The Investor Agenda Founding Partners call for a sustainable recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic

4 May 2020

The following can be attributed to the heads of the Founding Partners of The Investor Agenda on the release of their global statement on a sustainable recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic:

Director of the Asia Investor Group on Climate Change, Rebecca Mikula-Wright, said: “Investors active across Asia are increasingly seeking low-emissions investment opportunities and tightening controls against emissions-intensive activities. Asian governments will drive the most efficient and widespread private capital investment, which in turn will create fresh jobs and growth, if they tap into this trend and integrate COVID-19 economic recovery efforts with enhanced policies for a net-zero emissions transition by 2050.”  

Chief Executive Officer of CDP, Paul Simpson, said: “Shaken by the COVID-19 pandemic, the world stands at a crossroads. While the current priority is rightly to save human lives, the focus on economic recovery that will follow must prioritise building the sustainable and resilient society that we need. We therefore urge investors, regulators and policymakers to work together to ensure that finance flows are aligned with the most ambitious goals of the Paris Agreement. We must ensure that long term renewal packages accelerate our economy into one that is more resilient, inclusive, and zero carbon. It must work in harmony with nature, and not take us back to the production and consumption we know are unsustainable, and leave us exposed to increased risk of future crises.”

Chief Executive Officer and President of Ceres, Mindy Lubber, said: “We stand with investors in calling for a refashion of our capital market systems and policies so that future crises whether fueled by a deadly virus or climate change can be prevented. Policymakers and regulators have a chance to reshape a new resilient economy in fundamental ways that better protect us from systemic threats, like the climate emergency, by ensuring zero-carbon industries not only withstand the downturn, but continue to grow and accelerate the just transition to a net zero emissions future.”

Chief Executive Officer of the Investor Group on Climate Change, Emma Herd, said: “Investors strongly support new measures to drive a sustainable recovery. We already know that government policy that spurs fresh private investment in clean energy, green industry and other sustainable infrastructure will lead to much needed jobs and economic growth. The Australian Government should be looking to integrate recovery plans with its Technology Investment Roadmap, Long-Term Emissions Reduction Strategy, grid modernisation planning and bushfire recovery to build greater resilience and reduce climate risk. The New Zealand Government should heed the advice of its Climate Change Commission and embrace smart investment decisions in low-emissions planning, technologies and infrastructure.”

Chief Executive Officer of the Institutional Investor Group on Climate Change, Stephanie Pfeifer, said: “Governments are rightly consumed with keeping their populations safe and providing financial support to individuals in need. Once people are taken care of, governments should be signaling their intentions for a sustainable recovery by incorporating climate conditions into financial support for companies. Longer term economic stimulus spending needs to focus on supporting green industries and infrastructure, and avoid further carbon lock-in. The policy frameworks already exist to steer a sustainable recovery, we need to ensure their implementation. We can’t leave climate action behind.”

Chief Executive Officer of the Principles for Responsible Investment, Fiona Reynolds, said: “COVID-19 has had profound and devastating effects on communities and economies around the world, and we stand together with empathy and compassion for those affected by the pandemic. As we look optimistically to the future, we acknowledge the crucial role that investors, businesses, governments, and civil society alike can play in a sustainable recovery that incorporates the health of our communities, our planet and the global economy.” 

Head of the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP-FI), Eric Usher, said: “Coming out of this unprecedented crisis will require massive public and private investment with consequences for decades to come. Recognising the interdependence and indivisibility of human and planetary health as a key issue for recovery, committed investors are rightly calling on governments to ensure that recovery plans are sustainable and contribute to the transition to a resilient net zero emissions economy.”  

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About The Investor Agenda

The Investor Agenda is a common leadership agenda on climate change that is unifying, comprehensive, and focused on accelerating investor action for a net-zero emissions economy.

The founding partners of The Investor Agenda are seven major groups working with investors: Asia Investor Group on Climate Change, CDP, Ceres, Investor Group on Climate Change, Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change, Principles for Responsible Investment and UNEP Finance Initiative.