London and Geneva, 5 October 2022 – The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Green Finance Institute (GFI) are partnering to host a special podcast series to highlight the role of finance and natural climate solutions in the run up to COP27.
This five-episode series - Financing Nature: COP27 Special - will build awareness of the need for private finance in delivering the nature-positive outcomes we urgently need for climate mitigation and adaptation. The first episode will be broadcast today on Wednesday 5 October, and will feature Sagarika Chatterjee, the Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ) Secretariat and Finance Lead, Climate Action Champions.
“UNEP has identified that if the world is to meet its climate change, biodiversity, and land degradation targets, it needs to close a $4.1 trillion financing gap in nature by 2050. The stakes are higher than ever, biodiversity and nature must be at the forefront of the COP27 climate agenda. Egypt represents a unique opportunity to accelerate the implementation of effective nature-positive solutions for people, economies, and the well-being of future generations” said Susan Gardner, Director, Ecosystems Division, UNEP.
Investments in nature restoration, protection and nature-based solutions are increasing, but not at the scale required to tackle the interdependent crises of climate change and biodiversity loss.
“We can and must channel private capital into nature-based solutions. This will require policy and regulatory support, catalytic capital and financial innovation. Ahead of COP27 in Egypt, Financing Nature: COP27 Special will showcase examples of where this is already happening, and discuss what we collectively must do to mobilise capital at scale” said Dr Rhian-Mari Thomas, Chief Executive Officer, GFI.
Financing Nature: COP27 Special will feature leading voices and examples of individuals delivering on-the-ground solutions. This includes:
- Episode 1: Sagarika Chatterjee, GFANZ Secretariat and Finance Lead, Climate Action Champions and José Pugas, partner and executive Head of ESG of JGP Asset and signatory of the Innovative Finance for the Amazon Cerrado and Chaco (IFACC) Initiative. IFACC Initiative is working to scale-up innovative finance for deforestation- and conversion-free agricultural production in South America
- Episode 2: Andrew Deutz, Director of Global Policy, Institutions and Conservation Finance at The Nature Conservancy and Yasmine Sagita, Director of Sustainability, PT Royal Lestari Utama (RLU), who introduces the Tropical Landscape Finance Facility’s work with sustainability bonds and blended finance in Indonesia.
- Episode 3: Kaddu Sebbunya, CEO, African Wildlife Foundation and David Cheboryot, E4Impact, Entrepreneurial Support Organisation to The Restoration Factory, an initiative working to unlock and scale-up investments in sustainable land use and forest management in Africa.
- Episode 4: Karen Sack, Executive Director, Ocean Risk and Resilience Action Alliance and Yabanex Batista, Deputy Head of UN Global Team on Global Coral Reef Fund, a catalytic financing instrument for reef-positive investable projects.
- Episode 5: Susan Gardner, Director, Ecosystems Division, UNEP
NOTES TO EDITORS
About UNEP
UNEP is the leading global voice on the environment. It provides leadership and encourages partnership in caring for the environment by inspiring, informing and enabling nations and peoples to improve their quality of life without compromising that of future generations.
About the GFI
The Green Finance Institute was established in 2019 as a direct response to a key policy recommendation made by the industry-led Green Finance Taskforce to the UK Government in March 2018. Our mission is to accelerate the transition to a clean, resilient and environmentally sustainable economy by channelling capital at pace and scale towards real-economy outcomes that will create jobs and increase prosperity for all.
For further information please contact:
Aurelia Blin, UNEP Climate Finance Unit
Tim Le Couilliard, SEC Newgate
Keisha Rukikaire, Head of News and Media, UN Environment Programme
