High-level event in London accelerates investment in landscapes by connecting funds to farms and forests

Delivering on the promise of the Paris climate agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will not only require strong political commitment, but substantive capital. At the COP21, more than 180 countries submitted their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) pledges to the UNFCCC. According to these plans, USD 16.5 trillion is needed over the next 15 years to finance climate action. The public sector alone cannot meet this need. The private sector will have a critical role to play.

But glaring gaps exist today. Traditionally, financial service providers have favored low-risk, high-return agriculture and forestry models for their land-based investments – often to the detriment of nature and smallholders. What’s more, interest in sustainable land use investments currently exceeds the availability of projects. Investors also face unclear tenure and government regulations, weak institutions and uncertain returns that inhibit investments at scale.

To address these challenges, the second edition of the Global Landscapes Forum – The Investment Case in London on June 6 will bring together 250 key experts from the financial services industry, corporate sector, government, and scientific community to scale up investments in sustainable landscapes.

The experts symposium will feature plenary and breakout sessions around real world case studies. Sessions include: the potential impact of FinTech (financial technology like mobile phone banking), the assessment of legal and policy frameworks for investment in Africa, and how to link angel investors to land use startups.


Detailed agenda here: http://www.landscapes.org/london-2016/agenda/