South Pole Group has recently contributed to the United for Smart Sustainable Cities collaborative initiative (U4SSC) with a series of case studies on green bonds and green funds. These case studies were integrated into the recent United Nations reports "Connecting cities and communities with the Sustainable Development Goals" and "Enhancing innovation and participation in smart sustainable cities", which aim to provide new expert guidance for an efficient transition to sustainable urban environments.
South Pole Group's Martin Stadelmann, Hanna Vartto and Mariano Mejía shared their expertise in innovative finance in the form of a series of case studies which are part of a larger series in which the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the UN Economic Commission for Europe coordinated the participation of 16 United Nations bodies.
The case study "Green Bonds for Cities" introduces two examples of cities that have issued green bonds, namely Gothenburg and Mexico City. This case study highlights best practice in green bond issuance through transparent design of a green bond framework (Gothenburg), and provides an example of how green bond issuance can be implemented in less developed markets (Mexico City). "Green Bonds for Cities" touches on the links between climate action, industry, innovation & infrastructure and poverty, highlighting how innovative financial practice can contribute to the achievement of SDGs.
The case study "London Green Fund" provides a summary of how London's city authorities used innovative financial interventions to leverage climate finance and tackle challenges such as climate change, urban sprawl and an increased demand for natural resources. This case study highlights how city authorities collaborated with financial institutions to create a fund that reduced financial risks in the environmental sector, promotes investments in sustainable infrastructure and contributes to London's carbon reduction targets.
By sharing key insights in innovative finance, South Pole Group's experts support policymakers and urban planners to fill in knowledge gaps and to spot the relevance of climate finance. Please visit ITU's website for more information.
