CPI at Climate Week NYC 2024
Climate Policy Initiative will be hosting and speaking at several events during Climate Week NYC, taking place in the margins of the 2024 United Nations General Assembly, September 22-29, in New York City.
All times are in EDT
Finance Lab for Irrecoverable Carbon: Fresh Ideas for Earth’s Climate Strongholds
Monday, September 23; 9:00am -10:30am
Irrecoverable carbon refers to the vast stores of carbon in nature that are at risk of being released due to human activity. If these carbon stores are lost, they cannot be replenished by 2050—the critical deadline for achieving net-zero emissions to avert the most severe consequences of climate change. These irreplaceable carbon reserves are found in some of the world’s last remaining old-growth forests, healthy mangroves, and undisturbed peatlands. However, protecting these vital areas is notoriously challenging to finance.
Over the last two years, Conservation International and Climate Policy Initiative have partnered to source and develop five ‘blueprints’ for financial instruments designed to protect these irrecoverable carbon landscapes. These ideas include:
- African Conservancies Facility: A concessional loans facility for wildlife conservancies in Africa, allowing them to invest in the ecotourism activities that help protect iconic species and their high-carbon habitat
- Karukinka Impact Bond: A results-based finance instrumentfor Karukinka Natural Park in Chilean Tierra del Fuego to halt the loss of some of the world’s southernmost old-growth forest and peatlands
- Wild Harvest Fund: An instrument designed to strengthen the supply chains for ‘wild harvest’ products in Amazonia and allow small-to-medium enterprises to expand the market for these wild fruits used in beverages and cosmetics
- Surf Conservation Partnership Fund: A surf conservation fund in Costa Rica, a model for how the $60 B surf industry could work to protect the nearly 1 billion tonnes of irrecoverable carbon stored in surf ecosystems
- Parametric insurance for mangroves: An insurance policy for mangroves in Mozambique to intervene with ‘rapid repair brigades’ and prevent mangrove die-off after storms
In this invite-only roundtable discussion, participants will share insights on both the successes and challenges encountered in crafting these financial solutions.
Advisory Council Meeting for the Framework for Sustainable Finance Integrity
Monday, September 23; 11:00am – 12:30pm
CPI will host this invite-only roundtable session with members of our Framework for Sustainable Finance Integrity Advisory Council. The conversation will cover the opportunities and challenges for sustainable finance integrity within the current international financial architecture and macroeconomic conditions. Members will take stock of key climate finance initiatives, including the Capital Mobilization Roadmap, and discuss concrete, operational plans to move them forward.
Roundtable on Mobilizing Investments into Gender-Responsive Climate Finance
Monday, September 23; 4:30pm – 6:30pm
This event, hosted by Natixis IM and co-organized by Convergence and CPI through the CC Facility, will feature work done by the CC Facility Learning Hub, a joint initiative between Convergence and CPI. This invite-only session will convene senior representatives, including investors, governments, MDBs and DFIs, and blended finance innovators to discuss and showcase how blended finance can be used to support financial vehicles that achieve both climate and gender outcomes in developing markets. Participants will have the opportunity to exchange learnings on investment strategies, tools, and impact frameworks for incorporating gender equality considerations into climate instruments.
Annual Assembly of the Cities Climate Finance Leadership Alliance
Tuesday, September 24
The Annual Assembly of the Cities Climate Finance Leadership Alliance (CCFLA) will consist of two parts: a members-only morning session, followed by the public launch of the latest edition of its flagship report, the State of Cities Climate Finance 2024. Funded by the German Government (BMZ and BMWK), this report examines the current state of urban climate investment, assesses urban climate finance needs, and provides recommendations on how to close the finance gap.
The FAST-Infra Label: Mobilizing the Private Sector for Sustainable Infrastructure
Tuesday, September 24; 1pm -3:30pm
As an initiative of the FAST-Infra Group, supported by HSBC and Meridiam, the FAST-Infra Label aims to standardise and enhance the credibility of sustainable infrastructure projects, making them more attractive to private investors. The event will bring together the Label’s diverse community of stakeholders including the World Economic Forum (WEF), Macquarie, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), and other key organizations to explore the pivotal role of the private sector in driving sustainable infrastructure development and identify opportunities and challenges in financing.
CPI’s Barbara Buchner will speak on this panel with:
- Natalia Moudrak, Head of North America, Aon Climate
- Louis Downing, CEO, Global Infrastructure Basel Foundation (GIB)
- Kristina Kloberdanz, Chief Sustainability Officer, Macquarie Asset Management
Are Green Banks the key to unlocking climate finance?
Wednesday, September 25
Organized by CPI in partnership with Bezos Earth Fund and NRDC, this invite-only discussion will focus on a project aimed at understanding the global state of Green Banks. As part of this initiative, CPI will conduct a comprehensive global survey and publish a report detailing the status of financial institutions dedicated to climate and sustainability (“Green Banks”) today.
Subnational Climate Action Leaders’ Exchange (SCALE) Climate Week Action Dialogue
Wednesday, September 25; 9:00am – 12:00pm
SCALE’s Climate Week Action Dialogue will feature governors, mayors, and others representing subnational governments; representatives of national governments working on multi-level climate action; and representatives from civil society, private sector, multilateral, research and academic, philanthropic, and other organizations that are committed to enhancing and supporting subnational climate ambition.
CPI Senior Analyst Jessie Press-Williams will participate in the roundtable discussion on financing zero emissions and resilient buildings from 10-11am.
CPI Senior Analyst Ira Yulianti Purnomo will moderate a discussion on mobilizing funding for waste methane reduction at scale from 11am-12pm.
World Climate Summit
Wednesday, September 25; 1:45pm – 2:30pm
CPI’s Global Managing Director, Barbara Buchner, will moderate the following panel discussion:
Panel Session 1: Climate Finance Unleashed – Driving Investments Towards Climate and Clean Energy by 2030
In exploring novel financial instruments and models, such as green bonds, climate funds, carbon pricing mechanisms, and public-private partnerships, how can we best mobilize capital for climate initiatives? Our panellists will share insightful strategies on investment flows into green technology as well as startups and innovation, including clean tech, carbon capture and storage (CCS), alongside the growing influx of investments into emerging and developing markets.
Panelists will include:
- Patrícia Silva, Co-Founder, AYA Earth Partners
- Amy Barnes, Head of Sustainability & Climate Change Strategy, Marsh
- Jo Tyndall, Director, Environment Directorate, OECD
- Paul Bodnar, Director of Sustainable Finance, Industry, and Diplomacy, Bezos Earth Fund
Enhancing Collaboration Between Public Development Banks
Wednesday, September 25
The session will focus on enhancing collaboration among public development banks to scale adaptation and nature finance in emerging markets and developing economies (EMDEs).
During the session, CPI will present key findings from two research pieces: one on how to increase collaboration for adaptation outcomes among public development banks, and another showcasing case studies where blended finance has successfully addressed barriers to investing in Nature-Based Solutions (NbS). E3G and WRI will also share initial findings from their follow-up research on MDB-NDB on-lending, with a focus on nature.
Following the presentations, we will host a panel discussion featuring representatives from public development banks and other stakeholders in the international financial landscape. They will elaborate on the analyses and share their insights.
Presenters and Panelists
- Ekaterina (Katya) Gratcheva – SeniorAdvisor, Monetary and Capital Markets, International Monetary Fund (IMF)
- Ivan Cornejo – Director of International Financial Organizations, Nacional Financiera (NAFIN)
- Juan Pablo Bonilla – Manager of Climate Change and Sustainable Development Sector, Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)
- Melissa A. Garvey – Global Director of Nature Bonds, The Nature Conservancy (TNC)
2024 Lab Anniversary Summit & Endorsement Meeting
Thursday, September 26
At this invite-only event, the Global Innovation Lab for Climate Finance (the Lab) will celebrate 10 years of identifying, developing, and launching innovative finance instruments that can drive billions in private investment into action on climate change and sustainable development. Since 2014, the Lab has launched 68 solutions that have mobilized over USD 4 billion to address climate change.
The first-ever Lab Summit will bring together investors, fund managers, climate finance innovators, and key stakeholders to explore the future of private finance in emerging markets. The summit will feature interactive roundtables, high-level panels, and targeted networking opportunities. On the same day, Lab members will convene to endorse the ten innovative ideas currently being developed during the Lab’s 10th annual cycle.
World Biodiversity Summit
Thursday, September 26; 12:05pm – 12:50pm
CPI’s María Ruiz will moderate the following panel discussion:
Valuing Natural Capital: Creating Markets for Nature
The disconnect between actual investments and biodiversity goals presents a major barrier to tackling climate change and biodiversity loss. How can we overcome this barrier by replicating proven carbon market models for nature? What will make nature more attractive to investors? How can we quantify and streamline natural capital to close the nature finance gap? The session will make a compelling business case for investing in nature, delivering strategies to redirect investments towards achieving the Paris Agreement and the targets of the Global Biodiversity Framework.
Catalytic Climate Capital Forum
Friday, September 27; 9:00am -12:00pm
Scandinavia House / Virtual
This event, hosted by RMI, brings together global leaders to explore how private capital can be mobilized within the framework of international climate finance commitments.
The Forum provides a deep dive into catalytic climate capital — financial mechanisms that attract private sector investments by mitigating risks and offering early-stage support. Through a series of expert panels, insights into successful public-private partnerships that are accelerating clean energy projects in emerging markets and developing economies will be shared. Real-world examples highlight the collaborative efforts between beneficiaries, utilities, developers, and governments.
CPI will participate in the first panel, Defining Catalytic Climate Capital – Presenting the Opportunity.
