09:00 – 09:05
Keynote address: The Rt Hon the Lord Mayor
09:05 – 09:13
Keynote address: Jennifer Jordan-Saifi, MVO, Chief Executive Officer, Sustainable Markets Initiative
09:13 – 09:21
Keynote address: Tim Gould, Chief Economist, International Energy Agency
09:21 – 09:30
Keynote address: TBC
9:30 – 10:10
Panel discussion: Under the canopy - private finance as the bridge for nature and climate
This year Brazil is presiding over the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Belém, which creates the unique opportunity to bring together the nature and climate agenda in one of the world’s richest natural ecosystems.
Private sector engagement with nature has been on the rise, with over 3,000 corporate delegates attending the Nature COP (COP16) in Cali, Colombia in 2024. This panel will explore the opportunities for private actors to leverage finance for both nature and climate and bring together the agendas of prior COPs.
Key discussion areas will include:
- State of play for the COP30 agenda on nature and climate.
- Can the private sector take a leadership role in nature x climate financing?
- Where are the opportunities for public x private partnership
- Where are the continued roadblocks?
- Case studies showcasing the art of the possible.
10:10 – 10:30
Break
10:30 – 10:40
Keynote address: Chris Hayward, Policy Chairman, City of London Corporation
10:40 - 10:50
Keynote address: TBC
10:50 – 11:30
Panel discussion: Transition Finance - building global momentum for real-economy decarbonisation.
As 2030 emissions targets draw closer, the urgent need to finance the decarbonisation of high-emitting sectors has never been more critical. The UK's groundbreaking Transition Finance Market Review established a clear roadmap for scaling financial solutions to support a credible, whole-economy transition. How are we progressing against that roadmap, and how do we ensure global alignment that accelerates rather than impedes progress?
This dynamic panel brings together leaders from the UK’s Transition Finance Council, financial institutions, and industrial innovators to showcase real-world success stories and tackle the remaining barriers head-on. Attendees will gain exclusive insights into how transition finance is evolving from concept to market reality, and how cross-border collaboration can drive impact.
Key discussion areas will include:
- A stocktake of UK progress in transition finance and its standing on the global stage
- Practical examples of effective transition finance in action
- Key barriers that remain and how they are being addressed
- How transition finance can be integrated into both the negotiated and non-negotiated outcomes at COP
11:30 – 12:10
Panel discussion: Carbon currents - making markets move
As the urgency to address climate change intensifies, carbon markets are emerging as a powerful tool on the path to net zero. Despite growing interest, demand within voluntary markets remains constrained.
This panel will bring together industry leaders to discuss barriers to entry for buyers and both short- and long-term actionable strategies to unlocking liquidity and drive meaningful climate outcomes.
Key discussion areas will include:
- What can be done to incentivise buyers to enter the market without legislative mandates to price carbon?
- To what extent are integrity concerns a persisting roadblock for demand? To what extent are they a red herring for more structural market challenges?
- How can ambitious private sector actors navigate the market as it is still emerging?
- What role can greater integration of compliance and voluntary markets play in increasing liquidity?
12:10 – 12:20
Keynote speech: TBC
12:20 – 12:25
Closing remarks: The Rt Hon the Lord Mayor
All timings are subject to change.