On May 26, the International Climate Finance Accelerator Luxembourg (ICFA) is organising the Climate Finance Forum 2023 at the Neumünster Abbey. Laurence Hulin, programme director at the ICFA shares some pertinent information and tips about the event.
What are the main objectives of the Climate Finance Forum 2023?
The International Climate Finance Accelerator Luxembourg (ICFA) is organising the Climate Finance Forum 2023 to delve into how to tackle pressing climate issues through finance and to collectively work on solutions to overcome these barriers. We will discuss the mobilisation of financial resources, promoting innovative financial instruments, and finding strategies to enhance the effectiveness of climate finance in driving sustainable development and addressing climate change. Combining gender, equity, and inclusion aspects into the Climate Finance Forum 2023, demonstrates a holistic approach to addressing climate challenges and underscores the recognition that sustainable solutions require the active participation and inclusion of all stakeholders.
What kind of audience members have the most to gain from attending this event?
By bringing together experts and stakeholders, the forum seeks to foster dialogue, inspire action, and develop practical solutions to the complex climate challenges we face.
The Climate Finance Forum will gather impact fund managers, development financial institutions, foundations, fund investors, policymakers, and other climate actors to discuss crucial climate and impact-related topics, such as effective climate investment strategies, how to approach impact measurement and reporting, trends in the regulatory landscape, how to scale-up climate finance, and much more.
The inclusion of roundtable discussions at the Climate Finance Forum 2023 is an effective way to engage participants and foster in-depth discussions on various climate and inclusive finance topics. By organizing roundtable discussions on these and other climate-related topics, the Climate Finance Forum 2023 aims to facilitate interactive exchanges, generate new ideas, and foster collaboration among participants.
Finally, we seek to make these climate-related topics accessible to a wide audience, not only to climate or finance experts, by streaming the plenary sessions live for participants from all over the world to attend.
Which sessions would you suggest entrepreneurs active in the climate space attend?
We have more than twenty-five inspirational topics. It is important to note that the specific sessions relevant to entrepreneurs will depend on their areas of interest and expertise within the climate space. To hone onto three interesting sessions, we would suggest the following:
The keynote speech on “Empowering Women as Climate Leaders: The Profitable Pathway to Sustainable Development” focuses on the intersection of gender empowerment, climate leadership, and sustainable development. This topic emphasizes the importance of women’s participation as part of a company’s leadership team in addressing climate change and achieving sustainable development goals.
Our roundtable on “Climate Change: Moving from ‘Reacting’ to ‘Acting’” highlights a crucial shift in mindset and approach that recognizes the urgency of addressing climate action. Instead of merely responding to the impacts of climate change as they arise, the focus for entrepreneurs should be on taking proactive measures to mitigate and adapt to climate change.
As the legal frame related to the environment and climate is changing, reporting robust data becomes another challenge and/or opportunity for entrepreneurs, fund managers and climate stakeholders. Our expert session on “Producing Reliable Climate Data at Scale” is essential for understanding the complexities of climate change, assessing its impacts, and formulating effective strategies for mitigation and adaptation.
What does the ICFA see as the principal areas of improvement when it comes to climate finance in Luxembourg?
Mobilizing sufficient financial resources to support climate projects and initiatives is key. No single actor, whether public or private, can tackle the climate issues alone. An increasing focus goes to public-private partnerships or the blending of public and private capital to allow climate action at scale. The ICFA is a prime example of this long-term partnership; through the acceleration of first-time climate fund managers, we work at enhancing access to finance for innovative climate solutions.
To foster these partnerships, it is crucial to foster collaboration and knowledge sharing. For our community of emerging fund managers, the ICFA organizes trainings, webinars, and peer learning sessions to exchange best practices, share experiences, and learn from successful climate finance initiatives. With the Climate Finance Forum, we are extending our community to include all climate finance players.
Is there anything else you would light to highlight about the event or the ICFA’s role in the ecosystem?
Overall, the Climate Finance Forum organized by the ICFA aims to provide a platform for pioneers and leaders in climate finance to connect, share insights, and build partnerships. By fostering collaboration, knowledge sharing, and inspiration, the forum contributes to strengthening the global climate finance ecosystem and accelerating progress towards a sustainable future.
Register in-person here. If you cannot attend in person, you can join the event virtually here.
