Berlin/ Hamburg: According to the newly founded Global Foundation Platform (F20), "the G7 Summit in Italy paved the way for the G20 Summit in Hamburg". "Six of the seven heads of state and government have shown their determination to implement the Paris Climate Agreement - despite the reluctance of the US government. The largest economies now face the task of implementing the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement," said a joint press release.
The F20, a unique alliance of more than 35 foundations from nine countries, was founded on the occasion of the G20 Summit, which will take place in Hamburg on 7 and 8 July. Together, they want to make a contribution to global climate protection and a global energy transition.
"On climate change, the German G20 Presidency can build on the backing of businesses, think tanks, civil society, representatives of all faith communities and progressive countries. It is they who are driving global climate action, investing in sustainable infrastructure and creating the jobs of the future in Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa and America. The goals of the Paris Agreement are gaining global support and solidifying every day that the shift towards a climate-resilient global economy gains momentum," said Laurence Tubiana, CEO of the European Climate Foundation.
Michael Northrop, Rockefeller Brothers Fund: "The transition to a climate-resilient global economy offers business opportunities, jobs and economic development, as well as additional benefits such as cleaner air and a healthier environment. But to unlock this potential, the necessary investments must be unleashed now. More and more foundations, pension funds, cities and insurance companies are stepping forward by withdrawing their capital from fossil assets and supporting clean solutions."
The Rockefeller Brothers Fund had already announced in 2014 that it would disinvest the over 800 million US dollar fund, i.e. withdraw the capital from climate-damaging assets, and invest in clean solutions. Since 2014, more than US$5 trillion in assets under management have been withdrawn from coal and other fossil fuels.
Ramiro Fernández, Director Climate Change at the Avina Foundation, Argentina, underlines the important role of civil society in the global energy transition. "Civil society has been and continues to be a driving force for transformative change. The importance of their commitment to the preservation of natural livelihoods and to social justice - whether at the international, national or local level - cannot be overstated. The voices of civil society organisations from around the world must therefore be involved in the G20 process," he said.
The Avina Foundation is a Latin American organisation that implements democracy promotion, environmental protection and sustainable development projects in Argentina. Among the participating foundations are Rockefeller Brothers Fund, Wallace Global Fund (both USA), Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation, Tata Trusts (both India), Avina Foundation (Latin America), FARN (Argentina), SEE Foundation, C Team (both China), Instituto Arapyaú (Brazil), European Climate Foundation (Netherlands), Stiftung Zukunftsfähigkeit, Stiftung Mercator, Stiftung 2° - German Entrepreneurs for Climate Protection, Michael Otto Foundation for Environmental Protection, WWF, Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt (DBU), the ZEIT-Stiftung Ebelin und Gerd Bucerius and the World Future Council (all Germany). Altogether, these foundations represent a total capital in the tens of billions of US dollars.
On 4 July - three days before the actual G20 summit - the Foundation Platform invites representatives from civil society, business, science and politics to Hamburg City Hall. The aim is to express their support for the global climate protection agenda and to discuss how the potential offered by global climate protection can be raised.
Speakers include British economist Sir Nicholas Stern, sociologist Auma Obama, author and former US government advisor Amory B. Lovins, Chinese entrepreneur Wang Shi and Kurt Bock, Chairman of the Business 20 Group (B20) Energy, Climate and Resource Efficiency and Chairman of the Board of BASF.
Further information:
www.foundations-20.org
Keywords:
Stakeholders, Funding, Climate protection, News Blog Europe (without DE)
