The Rt Hon Lord Goldsmith, Minister of State for Overseas Territories, Commonwealth, Energy, Climate and Environment, Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO). Arne Staal, Group Head of Benchmark & Index Solutions; CEO, London Stock Exchange Group; FTSE Russel. Isabelle Laurent, Deputy Treasures & Head of Funding; Chair of the Principles, European Bank at EBRD; International Capital Market Association. Agnés Gourc, Head of Sustainable Capital Markets; Deputy-Chair of the Principles, BNP Paribas; International Capital Market Association. Nicholas Pfaff, Deputy CEO and Head of Sustainable Finance, International Capital Market Association.

To reach a net-zero economy by 2050, annual clean energy investments must increase from $1 trillion to $3.5 trillion by 2030. However, market challenges such as volatility, high inflation, energy crises and geopolitical tensions pose increasing risks for investors. Despite these challenges, investing in clean energy solutions and related technologies offers global investors opportunities to build future-proof portfolios. This session collected key recommendations on how investors can build resilient portfolios and governments can establish effective regulatory frameworks to accelerate the green energy transition and reach 2030 targets.

Financing clean energy infrastructure is crucial for a sustainable future. From electricity production, involving non-traditional energy sources like hydrogen, to the development of entire supply chains, including transmission, distribution, and storage systems. This session examined the gaps, risks, rewards, and strategies from venture phase to growth and deployment on recommendations for future pathways across innovation and investment in clean energy investments.

Fighting climate change requires protecting biodiversity and a fourfold increase in investments in Nature-based Solutions (NbS) to achieve 2050 net-zero targets. NbS can offer high returns on investment, yet the key drivers such as technology and innovation remain underdeveloped. This session explored the answer to the following questions: how can emerging initiatives, such as the TNFD, support the assessment of emerging nature-related risks and opportunities for businesses? What are some concrete recommendations to mainstream global financial flows shift to nature-positive outcomes?

Investors committed to net-zero by 2050 face a dual challenge: decarbonising portfolios and increasing investments in climate solutions. Keynotes followed by Q&As delivered solutions on bridging the gap between the challenges and opportunities for investors to build investment models that effectively combat climate change, transition away from stranded assets, and enhance capital flow and returns.

Power projects present complex risks, but public and private sector solutions, strategies, and business models can help manage them. This session delivered guidance on where we are and where we still need to go to incentivise greater investments in the clean energy transition in emerging markets and developing economies. What are the solutions in risk management in energy infrastructure investments for emerging markets?

These high-level keynotes and Q&A provided recommendations for investment models that achieve climate change mitigation goals for a diverse range of investors. Keynotes outlined strategies to mainstream emerging practices by incorporating climate considerations across asset classes and sectors that can only lead to stable returns by 2030. Participants shared critical success factors they used to overcome challenges and provided insights into their strategies to incorporate climate considerations across their operations.

Industrial activities contribute 24% of global carbon emissions, making industrial decarbonisation a critical challenge. Reimagining the production cycle and redesigning the industrial landscape is essential. Scaling up Power-to-X, green hydrogen or carbon capture is crucial for a net-zero future. This session presented innovative strategies for overcoming investment barriers and de-risking investments to fast-track financing these technologies. Arriving at the impact that must be created across innovation, finance and policy by implementing IEA’s 7 Key Pillars for industrial decarbonisation.