This press release was originally published by London Climate Action Week.
 

Supported by CIFF, London Climate Action Week kicked off today, with over 40 digital events taking place from the 1st to the 3rd of July.The series of virtual events has been developed to drive collaboration and policy solutions, as governments, private finance, institutional investors, and NGOs all have a crucial role to play in delivering economic recovery fit for the low carbon future. London Climate Action Week will bring together experts from a range of disciplines enabling them to influence national and international policies by collaborating on solutions in three key areas:

1. Green investment to rebuild economies;
2. International collaboration to address the climate crisis;
3. Solutions for adaptation and resilience.

London is known to have world-leading expertise in finance, technology and research as well as the world’s greatest concentration of businesses and non-profit organisations working to deliver a transition to a net zero carbon, climate resilient world.

Nick Mabey, Chief Executive, of E3G, commented: “The Covid-19 crisis and the shift of the COP26 Climate Summit in Glasgow to 2021 threatens to take momentum out of global climate action at the very time when huge decisions are being made on economic recovery which will shape our future world. Actions over the next 18 months will determine whether the world moves onto a path that will keep 1.5°C within reach. London Climate Action Week is an opportunity for London’s cutting-edge climate organisations to re-energise the climate debate by working with colleagues worldwide to find innovative solutions.”

Fiona Reynolds, Chief Executive Officer, of Principles for Responsible Investment said: “With COP26 being postponed due to Covid-19 London Climate Action Week is more important than ever. We must keep momentum and focus on the transition to a net-zero world. We really are in the race of our lives.”

Harriet Lamb CBE, Chief Executive Officer, of Ashden commented: “To tackle climate change, we all need to pull together like never before. That’s why we’re such fans of London Climate Action Week, a time for civil society, government and business to come together and rally behind cutting carbon emissions at speed and scale. And that’s we will be showcasing and celebrate Ashden climate pioneers whose scalable solutions will ensure a green and just transition for people and planet.”

The Covid-19 crisis has focused attention on key measures that will be needed to address the climate emergency. It has demonstrated that global crises need global responses with strong international governance and cooperation. It has also shown how societies need to build in the resilience to cope with sudden economic shocks, underlining warnings that even 2°C of warming could see the global economy contract by 13%.
Now, as governments plan massive strategic investments to rebuild their economies, it has also provided a huge opportunity to “build back better” for a green and sustainable recovery that will deliver net zero emissions.
LCAW will feature more than 40 events held by organisations including: think tanks; academic institutions; institutional investor groups; trade associations; businesses; and NGOs:

• The Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change (IIGCC), whose members hold more than €30 trillion in assets under management, is hosting an event on investing in a sustainable recovery post Covid-19.
• The Grantham Research Institute at LSE will coordinate an event on strategic climate litigation, presenting a report outlining its insights from global experience.
• Chatham House and HSBC will host a joint event on the effect of Covid-19 on various sectors – including transport, energy, aviation, insurance – and how investors can build green growth into the economic recovery.
• Wilton Park, the Foreign Office agency and conference centre, will bring together policy makers, investors and financiers for an event on how to use development finance for an inclusive and sustainable recovery.
• Climate charity Ashden will hold their annual awards, globally recognised as a mark of excellence in the field of climate solutions.
• UK financial think-tank Carbon Tracker will discuss its most recent report on the energy transition, and the size and vulnerability of the fossil fuel system.
• High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy, which brings together 14 serving world leaders, will make the case for the oceans providing a dual solution to both climate change and the Covid-19 recovery.

Organisations involved in the events include:

• Think tanks and policy organisations – Carbon Tracker, Chatham House, Wilton Park, and Stockholm Environment Institute;
• Academic institutions – Grantham Research Institute at LSE;
• Investor institutions – Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change (IIGCC) and the Coalition for Climate Resilient Investment (CCRI);
• Coalitions and associations – International Emissions Trading Association (IETA) and the Climate Markets and Investment Association (CMIA);
• Businesses such as HSBC, Triodos Bank, Propel Investment Partners, Arup, Bulb, and Engie;
• International development organisations – International Center for Climate Change and Development (ICCCAD) and the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED).

LCAW 2020 will take place in two parts this year as a result of the Covid pandemic. The digital event focused on policy, finance and resilience in July, will be followed by a second much larger event involving organisations and communities from across London in more than 150 events, taking place in November, during the period originally scheduled for the COP26 UN Climate Summit.

A full list of LCAW Digital events will be available here:

Website: https://www.londonclimateactionweek.org/
Twitter: london_climate
LinkedIn: London Climate Action Week
Hashtags: #LCAW2020 #LDNClimateAction