Part of the wider Building Bridges conference program, this session delves into the transformative potential of outcomes-based financing for nature-based infrastructure. We will examine its effectiveness and unpack how this innovative financing solution can amplify and scale investments for these projects.

Amidst the urgency to re-think our approach to infrastructure development, this session offers a comprehensive exploration of the outcomes-based financing model in the context of nature-based projects. It unveils the pivotal role of generating cash flow from ecosystem services.

Prepare for a vibrant, interactive discourse, as the session features collaborative activities involving our esteemed speakers and the audience, both online and in-person. 

We will:

• Explore the Concept of Outcomes-Based Financing: Delve into the principles and mechanics of generating cash flow from ecosystem services, understanding its potential to drive positive ecological and societal outcomes.
• Showcase the Power of Nature-Based Infrastructure: Highlight real-world examples of nature-based infrastructure projects, demonstrating their effectiveness in providing essential services while promoting ecological sustainability.
• Discuss Strategies for Scaling Up: Engage in a robust discussion about strategies and challenges related to scaling up the use of outcomes-based financing for nature-based projects, considering collaboration, metrics, and beneficiaries’ engagement.

MODERATOR

• Pavan Sukhdev, Founder & CEO at GIST Impact

SPEAKERS

• Eric Letsinger, Founder and CEO of Quantified Ventures (joining virtually)
• Tessa Maurer, Senior Project Scientist at Blue Forest Conservation
• Qasim Abbas, Co-founder of THE ARK
• Sarah Nelson, Associate Director and Global Lead - Nature and Biodiversity at KPMG
• David Uzsoki, Sustainable Finance Lead at IISD

The event will be live-streamed here: https://www.youtube.com/live/EwOBBu5pf88?feature=shared

About Building Bridges

Building Bridges is a joint initiative, launched in 2019, that creates links between international organizations on the right bank of Geneva and financial institutions on its left bank. Through this bridge, the initiative aims to accelerate the transition to a global economic model aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Building Bridges’ ambition is to leverage the power of finance and Geneva’s unique ecosystem to preserve the planet, reduce social inequalities, and improve access to human rights. The initiative serves as an international hub for sustainable finance and the SDGs. More than an event, Building Bridges aims to stimulate international debate and shape the global sustainable finance agenda. By creating synergies between diverse actors and sectors, Building Bridges facilitates the emergence of concrete solutions to mobilize capital flows toward sustainable and inclusive projects.

Under the theme "Spaces, Solidarity, and Solutions," Women Deliver’s sixth edition aims to enable inclusive and co-created spaces that foster solidarity for sustainable solutions on gender equality. 

Members of IISD's team, including at the NAP Global Network Secretariat, will be in Kigali to engage with grassroots advocates, decision-makers, representatives of private sector and non-profit organizations, as well as youth, to address current issues affecting women and girls in climate change adaptation planning processes, such as the lack of participation by women in climate policy dialogues.

Join us in Kigali and online for the events we are organizing during the conference! All times listed below are local.

Generation Equality: Networking event

IISD, through the NAP Global Network, is a commitment maker under the Feminist Action for Climate Justice (FACJ) Action Coalition, focusing on advancing gender-responsive adaptation through National Adaptation Plan (NAP) processes. The reception will be an occasion for participants to engage with other Women Deliver attendees working at the intersection of gender equality and climate action. Note that participation in this event is by invitation only.

Date: Monday, July 17, 13:00 - 15:00
Location: Kinigi-Kivu Room
This event is co-organized with Feminist Action for Climate Justice (FACJ) Action Coalition under Generation Equality.

Creative Solutions for Amplifying Underrepresented Women's Voices in Climate Action: Concurrent session

The NAP Global Network is co-hosting a session on the transformative potential of visual storytelling to generate inclusive climate change adaptation policy dialogues.

The session will feature Envisioning Resilience, a groundbreaking initiative that is providing six young women with photography and storytelling training. The aim is to enable them to use visual storytelling to inform National Adaptation Plan (NAP) decision-makers about how climate change affects their lives and how they envision resilience to its impacts. NAP processes are a vital opportunity to address gender inequalities while planning and implementing measures to protect communities, economies, and ecosystems from the effects of climate change.

Date: Wednesday, July 19, 13:30 - 15:00
Location: Room MH1-2, Kigali Convention Centre
This session is co-organized with Lensational and GirlsCARE.

The UN Food Systems Summit +2 Stocktaking Moment (UNFSS+2) took place from July 24–26 in Rome, Italy. Building on conversations and commitments made during the 2021 Food Systems Summit, the event was an opportunity for countries to get together, share their progress, and bolster action to transform food systems. IISD hosted a virtual side event during the second day of the UNFSS+2, exploring the links between responsible investment in agriculture and food system transformation.

As recognized during the 2021 Food Systems Summit, increased private sector investment is critical for successful food system transformations. But this investment needs to be "responsible." It should contribute to sustainable development by generating positive socio-economic and environmental impacts, such as improved food security and nutrition, better-protected ecosystems, and more sustainable use of natural resources. It should also respect, protect, and promote human rights—including the rights and interests of local communities.

IISD is working with several governments and non-state actors in Africa and Southeast Asia to develop laws and policies that encourage responsible investment in agriculture in their countries. We are also working with the private sector and civil society organizations to develop the tools and capacity they need to engage in responsible agricultural investment. These efforts, which are being undertaken through inclusive, multi-stakeholder engagement, are important catalysts for attracting the types of investments needed to transform their food systems effectively.

ABOUT THE EVENT

This side event provided an opportunity for representatives from the governments of Kenya and Indonesia to share their experiences in promoting responsible investment in agriculture and explain how these efforts support national food system transformation and sustainable development objectives. Representatives from the private sector and civil society organizations also provided insights into how they engage with and support such investment. We reflected on how their collective efforts can lead to legal, policy, and institutional environments that are conducive to responsible investment goals.

SPEAKERS  

• Christine Kanini, Deputy Chief State Counsel, Office of the Attorney General, Kenya
• Dr. Ir. Leli Nuryati, Director for Center of Plant Variety Protection and Agricultural Licensing/ASEAN-RAI Focal Point of Indonesia Ministry of Agriculture
• Andi Ikhwan, Director of Programs – Agriculture, Entrepreneurship, and Financial Inclusion, Mercy Corps, Indonesia
• Peter Wangara, Director and Founder, LIMBUA Group Limited, Kenya

MODERATOR

• Nyaguthii Maina, International Law Advisor, Agriculture and Investment, IISD

This was an official virtual side event to the UNFSS+2, which took place on Tuesday, July 25, 2023. More information on the UNFSS+2 can be found here.

Shifting public financial flows—including subsidies, investments by state-owned enterprises, and lending from public financial institutions—from fossil fuels to clean energy is critical for achieving the Paris Agreement targets. Public financial flows should be the first to move because governments influence them directly, and they can sway much larger private financial flows. They also risk being the last to move if public institutions become the “lenders of last resort” to fossil interests, leaving governments exposed to asset stranding and less able to meet their social and economic obligations.

Under Article 2.1(c) of the Paris Agreement, parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change agreed to make financial flows consistent with a pathway to low greenhouse gas emissions and climate-resilient development. At the 26th and 27th Conferences of the Parties in Glasgow and Sharm El Sheikh, parties further committed to phasing out inefficient fossil fuel subsidies while providing targeted support to the poorest and most vulnerable. However, stocktaking has shown limited success to date. In fact, fossil fuel subsidies doubled in 2022, reaching an all-time high of over USD 1 trillion.

This side event of the Bonn Climate Change Conference SB 58, organized by the Friends of Fossil Fuel Subsidy Reform in collaboration with the International Institute for Sustainable Development, calls for renewed momentum on reforming subsidies and shifting public financial flows despite turbulent energy prices. Specifically, representatives from governments, international organizations, research institutes, and civil society shed light on the ways in which publicly controlled money has been spent on energy and the extent to which this is in line with climate targets. The panellists further share concrete examples of how countries have approached this topic and propose specific actions for accelerating reform.

Speakers

Moderator: Philip Gass, Lead, Transitions, International Institute for Sustainable Development

Ben Abraham, Senior Advisor, Climate Finance (Policy), New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Karoliina Anttonen, Senior Officer, Ministry of the Environment, Finland

Claire Potdevin, Fiscal Policy Expert, United Nations Environment Programme

Mauricio Böhl Gutierrez, Researcher, German Institute of Development and Sustainability

Susanne Olbrisch, Climate Policy Specialist, United Nations Development Programme

The energy transition is expected to increase demand for critical minerals exponentially. Governments and regional bodies are exploring new opportunities and forging new partnerships to find new ways of adding value to their resources. Mineral wealth can, if exploited responsibly, provide economic livelihoods for many and contribute to public revenue.

To support policy-makers in resource-rich countries, the Global Conference on The Future of Resource Taxation will convene government officials from ministries of mining, finance, and revenue authorities as well as representatives from industry, civil society, academia, and international organizations who are interested in exploring effective taxation and fiscal policies for the evolving mining sector and global economy.

This three-day conference is hosted by the African Tax Administration Forum (ATAF) and the Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals and Sustainable Development (IGF) in conjunction with the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA). IISD has hosted the IGF Secretariat since 2015.

The event will take place from, June 26 to 28 2023 at the Mulungushi International Conference Centre in Lusaka, Zambia. During the event, ATAF and IGF will launch The Future of Resource Taxation Handbook, which will present a menu of innovative fiscal measures contributed by governments, civil society, academia, and industry, that aim to strengthen mining revenue collection, sustainably, while helping combat climate change.

• Click to learn more about this event

The UN Secretary-General’s Our Common Agenda focuses on enhancing future thinking and strategic foresight to accelerate the SDGs. In line with this focus, at this SDG Community Coffee, we will discuss how we can work collectively to strengthen long-term thinking for sustainable development. We will explore how to embrace emerging trends to rethink sustainability, such as through “next sustainability” paradigms like regenerative development.

We will also look ahead to the upcoming High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) by giving a brief overview of the topics connected to long-term sustainability; highlighting key reports and webinars leading up to the forum; discussing the links to the SDG Summit in September; and finally, exchanging on ideas and plans for side events by organizations in the Geneva ecosystem.

By invite only. For further info, please visit https://www.sdglab.ch/geneva2030/community

*What’s Next is a pilot series aimed at unpacking long-term sustainability considerations, developments, themes, and trends. Keynote speakers from the Geneva ecosystem and beyond will share their perspectives on what’s coming next for long-term sustainability

En español: NAP Global Network en la NAP Expo 2023

The world’s flagship conference dedicated to National Adaptation Plan (NAP) processes will take place in the Latin America and Caribbean region for the first time. NAP Expo 2023 is the eighth global NAP Expo since 2013 and will take place in Santiago, Chile, from March 27 to 30, on the theme “Scaling Up Adaptation.” Organized by the Least Developed Countries Expert Group under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in partnership with various bodies and organizations, the NAP Expo aims to raise adaptation ambition by advancing the development and implementation of NAPs. 

The NAP Global Network Secretariat team will be in Santiago exchanging experiences and lessons learned on NAP processes, showcasing the outcomes of our support to over 60 developing countries, and engaging with government and international organizations representatives, as well as stakeholders from the adaptation community of practitioners.  

At this NAP Expo, the NAP Global Network’s activities will focus on: 

• Scaling up implementation of adaptation through the NAP process 
• Challenges and opportunities of vertical integration in the NAP process 
• Monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL), with a focus on progress reporting. 

Join us at these events: 

1.4.1 - Scaling Up Implementation of Adaptation Through NAPs  

Date: Monday, March 27, 2023 

Time: 4 p.m.–5:30 p.m. (Santiago time, UTC – 4) 

Location: TBC 

Hosts: United Nations Development Programme, United Nations Environment Programme, and the NAP Global Network  

The objective of the session is to facilitate knowledge exchange among country representatives on emerging experiences in implementing NAPs to identify relevant tools, frameworks, and lessons learned. Representatives from Costa Rica, Albania, and Haiti will share their lessons learned on identifying barriers and opportunities to accelerate adaptation action. 
 

3.3.1 - Vertical Integration in the NAP Process: Opportunities for and challenges to implementing adaptation actions 

Date: Wednesday, March 29, 2023 

Time: 2 p.m.–3:30 p.m. (Santiago time, UTC – 4)  

Location: TBC 

Hosts: NAP Global Network, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), and EUROCLIMA  

This session will focus on vertical integration, the process of creating intentional and strategic linkages between local, sub-national, national, transboundary, international, and global adaptation, including in planning and implementation, as well in monitoring, evaluation, and learning.  

Vertical integration in NAP processes is important because it can facilitate a continuous exchange between key stakeholders (from government, civil society, and business) across governance scales. Incorporating sub-national actors in the implementation of adaptation commitments, plans, and strategies increases ownership of the country’s adaptation efforts. This session will create space for peers from Global South’s countries to exchange experiences and lessons learned. 
 

3.3.3 - Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning in the Context of Global Processes and Reporting Progress on NAPs 

Date: Wednesday, March 29, 2023 

Time: 2 p.m.–3:30 p.m. (Santiago time, UTC – 4)  

Location: TBC 

Hosts: United Nations Development Programme, United Nations Environment Programme, and the NAP Global Network  

Most countries are developing monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) systems to track progress under their NAP process as there is a growing need for local communities affected by climate change and for national governments leading the response, to see positive results from NAPs. However, actively tracking the implementation of NAPs and reporting on the progress made can be challenging as different MEL systems can be used at the national level, but with limited resources. The session will enable the sharing of perspectives, experiences, and lessons learned on MEL of NAPs in the context of global processes and look more closely at how countries report progress on their NAPs.  

IISD is excited to speak at the UN 2023 Water Conference in New York City.

The first of its kind in almost 50 years, this conference presents a golden opportunity to bring the world together to underscore the significant role of water for the Sustainable Development Goals and for the health and prosperity of people and the planet, as well as to tackle the plethora of issues threatening our freshwater supplies.

Amid all the activity, we will be co-hosting three side events where we explore the importance of natural infrastructure, why we need more Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas, and what the world can learn from Africa's Great Lakes.

Side events we are co-hosting and at which we are speaking

N.B. You will need to register in advance for this event. Register here.

N.B. This event will take place within the United Nations Headquarters, and so you will need to be registered for the UN 2023 Water Conference in order to attend.

N.B. You can attend this event either in person or virtually. Whether you are attending in person or virtually, you will need to register here for this event ahead of time. 

N.B. This event will take place within the United Nations Headquarters, so you will need to be registered for the UN 2023 Water Conference in order to attend.

What is foresight and how can this be applied for achieving sustainable development? At this first SDG community gathering of 2023, we will explore what foresight strategies are and how these can be used to rethink our efforts toward achieving long-term sustainability, looking at methods of horizon scanning, scenario analysis, and back-casting with an interactive panel discussion and group discussions.

This fire-side chat on long-term sustainability will see the participation of Özge Aydogan (Director SDG Lab, UNOG), Pablo Garcia Tello (EU Office, Section Head), CERN, and Nan Buzard (Head of Innovation, Foresight, and Techplomacy) ICRC.