Felix Dodds comments on sustainable development, coffee & life

Guest blog by Joseph Clements, UNCTAD’s Investment and Enterprise Division. The value of sustainability-themed investment products amounted to $3.2 trillion in 2020, up more than 80% from 2019. With a growing need to mobilize the vast sums of capital needed to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030, UNCTAD’s latest World Investment Report estimates that the value of sustainability-themed investment products amounted to $3.2 trillion in 2020, up more than 80% from 2019, showing that the capital market is increasingly aligning itself with sustainable development outcomes, including the SDGs. These products include sustainable funds (over $1.7 trillion), green bonds (over $1 trillion), social bonds ($212 billion), and mixed-sustainability bonds ($218 billion) (Figures 1 and 2).   Figure 1 - Number and AUM of sustainability-themed funds, 2010-2020 (Billions of dollars)   Source: UNCTAD based on Morningstar and TrackInsight data. Notes: Numbers of fu...

Monday the 24th of September sees the High Level Meeting on Financign the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) represent tremendous investment opportunities, in the order of trillions of dollars. Yet, despite growing momentum for investments in sustainable development, the financing gap is significant.  A major challenge in financing the 2030 Agenda will be attracting and directing public and private investments to areas that support the achievement of the SDGs.  Financing for sustainable development, guided by the SDGs, including SDG 17, and the Addis Ababa Action Agenda will require action by diverse actors – Governments fostering enabling environments for financing and investment; the private sector mobilizing for long-term investment; and champions of innovation developing new solutions for financing the SDGs.  More information about financing for sustainable development can be found here. The Secretary-General’s ...