Financing Our Net Zero Future: The Next Frontier
Finance is a critical enabler to accelerate the world’s transition to a net-zero future. By some estimates, getting the world to net zero by 2050 will require over US$9 trillion of investment a year, but today, that number stands at just US$5.7 trillion. We will need unprecedented amounts of capital, innovative financing solutions and radical collaboration across the ecosystem.
Yet the current climate financing landscape, while valuable in some respects, is inherently flawed and insufficient to tackle the enormity of the climate crisis. Limited funding, bureaucratic complexities, and the dominance of short-term interests often obstruct meaningful progress.
In this session, we will seek to answer the following questions:
- What are the challenges hindering the transition from climate financing as a mere add-on to a pivotal component of national and international economic planning?
- Which strategies can we employ to overcome these challenges?
- How can we foster systemic change, enabling nations and businesses to move away from fossil fuels and embrace green, sustainable technologies?
- What are the novel and disruptive financing models that can help scale the dollars that are starting to pour into sustainable solutions?
- How do carbon pricing mechanisms and public-private partnerships play a role, and what are the potential risks and rewards of these approaches?