Green investment for economic recovery: LCAW’s top speakers
How can we accelerate green investment as the economy recovers from Covid-19? This is a topic that world-leading climate experts and policymakers will be unpicking in London Climate Action Week (LCAW), taking place digitally from 1-3 July 2020.
It is clear that now, more than ever before, we have the opportunity to ‘build back better’ and deliver a green and sustainable recovery. We asked some of LCAW’s top speakers their thoughts and strategies for climate action and economic recovery in the wake of the pandemic.
FIONA REYNOLDS, CHIEF EXECUTIVE FOR OFFICE OF PRINCIPLES FOR RESPONSIBLE INVESTMENT (PRI)
Why is London Climate Action Week significant, especially this year in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic?
London Climate Action Week is important as, with COP26 being postponed due to COVID-19, we must keep momentum and focus on the transition to a net-zero world. We’re in the race of our lives.
What do you want to happen on climate action, what change are you dream of/like to see?
I want all governments, corporations, and investors to really understand that without healthy people and a healthy planet there can be no healthy economy. People, profit, and planet are all interconnected. I want our institutions to respond to climate change as they have to COVID-19: with urgency and with global action.
RHIAN-MARI THOMAS OBE, CHIEF EXECUTIVE AT GREEN FINANCE INSTITUTE
Why is London Climate Action Week significant, especially this year in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic?
London Climate Action Week is more important than ever this year. Sadly, the tragedy of COVID-19 doesn’t make the threat of climate change any less urgent or less critical.
London Climate Action Week ensures we maintain the highest level of ambition for delivering a green economic recovery that benefits society and the planet.
What do you want to happen on climate action, what change are you dream of/like to see?
As head of the Green Finance Institute, the change I want to see with regards to climate action is the channelling of more capital, at pace and at scale, towards the real economy outcomes that will drive the transition to net-zero.
What action will you take to make this happen?
The action that we’ll be taking at the Green Finance Institute is to be the change we want to see, we willexpand the focus of our pragmatic, market-led coalitions to new sectors and new challenges. We’ll be bringing together experts from both the public and private sectors to co-design financial solutions.
Watch this space.
DANIEL KLIER, GLOBAL HEAD OF SUSTAINABLE FINANCE, HSBC
Why is London Climate Action Week significant, especially this year in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic?
London Climate Action Week is now more important than ever. This crisis really brought forward a true ESG crisis, accelerated a transition, and made a green stimulus more important than ever.
So, this is really the time for London Climate Action Week to foster this debate and unlock the potential.
What do you want to happen on climate action, what change are you dream of/like to see?
This is our chance to move it from the few to the many, from the billions to the trillions, and make this a truly inclusive transition. But for this to happen we need to bring together society, governments, business, and finance in the same place, in Europe but also globally.
What action will you take to make this happen?
HSBC has long been a very vocal supporter of the transition to a low carbon economy; we are uniquely positioned between developed countries and emerging markets. We will work with our customers to accelerate the transition, work with governments to deploy sustainable infrastructure, and make climate risk management a standard in the industry. We know we have very few years left to tackle climate change, to address a very significant risk, but also to unlock unprecedented economic growth.
LCAW 2020: Green investment event highlights
The Greenhouse team is working to support more than 60 stakeholders involved in delivering London Climate Action Week, helping to share news and drive impact.
Some of the green investment highlights of London Climate Action Week will include:
- How can UK green finance policies support green and resilient economic recovery? – hosted by Green Finance Institute and E3G – see the event page here.
- Investing in a sustainable recovery from COVID 19 – hosted by Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change (IIGCC)- see the event page here.
- Building Back Better: Low Carbon Transition and the Role of the Financial Sector – hosted by Chatham House and HSBC – see the event page here.
- Central Banks and Climate Change: The Short and Long View – hosted by SOAS Centre for Sustainable Finance, SOAS University of London – see the event page here.
- Carbon Markets & Finance to Support Risk Management and Build Resilience– hosted by Climate Markets & Investment Association – see the event page here.
To find out more and see the full schedule of events, visit www.londonclimateactionweek.org, or join the debate by searching #LCAW2020 and #LDNClimateAction on Twitter and LinkedIn.
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