Building Back Better in 2021: A New Dawn for the Global ESG Agenda was part of the IIF ESG Webinar Series, which was designed to promote understanding of the rapidly evolving landscape for ESG disclosure and to align efforts to measure and track climate finance.
As the new U.S. Administration prepares to take office, President-elect Biden has signaled an ambitious agenda including a green recovery, net-zero emissions by 2050 and international cooperation to advance the global climate agenda. This is all taking place as the COVID-19 pandemic accelerates the shift towards ESG investment with record inflows and a broader focus on social and governance issues as well as environmental considerations. In Europe, sustainable finance policy and regulatory initiatives continue to ramp up, while climate action gains momentum across major Asian economies. With the G20, United Nations, and international standard setters all giving climate and ESG top billing, 2021 promises to be a truly transformative year. To examine the market implications of this collective demand for change, we were delighted to host Joyce Chang, Managing Director and Chair, Global Research, J.P. Morgan, for a lively discussion moderated by Sonja Gibbs, Managing Director and Head of Sustainable Finance, IIF.