On 14 March 2016, UNORCID partnered with the Government of Indonesia and UNEP to hold a high-level event entitled the “Innovative Financial Forum: Sustaining Indonesia's Tropical Landscapes". This forum demonstrated the significance of finance as a key enabler within the green economy transition and new climate economy, supporting the required structural changes that will affect many spectrums of society. Mobilizing and securing finance to support programmes and activities that work towards the achievement of the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is therefore paramount - and a driving force of the forum itself.
Considering the significance and urgency of meeting climate goals in general and the green economy transition specifically, it is crucial for various partners and stakeholders involved, both domestic and foreign, to come together to share lessons learned and take further action. Through the forum a consensus was seen that traditional resource flows can be complemented by innovative finance in Indonesia.
“The forum showcased the urgent need to create new business models and new business processes to support sustainability," says Russ Cullinane, Head of Operations Indonesia, South Pole Group, who attended the event. “We need an enabling environment for innovation when it comes to engaging with smallholder farmers, implementing sustainable agriculture and creating resilient rural livelihoods."
The event bridged notable speakers, within plenaries and other talks, including from the private sector, the government, academia, CSOs, and INGOs. The morning agenda consisted of three plenaries, and the afternoon featured REDD+ Talks: Jakarta, an international event series created by Code REDD, a US-based NGO that advocates for financing forest conservation as a means of climate change mitigation.
The forum was moderated by Mr. Pavan Sukhdev as UNEP Goodwill Ambassador, with Mr. Tim Christophersen as the UNEP REDD+ Focal Point, Mr. Andrew Mitchell of the Global Canopy Programme, Ms. Kate Dillon Levin of Code REDD, and Mr. Nirarta Samadhi of the World Resources Institute, moderating plenary sessions. The presentations and discussions revolved around the issues of Financing for Development; Innovative Finance Mechanisms for Sustaining Tropical Landscapes; Reducing Deforestation while Sustaining Agriculture and Food Security in Indonesia; the Paris Agreement; REDD+; Community Testimonial; Market and Finance; Palm Oil and Production Landscapes; and Peat, Fires, and Haze.