Baku to Belém: Reflections from Net Zero Delivery Summit 2025

“To create the future we need, we must not only stop bad things, but boldly promote good things at scale​.” – Sir Andrew Steer KCMG, Distinguished Professor of Practice in Economics and Sustainability at Georgetown University and LSE

The Net Zero Delivery Summit marks the crucial halfway point between climate COPs. Held during London Climate Action Week as a flagship event, the Summit aims to accelerate climate action by convening finance, policy, and sustainability expertise to drive progress beyond climate pledges.

The Summit this year comprised 23 speakers across a series of 12 keynotes and panel discussions. The priority themes of the day were:

• Accelerating decarbonisation by scaling the transition finance market to unlock more finance for transformation, particularly in hard-to-abate sectors.
• Identifying and scaling solutions to unlock demand and liquidity within carbon markets, as a critical tool in the climate finance toolbox.
• Bridging international agendas to mobilising private finance for nature and adaptation. 
• Enabling a just transition and advancing financial support for emerging and developing countries.

The event was hosted by The Rt Hon. The Lord Mayor of the City of London, Alastair King, and Policy Chairman Chris Hayward, and was moderated by me, as Councillor and the Lead Member for Sustainable Finance at the City of London Corporation. It was held in collaboration with partners the Sustainable Markets Initiative and the International Energy Agency and sponsors Aviva, EY, and Intercontinental Exchange (ICE).

Speakers included the likes of Ambassador André Corrêa do Lago, COP30 President-Designate; Ravi Menon, Singapore's Ambassador for Climate Action; Natalie Blyth, Global Head of Sustainable Finance & Transition at HSBC; and, Sir Andrew Steer KCMG, Distinguished Professor of Practice in Economics and Sustainability at Georgetown University and LSE. Attendance was the highest yet, growing 50% from last year, with over 40% of in-person attendees be C-Suite level, and over 2000 virtual attendees from across the world.

Overall, the message of the day was a celebration of action, and championed the central role of finance in the path to net zero. Globally, there are major successes to be celebrated in the path to addressing climate change. Examples cited included the phase-out of coal in Asia using transition credits, the implementation of Singapore’s new carbon credit guidance, and Microsoft’s dedicated $1bn impact investment climate fund. We are solidly on the path to net zero, and have proved that reimagining of our economies into sustainable ones is possible and rewarding. However, progress is still too slow. We must therefore take courage in our climate successes to amplify action, scale-up interventions, invest in innovation to reach our climate goals before it is too late.

A selection of recommendations that arose over the course of the summit is below. All talks are also available to watch on demand.

Insights and recommendations from the day have also been feed into the COP30 presidency, to support the shaping and delivery of the agenda in Belém.

For any questions relating to our annual Net Zero Delivery Summit, past or future, please contact the City of London Sustainable Finance team at SustainableFinance@cityoflondon.gov.uk.

Councillor Irem Yerdelen

Lead Member for Sustainable Finance at the City of London Corporation