Sustainable Banking and Finance Network (SBFN)’s Post

In preparation for the #COP29, last year I had the honour to be invited by The World Bank Group to present during #COP28 in their panel on Sustainable Horizons in Latin America and the Caribbean: Unveiling Strategies for Climate-Resilient Development, where I shared the critical role of #inclusion and #innovation for sustainability. Drawn on my experience, 20 years leading and advocating for innovation and inclusion for a sustainable development, I discussed the critical role of #innovation. I emphasised how relevant private and public sector engagement and collaboration are, especially for private sector #investment. The public sector, by being a first adopter, can help reduce risks and pave the way for private sector investment. It is crucial that we create an environment where SMEs, the backbone of our economy, can thrive. SMEs, which are actually part of the engine of our economy are keener to participate more in sustainability agenda with innovation. Acknowledging that they have a distinct way of being treated and they also have a more inclusive approach in the innovation, taking account of the communities. Now is the time for us to champion and create the conditions for local innovation capability, particularly in emerging regions like #LatinAmerica. Because the global challenges are also local. Let’s work together to drive this transformation forward! #innovation #inclusion Camnexus Ltd #femalefounder #bridgingthegaps #technologytransfer IFC - International Finance Corporation

Ai and Global investors issue Heads of State Call to Action at COP28 Announced during the Leaders Summit at COP28 in Dubai, to fight climate change and deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals announced, Africa investor and 9 other global institutional investment organisations—representing over $100trn of assets under management and advisement—jointly issued a Call to Action to Scale Private Capital Mobilization to Heads of State, policymakers and multilateral development bank (MDB) officials. The Call to Action highlighted and proposed solutions to several key impediments to significantly increasing private capital mobilization in Africa, emerging markets, and developing countries to overcome the identified barriers, the Call to Action provides solutions to: • Improve bankable deal flow; • Address longstanding risks and investment barriers; • Ensure “additionality” of MDB financing; and • Improve data transparency and risk assessments. Read the full press release: https://lnkd.in/dgeT8r73 Read the full Call to action: https://lnkd.in/dDBPsMgn

🌍 SPEAKER SPOTLIGHT 🌱 We are thrilled that Frank Elderson, Executive Board Member of the European Central Bank is one of the distinguished speakers for our upcoming event on Tuesday 27 February Unpacking COP28 and looking forward to COP29: How Transition Finance Underpins Our Net Zero and Nature Positive Future? 🎤 Frank Elderson, will be sharing his invaluable insights on a panel devoted to - Transition Plans: Role of Regulators and Financial Institutions in Realising COP28 outcomes Frank brings a wealth of expertise and leadership to the table, with a remarkable career dedicated to advancing sustainability and financial stability. As a seasoned professional in the field, his contributions have been instrumental in shaping policies and initiatives that drive positive environmental and social impact within the financial sector. Join us as Frank and other renowned speakers delve into the key takeaways from COP28 and explore the implications for sustainable finance in 2024. This promises to be an enlightening session, offering actionable perspectives for professionals, policymakers, and stakeholders committed to advancing sustainability goals. 🗓️ Save the date: Tuesday 27 February 🕒 Time: 09.00-16.15 (featuring four different panels throughout the day) 📍 Location: Virtual Event 🔗 Register now: https://lnkd.in/eaHcWEEJ Don't miss this opportunity to gain valuable insights from Frank Elderson and other distinguished speakers at ISFCOE's next insightful online event. #SustainableFinance #COP28 #FinanceLeadership #ISFCOE #FrankElderson #ECB #ClimateAction #SustainabilityLeadership

Emerging markets hold the key to financing #SDGs, and 2/3 of that funding must come from domestic capital. Jeroen Huisman at #COP28 explains how to unlock private resources & create a virtuous cycle of climate-driven growth & job creation. ⤵ Watch. -- ▶ More insights from #cop28 available on our YouTube channel: https://lnkd.in/d3WvDttD

It is heartening to see that emerging markets are receiving necessary impetus, to support their transition towards renewable energy, particularly in the power sector (https://lnkd.in/dHbNi8Hk). It was an honor and privilege to be part of the recently concluded #UNCOP28 as a panelist and speaker to the session titled – ‘Eco-financing the future’. The discussions were focused around the emerging markets space. The session explored role of the banking sector in supporting the transition to a greener economy. Hosted by KPMG in collaboration with ENBD, I was joined by esteemed panellists – Thibaud De Maria, Kamran Khan, Georges Hajj, Vijay Bains, Charbel Moussa, PhD, Tracy Lane, and moderated by Dr. Benedikt Herles. My special thanks to Lotfi El Jai and Fadi Al-Shihabi. Views shared by my fellow speakers conveyed deep understanding of the core issues, offered practical solutions and truly inspiring work being done within their respective organizations, banking sector (Asia, Middle East and Africa) and green economy at large.   From a practitioner’s perspective, my reflections stem from a pragmatic point of navigating the nuanced landscape of climate finance and what are the catalysts that can expedite the transition. Projects: There are abundant project opportunities in the space of renewal energy with adoption of technologies like CCS (carbon capture and storage) and DAC (direct air capture) and evolving business models – early stage to mature well-established initiatives. What we need is effective collaborative frameworks to manage resources and optimize deployment of capital. Securing capital: Currently, capital is available for the financial institutions (FIs) but fundamentally at the same pricing curve as the conventional one. What FIs need, particularly in the EM space, are innovative financial models. Accessing funds with attractive ‘greenium’ or at concessional rates may expedite the transition to sustainable practices. Cultivating capacity building: Capacity building is pivotal. Professionals must be equipped with the necessary skills to assess feasibility and manage the risks. Championing governance excellence: Critical to this journey is governance. Overall governance precedes the intricate task of constructing comprehensive compliance across the climate finance ecosystem. #esg #sustainability #un #worldbank #climatechange #climateinvesting #imd #esginvesting #unsdgs #dcm #sustainablefinance

🚀 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝟮𝟬 𝗔𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗮 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗼𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝘆𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗠𝗼𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 🌍 💼 I'm thrilled to share I have recently had the opportunity to sit down with the Green Steel World 📰, to discuss the findings of an input paper I authored for the #G20 Sustainable Finance Working Group. As part of the Climate Bonds Initiative team 🌱, we focused on how policymakers can effectively mobilise #privatefinance to drive a credible transition in the #steel and #cement sectors 🏗️. These industries are the largest industrial emitters, contributing 6-8% of global #CO2 #emissions annually, making our work here crucial for meeting international climate goals 🌎   This policy paper, prepared for the G20 Brasil 2024 Presidency 🇧🇷, was a key input for the Sustainable Finance Working Group's discussions last July, providing crucial perspectives on how #governments can be market drivers 🚦 and why emerging markets 🌍 are pivotal for the #netzero #transition.   A huge thank you to Lucija Kozina for the insightful interview and for helping amplify this important discussion. It is through collaborative efforts like these that we can truly move the needle on #sustainablefinance and a #justtransition!   Here is the link to the interview: https://lnkd.in/dM-U8MmA #Sustainability #GreenFinance #ClimateAction #JustTransition #SteelAndCement #EmergingMarkets #ClimateBondsInitiative

Last month, we attended Climate Action's Sustainable Investment Forum Europe in Paris. At the conference, SESAMm's CEO, Sylvain Forté, took some time to answer questions on how we use controversy data to analyze ESG risks for private assets, how we ensure the accuracy and transparency of this data, and how important it is to have events such as the Sustainable Investment Forum to accelerate the transition to net zero. Watch the full interview and click here to learn more about SESAMm: https://lnkd.in/d9sG9x9y

🌍💡 Beyond Compliance: How Embracing ESG in Finance Can Unlock Capital for Africa’s Low-Carbon Transition 🌿💼 We are excited to share our latest insights on how integrating ESG principles can transform Africa’s financial landscape and drive sustainable development. Despite contributing less than 5% of global GHG emissions, African nations face severe climate vulnerabilities. Here are a few ways meaningful ESG strategies in the financial services sector can help build resilience, unlock sustainability capital, and support the achievement of SDGs. 🌱

UN Trade and Development has issued its annual SDG report (SDG Pulse), which serves as a global reference for tracking SDG implementation & progress towards achieving shared prosperity on a sustainable planet by 2030. This SDG Pulse 2024 report follows recent UN findings that showed only 17% of the SDG targets were on track, despite the world being over halfway along its 2030 deadline. There were four main takeaway themes:  1. Need to strengthen the multilateral trading system for inclusive development 2. Development assistance at new highs, but still far from agreed targets 3. Persistent technology gap leaves LDCs behind in industrialization 4. World off track to curb climate risks, but decreasing carbon intensity raises hope for sustainable economy For much greater details, visist the report site: https://lnkd.in/ga-eez_3 United Nations European Environment Agency Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs JNCC Natural England NatureScot Greenpeace Greenpeace International WWF WWF-UK BBC News ITV Skynewsuk.com

🌍 Navigating Africa's evolving ESG landscape presents unique challenges—from managing climate risks 🌡️ to overcoming infrastructure limitations 🛠️ and addressing the ESG knowledge gap 📚 African banks and businesses must develop comprehensive ESG strategies that embed sustainability principles across operations, build capacity, and ensure transparent reporting. By tackling these challenges head-on, companies can enhance their resilience and contribute to sustainable growth across the continent. As we continue to hear from African companies about the distinct hurdles they face, we know that with an integrated approach and the right guidance and sustainability expertise, these challenges can be transformed into opportunities 🌱