Everything you need to know about the Green Horizon Summit

It’s time to reset the relationship between finance and the real economy. For the sake of our planet, it’s also time for public and private finance to get behind the transition to a sustainable and resilient future for all.

But with no UN climate conference (COP) this year owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, maintaining momentum on climate action and the economic changes required is vital. From 9-11 November, the Green Horizon Summit: The Pivotal Role of Finance will help do just that.

Across 10 sessions and three days, the summit will virtually convene more than 2,500 people from around the world to discuss five main themes:

The programme features a line-up of more than 100 global business and climate leaders, including HRH The Prince of Wales, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, Breakthrough Energy Founder Bill Gates, ECB Chief Christine Lagarde, UN Special Envoy for Climate Action and Finance Mark Carney and many more.

The event will conclude with a focus on the concrete actions and commitments financial actors need to make ahead of COP26 in 2021.

The green transition is both an urgent existential imperative, as well as a significant commercial opportunity. Capturing this opportunity will drive job creation and speed a return to growth.

Right now, however, there is a persistent financing gap between net zero ambitions and reality. The Green Horizon Summit is our moment to close this gap and mobilize capital by converting momentum into action ahead of COP26.

The need for adaptation and resilience financing is also clear and it is increasingly apparent that the private finance community has a critical role to play in furthering these initiatives.

Each day will be themed around a critical area on which finance needs to focus.

Topics for virtual discussion on Day One centre around the financing of transitions, whether relating to energy, economies or net-zero emissions.

"Transition plans will reveal the leaders and laggers on the road to Glasgow," said Mark Carney, Finance Adviser on COP26 to the Prime Minister and leader of the COP26 Private Finance Hub.

“We will not get to net zero in a niche, it requires a whole economy transition.”

With infrastructure investments in the coming decade likely to determine the fate of the Paris Agreement, Day Two will focus on the challenges and opportunities of financing green growth initiatives and investing in nature from a private finance perspective.

Closing the summit, day three will feature a specially curated 90-minute session focused on implementation. How should financial actors develop concrete and investable transition plans? How can investors align their portfolios with the transition? How are corporates, advisors and investors working to make the transition a reality? These are just some of the crucial questions day three will try to answer with the help of executives and companies who are leading the way.

You can follow the event and watch all sessions live here. If you miss a session, you’ll be able to watch it back via our YouTube channel.

We encourage you to post, share and retweet by tagging our accounts and by using our official hashtag: #GHS2020.

For more ways to follow the summit and to get involved, read our full guide.