Thomas's, CEO of the GFI, role as co-Chair of Innovation Zero alongside The Baroness Bryony Worthington, the GFI is proud to be Innovation Zero’s #FinanceForum partner – supporting this pivotal platform for navigating the intricate world of financial investment and #GreenFinance.   The Finance Forum will enable attendees to connect with leading experts in the finance sector, delving into best practices for scaling businesses rapidly and bridging the funding gap for innovators. The Forum will explore the critical role of green and transition finance, discuss how to overcome barriers to mobilising and scaling private investment, as well as the role of catalysts in driving real economy change.   For further information, or to register for the Sustainable Investment Forum 29-30 Apr 2025: Innovation Zero World, click: https://lnkd.in/ev8z9Fb4

The Green Finance Institute, in partnership with Abundance Investment, convened the inaugural Steering Committee, focused on taking Community Municipal Investments (CMI), also known as Local Climate Bonds, to the next level – expanding access and guiding future development – after three years supporting the development of the market.   To drive progress at scale, a place-based allocation model is essential – and Local Authorities are central to making this happen. According to the UK Government’s Net Zero Strategy, 82% of UK greenhouse gas emissions fall within the scope of influence Local Authorities. More than 300 councils have declared a climate emergency, but momentum is building. By working together, we can scale the CMI model to unlock a new and untapped source of borrowing for Local Authorities to fund the transition to net zero—ensuring communities are at the heart of the solution. To-date, solid progress has been made, with:   • 13 councils having used CMI, issuing 15 investments, with more set to launch in 2025. • 2,700 investors have participated, including 550 local investors supporting projects in their communities. • Almost £12 million raised, including £2.2m from local investors, demonstrating strong public backing.   Thank you to our partners who continue to be so instrumental in scaling this solution to support Local Authorities and the communities at the heart of the transition; to Abundance for your expertise in UK crowdfunding Karl Harder, Louise Wilson, and Bruce Davis; to the councils that continue to act as pioneers to delivering green growth and a just transition and to Councillor Adam Hug, Chair of the Local Government Association Local Infrastructure and Net Zero Board for your inspiring words and call to action at the Steering Committee.   Camden Council Hammersmith & Fulham Council Southwark Council Royal Borough of Greenwich London Borough of Hackney Westminster City Council Islington Council West Berkshire Council Cotswold District Council Bristol City Council Oxfordshire County Council London Borough of Hounslow Warrington Borough Council Lewisham Council Telford & Wrekin Council

Our CEO Rhian-Mari Thomas OBE sat down at #Davos with pioneering women driving sustainable action for the inaugural #WomenInClimate podcast from GIB Asset Management, alongside Katherine Garrett-Cox CBE, Manar Al Moneef, Marisa Drew, and host Naomi Kerbel. Listen to the podcast today.