Perhaps the single greatest challenge in the necessary transition to sustainable development lies in harnessing the financial system to the needs of a productive, inclusive and environmentally-responsible economy. This will require reforms to the policies, rules and practices that govern financial and capital markets. The good news is that this “quiet revolution” is already underway and gaining momentum with every day that passes. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has just completed a comprehensive, two-year Inquiry into the Design of a Sustainable Financial System, but the actors in this space – many of them in Geneva – are numerous and each holds an essential piece of the puzzle.
A symposium organized within the framework of the Geneva Environment Network, will take place at the Maison de la Paix on 18 January 2016, from 15.00 – 17.30 on the subject.
Moderated by Mark Halle from IISD, it will feature a presentation of the Inquiry’s findings by Simon Zadek, Inquiry Co-Director, followed by a moderated debate.
The panel will include Inger Andersen, Director General of IUCN (tbc); Sharan Burrow, General Secretary of the International Trade Union Council (tbc); Mukhisa Kituyi, Secretary-General of UNCTAD; Bruno Oberle, Adjunct Professor of Green Economy at EPFL, Lausanne and member of the UNEP Inquiry Advisory Council; and Ugo Panizza, Professor of International Economics, Graduate Institute.