[2020 International Mayors Forum Preparatory Webinar Series - Webinar #5] Impact Investment in Cities - Innovations to finance the 2030 Agenda locally

Overview

Impact Investment in Cities - Innovations to finance the 2030 Agenda locally

Recording of the Webinar

International Mayors Forum Preparatory Webinar Series - Webinar #5

Documents and Readings

CONCEPT NOTE (Updated as of 21 October 2020)

SPEAKER BIOGRAPHY (Updated as of 23 October 2020)

PARTICIPANT LIST (updated as of 10 November 2020)

Background

Impact investments are investment funds that can raise capital for national to local governments to achieve positive social, economic or environmental impacts strengthening government services and outcomes. Impact investments can include social impact bonds or bonds to finance climate or ocean related investments. Sometimes also called orange, green or blue bonds, these are increasingly active across the globe today achieving impact to advance the Sustainable Development Goals.

Local governments are currently facing multiple challenges in financing the 2030 Agenda amid the devastating impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. National to local actors require innovative approaches to close the finance gap and accelerate a resilient recovery, ensuring that the coming decade shifts from recovery to progress on the SDGs. The Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN) estimates the current size of the global impact investing market to be $502 billion. This webinar will examine how this exciting new field of capital can raise funds to close financing gaps for SDG implementation locally.

Often known as place-based impact investments, municipal governments can create impact investment initiatives to improve results and outcomes in local education, public services and green infrastructure in line with the Sustainable Development Goals. Countries across the globe from Fiji to India to Mexico are launching impact bonds to close essential gaps in public services and achieve the 2030 Agenda. National governments can enable local governments to strengthen adoption of impact finance as they aim for a resilient recovery from COVID-19 and for accelerating progress on the 2030 Agenda.

Organizers

This webinar is organized by the United Nations Office for Sustainable Development of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs

Objectives and Content

This webinar is part of a series of online webinars exploring specific sessions under the 2020 International Mayors Forum. The 2020 International Mayors Forum examines the social, economic and environmental impacts of the current crisis on cities and local governments as well as potential solutions for sustainable response and recovery.

This webinar aims to provide local governments and local actors with knowledge in support of a swift recovery from COVID-19 and advancing the decade of action and delivery for sustainable development. This webinar will profile research, trends, and cases and critical insights on how local governments are or could be more effective in leveraging impact investment for achieving the SDGs locally.

Target Audience

This webinar aims to engage sub-national government representatives, local government leaders, and national institutions across the UN Member States (time zones: Africa, Europe, and Asia-Pacific).

The webinar also seeks to ensure the participation and contribution of non-government experts working in the areas of national to local SDG implementation, financial planning, asset management, climate finance, as well as all areas of territorial development. Experts working on all related areas across sustainable cities and public services are also welcomed to join. The webinar is also open to academia, youth, and other interested stakeholders to ensure an inclusive and integrated discussion on accelerated local solutions for accelerating the 2030 Agenda in the decade of action.

Opening/Moderator

• Mr. Jean D’Aragon, Officer in Charge, UN Office for Sustainable Development, UN DESA

Speakers

• Ms. Caroline Lombardo, Chief, International Tax and Development Cooperation Branch, Financing for Sustainable Development Office, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (Video Message)
  • Video Message from Ms. Lombardo
• Ms. Bernadia Irawati Tjandradewi, Secretary General, United Cities and Local Government Asia-Pacific (UCLG-ASPAC)
  • Local Governments Alternative Financing Towards the SDGs
• Hon. Jai Prakash, Mayor, North Delhi Municipal Corporation 
• Mr. Sudhir Bhatnagar, CEO, South Asian Region Department (SARD)
  • Society for All Round Development: Transforming lives of children in India
• Prof. Raymond Saner, Titular Professor, University of Basel
  • Impact Investment in Cities - Innovations to finance the SDGs locally

For more information:

Sara Castro de Hallgren, UNOSD, UN DESA at sara.castrohallgren@un.org

Disclaimer: 

For the purpose of this event, UNOSD procures the services of Cisco Webex, an external service provider. Registration for this webinar is supported by the Webex Events registration mechanism and does not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities