70 days before UN climate change negotiations, UNEP Finance Initiative and partners launch the World Climate Summit to accelerate finance solutions to climate change
The World Climate Summit to convene the most important business and finance actors, parrallel to COP16 in December
SEPTEMBER 22, 2010 – NEW YORK, LONDON, BRUSSELS, COPENHAGEN – The most important and influential global industry, finance and government associations in the climate change sector, The UNEP Finance Initiative, The UN Global Compact, The Prince of Wales’s Corporate Leaders Group, The Climate Group, The World Bank, Sir Richard Branson’s Carbon War Room, ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability, Carbon Disclosure Project, Bright Green, Club of Beijing, International Finance Corporation, and the support of the Mexican government’s international economic promotion agency, ProMexico have come together to launch the inaugural World Climate Summit, December 4-5, at The Ritz-Carlton, Cancun, Mexico, in parallel to the UNFCCC COP 16.
As the first founding partner of the WCS and focal point of partner investment networks, The UNEP Finance Initiative is supported by the largest coalition of investors through their membership and network who represent more than $30 trillion of assets under management.
World Climate Summit 2010 is the beginning of a new, open and collaborative global 10-year initiative dedicated to helping governments, businesses and financiers accelerate solutions to climate change. The World Climate Summit is bringing more than 300 leading companies, investors and government leaders to implement, scale and collaborate on bottom-up solutions to climate change to help reach regional and global 2020 targets.
“As world leaders drive towards a global agreement on climate change, investors in the world´s capital markets cannot afford to simply sit and wait. Investors and other financial institutions are determined to work with policy-makers to catalyse new low carbon markets worth USD trillions. The World Climate Summit will bring finance, business and negotiators together to help make those future low carbon markets a reality.”
Paul Clements-Hunt, Head, The UNEP Finance Initiative
“What is needed now is a stronger commitment to collectively support bottom-up efforts and to amplify the uptake of green solutions. The World Climate Summit is a platform where business can lead and inspire Governments to act to ultimately turn the tide on climate change.”
George Kell, Executive Director, The UN Global Compact
Some key highlights of the World Climate Summit include:
– Convening, under the leadership of The UNEP Finance Initiative, the largest network of investors and financial intermediaries demanding climate change action ever assembled-representing more than $30 trillions of assets under management.
– Providing an unparalleled global media platform with CNN International, TIME, Financial Times, Wall Street Journal, and Dow Jones.
– Some of the largest global companies in their industries: lighting, energy efficiency, housing, mining, retailing, car, infrastructure, and renewable energy sectors
– Introducing new initiatives such as a new global index on carbon emissions, new funds, renewable energy projects, and a gala dinner celebrating the best cities, companies and leaders in the world.
“We have 10 years to scale and implement existing solutions such as energy efficiency globally. The World Climate Summit will help deliver that with businesses, financiers and governments.”
Jens Nielsen & Michael Mathres, Founders, World Climate Summit
FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT
Iveta Cherneva
UNEP FI Media Contact
+41 (0) 22 917 8375
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ABOUT UNEP Finance Initiative
The United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) is a global public private partnership between the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the financial sector. Close to 200 institutions, including banks, insurers, fund managers and investors, work with UNEP to understand the impacts of environmental and social considerations on financial performance.