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Jan 2011
   
  

Global Roundtable, Save the Date, Registration Opens 7 February

 Global Roundtable logo

The Global Roundtable 2011 will take place in Washington DC, United States on the 19-20 October 2011. Coming just seven months ahead of the landmark United Nations Rio+20 Earth Summit scheduled for May 2012 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, UNEP FI's 2011 Global Roundtable is the perfect opportunity to cast a spotlight on what the sustainable development agenda means for the world's finance, investment and insurance sectors.

 

If you would like to receive a direct link to the registration page when registration opens, and/or any information related to the Global Roundtable, please contact us at: [email protected]
 

Further information available at: www.unepfi.org/washington

REGISTER NOW: UNEP FI's Online Course on Climate Change

 

 windmillREGISTRATION NOW OPEN!

 50 % DISCOUNT COUPON CODE FOR UNEP FI MEMBERS

 Dates: 4 - 25 April 2011 Language: English
Contact: [email protected]


The next UNEP FI Climate Change: Risks and Opportunities for the Finance Sector Online Course will be held in April. The course aims to equip staff in the financial institutions with enhanced knowledge on climate change and carbon finance, specifically the Kyoto Protocol's flexible mechanisms, and to provide support for the development of effective internal policies and products. It will allow participants to share knowledge on climate change mitigation and adaptation, with an emphasis on the all-important role to be played by financial institutions. More information. Click here to enroll.

UNEP FI and PRI joint Webinar: "Implementing Responsible Property Investment Strategies"

     Physical impacts of climate change pose substantial risks to future property values whilst rising energy prices are increasing building occupation costs and influencing choice. In the face of these and other such emerging challenges adopting responsible property investment approaches by integrating application of ESG issues into the investment process can fundamentally protect and enhance asset value whilst mitigating long-term risk to the investment performance of property. 

Date: February 24, 2011 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM GMT

Speakers:

  • Laurie Weir, Portfolio Manager - CalPERS Global Real Estate Investment
  • Tim Mockett, Managing Director Property - Climate Change Capital
  •  Etienne Dupuy, Chief Executive Officer- BNP Paribas Real Estate Investment Services

Moderator: Andy Szyman, Co-chair - UNEP FI Property Working Group and Head of Sustainability, F&C REIT Asset Management

For more information visit our website. Click HEREto register.

UNEP FI Furthers its Engagement in China

     Paul Clements-Hunt, Head of UNEP FI, paid the third visit to China in the last six months, with the aim to further engage with Chinese sustainable finance stakeholders. Paul delivered a speech (please see the speech transcript) at the opening ceremony of the 2011 China Low Carbon Economy Forum, and commented on the unique role that Chinese financial sector is playing in the transition to a low carbon and resource-efficient economy.

     Paul attended as well the second meeting of the International Integrated Reporting Committee (IIRC), an Initiative endorsed by TRH The Prince of Wales, with the aim to help develop a new internationally accepted approach to reporting. The Vice Minister of Finance in China Mr. Jun Wang addressed the meeting and showed full support from Chinese government to this Initiative.

'Banking and Biodiversity' in Environmental Finance
    An article by UNEP FI Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services work stream - 'Banking on Biodiversity' - published in the November 2010 issue of Environmental Finance, addressed the question of financial institutions stance on biodiversity and ecosystem protection. In the wake of Nagoya Protocol, even though biodiversity is low on the financiers' radar screen, financial institutions are awakening to a world where environmental and social phenomena are increasingly becoming financially material.

      The article points to the fact that financial practitioners begin to see exposure to risks around biodiversity and ecosystem services emerging on multiple fronts. It also contains recommendations on the ways in which biodiversity and ecosystem services (BES) can be further hardwired into finance. The full article is available to the subscribers of the Environmental Finance magazine at:

http://www.environmental-finance.com/features/view/516.

UNEP FI Climate Change Working Group at heart of discussions in Cancun

Cop16

UNEP FI's Climate Change Working Group (CCWG) was pleased to be at Cancun for the 2010 COP16 negotiations, where we co-hosted a side event with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) addressing the challenges of designing an effective financial mechanism under the Convention. CCWG also held three side events and took part in organising the first World Climate Summit in Cancun, which brought together businesses, governments and financiers to look at accelerating solutions to climate change.

     A key outcome of the negotiations was the Cancun Agreements, welcomed by many as a positive achievement and bringing hope for progress in COP17 this year. Discussions showed how the need to involve the private sector in financing and addressing climate change at an international level is now being recognized, as called for by UNEP Finance Initiative and its members through two global industry statements in 2010.

     The Cancun Agreements establish an encouraging framework to work with in the run-up to COP17 in Durban, South Africa, with progress made in areas such REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation), reforms of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), and a marked determination to avoid a gap between the 1st and 2nd commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol. However, while hopes are high, the remaining gaps that need to be tackled are large.

 

Read More:

UNEP FI CCWG Briefing on COP16 and the Cancun Agreements

UNEP FI at the UNFCCC COP 16

UNEP FI at the World Climate Summit 2010

Summary of the UNEP FI events at Cancun

Global Insurance Statement 2010

Global Investor Statement 2010

Current Climate Change information is insufficient, say world's financial institutions

advancing adaptationA new study reveals that financial institutions need more developed information services regarding the physical impacts of changing weather patterns. The survey showed that with the risks of climate change expected to increase, financial service providers need enhanced access and availability of climate information to further enhance related risk management within their industry. The influence of these financial institutions worldwide could play a key role in accelerating the implementation of adaptation measures by the private sector more broadly.

       The report, sponsored by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, presents the results of an international survey undertaken by the Climate Change Working Group (CCWG) of UNEP FI and the Sustainable Business Institute (SBI), Germany. A total of 60 institutions from all continents took part in the survey, including both developed and developing countries.

The study was launched on the 12th January 2011 in Frankfurt.
 

Read the Press Release.

Upcoming Event: The Wall Street Green Summit, 29-30 March 2011 
wall street green summitUNEP FI has established a networking partnership with the Wall Street Green Summit which will take place in New York on the 29-30th March 2011. Launched in 2002 by Peter Fusaro, The Wall Street Green Summit is the longest running and most comprehensive environmental market event in the industry.  The summit agenda will cover themes such as Renewable Energy Finance & Trading Today, Carbon Trading, Cleantech & Profiting in the Low Carbon Economy. More information and registration can be found here: http://www.wsgts.com

Point of contact

For further information, please contact [email protected].


 
New UNEP FI Members
 
 helm bank

Andy Szyman - new Property Working Group co-chair 

Andy Szyman

Read more on the Property Working Group website.

Top Reports of January

advancing adaptation

Advancing adaptation through climate information services

 

demystyfing report

 

Demystifying Materiality: Hardwiring biodiversity and ecosystem services into finance

 

report universal ownership

Universal Ownership - Why environmental externalities matter to institutional investors

 

UPCOMING: Environmental & Social Risk Analysis (ESRA) Online Course

Spanish:

14 February - 4 March

English:

28 February - 18 March

 

Contact:

[email protected]

training
 

The aim of this course is to instruct risk managers and analysts dealing with developing countries and emerging markets on the management of environmental and social risks generated through their lending and investment activities. More information.

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