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COP29 high-level event: “Building the Business Case for Climate Finance at the Subnational Level”

At this year's COP29, the MAIA project will make the case for improved access to climate finance for regional actors.
money on a map
Image courtesy of @agent_illustrateur

Event details

📅 Date: Saturday 16th November

Time: 15:00-16.30 h (local time) 

Event type: In-person

Venue: UNFCCC Official Side Event 2 

Speakers: To be confirmed

Registration: coming soon

During this year’s COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, the MAIA project will hold an event to mobilise support for the crucial role of subnational actors in achieving global climate goals and advancing sustainable development.

As we approach the UN Climate Change Conference it is imperative to recognize and empower regional actors. Their leadership and innovation are essential to bridging the gap between ambition and action, ensuring that climate finance reaches where it is needed most, and accelerating the transition to a more equitable and sustainable future. 

Now is the time to act, to support and invest in regions as catalysts for change. Together, we can harness their potential to tackle the pressing challenges of our time and secure a livable world for generations to come.  

Event objectives

The event, collaboratively organised by MAIA EU Project partners, aims to mobilise support for the crucial role of subnational actors in achieving global climate goals and advancing sustainable development.

Key objectives include increasing financial resources at the subnational level and facilitating subnational access to existing funds, aligning climate finance with local priorities, enhancing collaboration among stakeholders—particularly the private sector—and showcasing innovative financial solutions by subnational actors.

The event aims to convene a diverse range of stakeholders to foster collaboration, share best practices, and mobilise support for subnational climate finance initiatives. Among the audience will be representative from subnational governments (regions, cities, municipalities and others); international organisations; national governments; financial institutions (banks, investment firms, development finance institutions), multilateral development banks; civil society organisations; academic and research institutions; private sector (businesses, industry associations); and media and communication professionals. 

Speakers

15:10 – 15:45 1st Panel Discussion on the State of Play for Finance at the Subnational Level

  • María José Sanz, Basque Centre for Climate Change (BC3) Scientific Director and Lead Partner in the MAIA Project.
  • Phoebe Koundouri, Professor, Athens University of Economics and Business & Technical University of Denmark; President, World Council of Environmental and Resource Economists Associations; Chair, SDSN Global Climate Hub; Chair, AE4RIA.
  • Clare Everett, Senior Global Policy Manager, Climate at CDP.
  • Giorgio Maione, Minister of Environment and Climate of Lombardy Region.
  • Sergio Jiménez Arjona, Deputy Minister of Sustainability and Environment of the Regional Government of Andalusia.

15:45 – 16:15 2nd Panel discussion on building the case for investing in subnational innovative solutions

  • Stephen O’Driscoll, Head of the Environmental, Climate and Social Division at the European Investment Bank (EIB) Projects Department.
  • Niina Ratilainen, Member of the Turku City Council and of the European Committee of the Region.
  • Roger Cruz, Marketing and Uptake Lead at the FAST-Infra Label Secretariat.
  • Sonsoles Letang, Director General of Climate Change and Environmental Quality of the Catalan Region.

Participating MAIA partners

Lead organisers: MAIA EU Project, Regions4, Climate KIC, Global Infrastructure Basel Foundation (GIB) with the support from partners: European Committee of the Regions (CoR), Basque Centre for Climate Change (BC3),  Athena Research Center (ARC), Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI), CDP, ICLEI, and Under2 Coalition.

Disclaimer:

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the granting authority. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

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