Date: Wednesday, 9 December 2015

Time: 16:00 – 17:30

Room: Large Room

Session access: Open

Contact: Faderr Johm

Email: faderr.johm@unhabitat.org

      Cc: robert.kehew@unhabitat.org

Organized by: UN-Habitat

DESCRIPTION

This substantive level panel discussion will offer a chance for panelists and participants to explore the opportunities and constraints faced in developing and financing urban climate investments. The event will identify barriers, and explore approaches to overcome those barriers, on both the supply and the demand sides. On the supply side, participants will share both public and private perspectives on financing urban climate investments.  

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Objectives

  • Showcase the work of Cities Alliance members, as well as other public and private institutions, in financing low carbon and climate resilient urban projects;
  • Examine barriers, and ways to overcome those barriers, in financing urban climate projects; and
  • Sensitize and begin to discuss with participants the fact that Habitat III (in October 2016) will offer an opportunity to further consider climate change through an urban lens.

Methodology and Speakers

Panel Discussion: Panelists will present in blocks of two, with each block followed by opportunities for brief clarifying questions. This will be followed by a general round of questions from the audience with answers from panelists, followed by concluding remarks.  

Introduction from the facilitator

  • Robert Kehew, Unit Leader, Climate Change Planning Unit, UN-Habitat, Kenya (5 minutes)

DEMAND FOR FINANCE FOR URBAN CLIMATE INVESTMENTS

  • Sanjit Rodrigues, Commissioner, Corporation of the City of Panaji, India (8 minutes)
  • Amy Kenyon, Program Officer, Metropolitan Opportunity Unit, Ford Foundation, USA, on project development and sustainability standards (8 minutes)

SUPPLY OF FINANCING FOR URBAN CLIMATE INVESTMENTS: PUBLIC FINANCE PERSPECTIVE

  • Henry de Cazotte, Deputy Head of Development Policy, Special Advisor to the Director for Development and Global Public Goods, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development, France (8 minutes)
  • Laurent Widmer, Program Manager, Infrastructure Financing Division, Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs, Switzerland (8 minutes)

PRIVATE FINANCE PERSPECTIVE

  • Thierry Deau, Chairman, Long Term Infrastructure Investors’ Association (LTIIA); President, Meridiam (8 minutes)
  • Sean Kidney, CEO, Climate Bonds Initiative, on Green City Bonds campaign (8 minutes) (to be confirmed)

Questions from audience, with answers from panelists (20 minutes)

Closing remarks from panelists (8 minutes)

Closing remarks from moderator (2 minutes)