Unlocking Capital for Sustainability 2023 - Welcome Remarks & Opening Keynote

Amid inflationary pressures, recession fears, rising interest rates and the ongoing war in Ukraine, the global macroeconomic outlook is marked with uncertainty and high volatility. In developing Asia, this complicates the net zero transition — estimated by the Asian Investor Group on Climate Change to require US$37 trillion in investments over the next three decades to meet the Paris Agreement targets.

Ensuring that this transition is an equitable one has become a strategic priority on the international agenda, yet how this can be achieved in practical terms remains elusive. With many developing economies emerging from the global pandemic with constrained budgets and high capital costs, public coffers are critically insufficient to fund the energy transition. Governments are also grappling with priorities of poverty alleviation, supporting jobs and livelihoods, and energy security. Mobilising blended capital on a large scale from public, private and philanthropic sources will be key to addressing the financing gap required for this equitable transition.

What are some of the key mechanisms that will unlock capital for Asia’s just transition? What frameworks are needed to make transition finance an effective tool for hard-to-abate sectors? Will we see a revival of carbon markets and how can we mobilise philanthropic capital? Unlocking capital for sustainability 2023 will convene leaders and decision-makers across the government, financial institutions and civic society to explore the latest developments and pathways forward to enable an equitable transition.

Uniting for a sustainable future: Catalyzing climate innovation through AI and Partnerships

Solving for climate change isn’t easy, but the recent IPCC report found that we already have all the data and technology needed to mitigate the climate crisis – we just need to put it to use. Kate Brandt, Google’s Chief Sustainability Officer, will discuss how technology can be an enabler for sustainability, with AI playing a key role in climate innovation. She will also explain why Google remains positive about the future and discuss how the private and public sector can work together to drive climate action in APAC.

Intro (0:00)
Meaghan See
Director of Partnerships, Eco-Business

Welcome remark (5:27)
Junice Yeo
Executive Director, Head of ESG Intelligence, Eco-Business

Opening keynote (12:52)
Kate Brandt
Chief Sustainability Officer, Google