City of Rio to Host First C40 Event to Unlock Access to City Financing

Rio de Janeiro, 16 March, 2016 /3BL Media/ – Today, C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group (C40) and the City of Rio de Janeiro announced a first-of-its-kind global financing forum to accelerate city climate action. The C40 Financing Sustainable Cities Forum – hosted along with the Citi Foundation and WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities – will bring together senior decision-makers from financial institutions, the private sector and more than a dozen city governments from across the globe. The Forum will take place April 5-7 at the City of Rio de Janeiro’s iconic new Museum of Tomorrow.

“In December, the 195 national governments that signed the Paris Agreement knew they could look to mayors in their countries as critical partners in achieving their emissions targets,” said C40 Chair and Rio de Janeiro Mayor Eduardo Paes. “Now is the time for us to continue and accelerate the progress we have made – and access to financing is crucial to meeting these commitments. I’m thrilled to welcome C40, the Citi Foundation, and WRI to Rio to make real progress towards the future of city financing. And there is no better backdrop for this meeting than the newly inaugurated Museum of Tomorrow, itself an achievement in sustainable urban architecture.”

The event is part of the Financing Sustainable Cities Initiative, an ongoing partnership between C40, the Citi Foundation and WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities (WRI) designed to help accelerate and scale up investment in sustainable urban solutions in cities around the world. By drawing on the Citi Foundation’s urban economic progress agenda, the on-the-ground knowledge of WRI and the high-level connection with city leaders of C40, the collaboration is developing new ways to bring together public and private actors for capacity-building, common dialogue and action. 

There is a $4.1 to 4.3 trillion annual investment gap between current urban infrastructure and what cities need to keep up with projected growth. Over the next 15 years, approximately $93 trillion of low-emission and climate-resilient infrastructure will need to be built globally. Creating a global environment that is conducive to investment in sustainable urban projects will require that cities, technical providers and capital providers have common language and a forum. Knowledge of the possible technical, financial and political options as well as a space for innovation is the first step toward financing a transition toward a sustainable urban future.  Forum attendees can expect to walk away with practical steps their cities can take over the next 12-18 months to increase investment in productive, livable and sustainable cities.

“At the core of the Financing Sustainable Cities Initiative is a global effort to promote collaboration and action that tackles the world’s toughest challenges and creates opportunities, especially for low-income communities,” said Brandee McHale, President of the Citi Foundation and Director of Corporate Citizenship at Citi. “We are honored to work with Mayor Paes, C40 and WRI to provide a platform for Forum participants to share their innovative ideas, and also help make their cities vibrant urban centers.”

“We can’t curb the effects of climate change without building, managing and living in our cities differently. But with a $4.1-4.3 trillion gap in urban climate finance, making those changes will require new ways of financing sustainable projects,” said Ani Dasgupta, Global Director, WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities. “This forum will help urban leaders find the best ways to finance innovative, city-level solutions to the climate challenge.”

Chief Financial Officers, treasurers and other senior representatives will attend from the city governments of Bogotá, Boston, Curitiba, Durban, Johannesburg, Lima, London, Mexico City, New York, Rio de Janeiro, Santiago and Tshwane. Speakers will include representatives from global financial institutions, ratings agencies, UN agencies, the private sector and senior government officials.

About the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group
The C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, now in its 10th year, connects more than 75 of the world’s greatest cities, representing 550+ million people and one quarter of the global economy. Created and led by cities, C40 is focused on tackling climate change and driving urban action that reduces greenhouse gas emissions and climate risks, while increasing the health, wellbeing and economic opportunities of urban citizens. The current chair of the C40 is Rio de Janeiro Mayor Eduardo Paes; three-term Mayor of New York City Michael R. Bloomberg serves as President of the Board. To learn more about the work of C40 and our cities, please visit www.c40.org, follow us on Twitter @c40cities and like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/C40Cities.
Contact: Josh Harris, jharris@c40.org, +44-(0)-203-525-0337

About the Citi Foundation
The Citi Foundation works to promote economic progress and improve the lives of people in low-income communities around the world. We invest in efforts that increase financial inclusion, catalyze job opportunities for youth, and reimagine approaches to building economically vibrant cities. The Citi Foundation's "More than Philanthropy" approach leverages the enormous expertise of Citi and its people to fulfill our mission and drive thought leadership and innovation. For more information, visit www.citifoundation.com.
Contact: Paulo Sampaio, paulo.sampaio@citi.com, +55-(11)-4009-2267 or Elizabeth Patella, elizabeth.patella@citi.com, +1-212-559-2477 (for U.S. inquiries)

About WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities
WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities works to make urban sustainability a reality. Global research and on-the-ground experience in Brazil, China, India, Mexico, Turkey and the United States combine to spur action that improves life for millions of people. Aiming to influence 200 cities with unique research and tools, WRI Sustainable Cities focuses on a deep cross-sector approach in four megacities on two continents, and targeted assistance to 30 more urban areas, bringing economic, environmental and social benefits to people in cities around the globe. For more information, visit: http://www.WRIRossCities.org/
Contact: Benoit Colin, benoit.colin@wri.org, +1 (202) 729-7732