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On Monday, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, energy minister and the key climate negotiator, for the kingdom, was a no-show at the Saudi Green Initiative. "The climate finance that they have pledged at this COP28 is simply not enough," said Pakistani activist Zaigham Abbas, whose country was devastated last year by widespread flooding. Elsewhere, France and Japan said they would support a move by the African Development Bank to leverage IMF Special Drawing Rights for climate and development. This year also features the biggest-ever representation of business at the annual U.N. summit, amid hopes for more private investment toward climate causes. "The scale of the climate crisis demands urgent and game-changing solutions from every industry," COP28 President Ahmed Al-Jaber said.

Persons: COP28, Johanna Geron, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, Nicholas Stern, Mia Mottley, Antonio Guterres, Zaigham Abbas, Abu Dhabi, Ahmed Al, Jaber, Simon Jessop, Maha El, Al Sayegh, Alexander Cornwell, Elizabeth Piper, David Stanway, Katy Daigle Organizations: of, European Union, REUTERS, Companies, Saudi, United, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Green Initiative, Crown, Grantham Research, Asian Peoples ' Movement, Development, African Development Bank, European Bank for Reconstruction, Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, BlackRock, HSBC, Finance, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Dubai, Brussels, Belgium, Companies UAE, DUBAI, COP28, United Arab, Saudi Arabia, Sharm el, Sheikh, Egypt, Paris, China, Grantham, Barbados, France, Japan, Copenhagen, Abu

According to data firm Preqin, only one emerging markets greenfield renewables fund has raised more than Copenhagen wants to amass, although the 2014 $3.26 billion Guangzhou City Development Industry Fund is focused on China. While a deal to phase out fossil fuels has been hard to agree, more than 60 countries have backed a global agreement to triple renewable energy this decade. The growth in demand for electricity is enormous," he told Reuters, adding that renewable energy was often the cheapest energy source. Founded in 2012, Denmark's Copenhagen manages 26 billion euros ($28.3 billion) of assets and runs 12 funds. Recent development projects include an offshore wind farm in Bangladesh and the first 100% foreign-owned offshore wind energy schemes in the Philippines.

Persons: Niels Holst, Holst, Simon Jessop, Tommy Reggiori Wilkes, Jan Harvey Organizations: Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, Reuters, Guangzhou City Development Industry Fund, Denmark's, Thomson Locations: DUBAI, Copenhagen, China, Dubai, Britain, Denmark's Copenhagen, Bangladesh, Philippines, Asia, Pacific, America

Summary Ten leading development banks sign joint statementTo deepen collaboration across multiple themesNo mention of phasing out fossil fuel financingDUBAI, Dec 3 (Reuters) - Ten of the world's top development banks pledged to step up their climate efforts at the COP28 summit, yet failed to say anything about halting financing for fossil fuel projects, a document seen by Reuters showed. In a statement to be announced at the event in Dubai, the group, including the World Bank and regional peers, said the window of opportunity to secure a liveable planet was "rapidly closing". A new, joint Long-term Strategies Program, hosted by the World Bank, would coordinate support to help countries and sub-national entities develop plans around issues including decarbonisation and climate resilience. The group also pledged to help countries set up platforms to encourage a "collectively reinforcing combination" of support including around policy reform, finance and technical assistance. The banks planned to scale up finance to help countries adapt to the impacts of climate change, including through boosting support for disaster risk management, disaster preparedness and capacity building.

Persons: Antonio Guterres, Bernadette Baum Organizations: Reuters, World Bank, United Nations, European Investment Bank, Thomson Locations: DUBAI, Dubai, Glasgow

The deal, announced during the COP28 climate talks in Dubai on Sunday, is the first under the ADB's Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM) programme, which aims to help countries cut their climate-damaging carbon emissions. "If we don't address these coal plants, we're not going to meet our climate goals," David Elzinga said on the sidelines of the conference. "By doing this pilot transaction, we are learning what it takes to make this happen," David Elzinga said. ADB also has active ETM programmes in Kazakhstan, Pakistan, the Philippines, and Vietnam, and is considering transactions in two other countries, it said. Reporting by Simon Jessop and David Lawder; Editing by Christopher CushingOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: we're, David Elzinga, Simon Jessop, David Lawder, Christopher Cushing Organizations: Asian Development Bank, Reuters, Transition, ADB, PT PLN, PT, Indonesia Investment Authority, INA, Thomson Locations: DUBAI, Indonesia, Dubai, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesian, Jakarta

"Since then, the United States has turned ambition into action." On the sidelines of the conference, the United States also unveiled new measures to curb emissions of the powerful greenhouse gas methane from oil and gas operations. That awkward coincidence underscores one of COP28's most contentious questions: Can the world's response to climate change involve continuing use of fossil fuels? Harris told the conference that the United States supports phasing out of "unabated coal" use, but she did not mention other fossil fuels. "We're in a context in which we need to reduce production of fossil fuels and ... we need to be on a path of lower consumption.

Persons: Kamala Harris, Joe Biden, Harris, haven't, aren't, Catherine Abreu, John Podesta, Richard Valdmanis, Valerie Volcovici, Sarah McFarlane, Simon Jessop, Katy Daigle, Kevin Liffey, Diane Craft Organizations: Climate Fund, OPEC, United, UAE, Saturday, Exxon Mobil, Saudi Arabia's Aramco, Oil, Climate Initiative, Reuters, Thomson Locations: DUBAI, United States, Dubai, COP26, America, China, Texas, New Mexico, United Arab Emirates, U.S, Saudi, Ukraine

Helping these countries, which face some of the biggest risks from climate change, access these will be a key aim during the COP28 climate talks underway in Dubai. Ambitions for results at COP28 got off to a good start on the opening day on Thursday when countries approved plans for the climate disaster fund, after months of negotiations. About 60% of low-income countries are either in or at high risk of debt distress, the CDP said. The Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation Program, for example, aims to agree a disaster relief bond issuance and a regional risk transfer facility, the ADB's Principal Disaster Risk Insurance and Finance Specialist, Thomas Kessler, told Reuters. "We are ready to scale up climate protection through early warning systems, anticipatory cash, climate insurance and community-based resilience projects," said Gernot Laganda, director of Climate and Disaster Risk Reduction at the United Nations World Food Programme.

Persons: COP28, Ekhosuehi Iyahen, IDF's Iyahen, Michèle Plichta, Lydia Poole, Odile Renaud, Basso, Thomas Kessler, Otis, Gernot Laganda, Alessandro Parodi, Simon Jessop, Libby George, Karin Strohecker, Susan Fenton Organizations: Insurance, Forum, PAF, Disaster, European Bank for Reconstruction, Global, Swiss, Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation, Finance, Reuters, UN, University of Cambridge's Institute for Sustainability Leadership, United Nations, Food, Thomson Locations: GDANSK, LONDON, Dubai, London, Mexico

The sources said the UAE would provide the bulk of the money and private equity firm TPG and infrastructure investor Brookfield would also be involved. Two sources said the money would be overseen by UAE-backed investor Lunate Capital. A view of Dubai's Expo City during the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) Climate Summit in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, November 30, 2023. REUTERS/Amr Alfiky Acquire Licensing RightsA second source said BlackRock, TPG and Brookfield would allocate money currently housed in other funds to the UAE fund and that talks over the fund began after the summer and carried on through October. Additional reporting by Andres Gonzales, Anousha Sakoui and Elisa Martinuzzi in London Editing by Susan FentonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Lunate, Amr Alfiky, Andres Gonzales, Anousha Sakoui, Elisa Martinuzzi, Susan Fenton Organizations: Lunate, BlackRock, TPG, Brookfield, United, Reuters, Lunate Capital, Financial Times, Dubai's, United Nations, Change, United Arab Emirates, REUTERS, UAE, COP28, Thomson Locations: UAE, DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, Dubai, United Arab, BlackRock, Brookfield, London

[1/2] International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva addresses the media on the fourth day of the annual meeting of the IMF and the World Bank, in Marrakech, Morocco, October 12, 2023. "So that is to my mind the number one priority for this COP, is to recognise that business as usual has to be dropped." Several countries were also considering using their 2021 SDR allocation on a bilateral basis alongside IMF programmes, she added. While the current average price was now around $5 a ton, "clearly there is a long, long, long way to go", she said, citing a preference for carbon taxes but openness to trading systems, as seen in Europe, or U.S.-style standards and rebates. This is ongoing work at the fund," she said, citing ongoing talks with the World Bank on how it would work.

Persons: Kristalina Georgieva, Susana Vera, Georgieva, it's, Andrea Shalal, Marc Jones, David Lawder, Alex Richardson Organizations: Monetary Fund, IMF, World Bank, REUTERS, International Monetary Fund, Reuters, Growth Trust, Sustainability Trust, African Development Bank, Inter, American Development Bank, Thomson Locations: Marrakech, Morocco, Dubai, Paris, Europe

"This COP we need to see accelerated action from all parties," Matt Bell, EY Global Climate Change and Sustainability Services Leader, said. The business and finance sectors have long called for a global carbon emissions price that they say would level the playing field for polluters and make the switch to low-carbon more cost-effective. Confidence in voluntary carbon markets has fallen this year as critics question the environmental credibility of projects. "The last 10% of a (corporate) carbon reduction plan will always include some carbon removal credits," Leggett said, adding that "the market needs clarity on what that means." Reporting by Simon Jessop and Tommy Reggiori Wilkes; editing by Barbara LewisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Yves Herman, Matt Bell, Bell, Sultan Al Jaber, Virginie Derue, Katherine Dixon, Victoria Leggett, Leggett, Simon Jessop, Tommy Reggiori Wilkes, Barbara Lewis Organizations: REUTERS, United Nations, Sustainability Services, Reuters, ESG Research, AXA Investment, Accenture, Bain & Company, UBP, Thomson Locations: Dunkirk, France, Dubai, COP28, Paris, China, United States

Blended finance see providers of public money - typically government aid departments, development finance institutions or charitable donors - agree to accept more risk in a fund to encourage private sector investors to join. The money raised through blended finance funds is a fraction of what's needed. The new 25-year SDG Loan Fund is structured so that FMO takes the first loss should the loans turn sour. Private investors, which include Allianz and Skandia, will be the last to lose money. But this loan fund structure ensured "everyone's interest is aligned," she said, noting that private investors can start getting their money back when loans begin amortising in a few years.

Persons: Tilman Blasshofer, FMO, That's, Nadia Nikolova, Nikolova, Nic Wessemius, FMO's, Wessemius, Tommy Reggiori Wilkes, Simon Jessop, Mark Potter Organizations: Allianz Global Investors, REUTERS, MacArthur Foundation, LONDON, Private, Allianz, Skandia, FMO, Reuters, concessional, Investment, Thomson Locations: Frankfurt, Germany, Dubai

She replaces Mafalda Duarte, who left in July 2023 to lead the Green Climate Fund. Luis Tineo, interim CEO, will lead CIF until March, 2024. "Developing countries are at the forefront of the climate crisis, and we will only meet this decisive moment by working together to scale climate finance where it is needed most," Gbadegesin said in a statement. Among the largest multi-lateral climate funds in the world, CIF offers projects highly concessional capital that can leverage development bank and private sector money to fund low carbon, climate-resilient development. As well as the World Bank Group, including the International Finance Corp, CIF invests through the African Development Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the European Development Bank, and the Inter-American Development Bank.

Persons: Mafalda Duarte WASHINGTON, Tariye Gbadegesin, Gbadegesin, Mafalda Duarte, Luis Tineo, ”, Bob Natifu, Edward Webber, Simon Jessop, Valerie Volcovici, David Gregorio Our Organizations: Global, Investment Funds, World Bank, ARM Harith Infrastructure Investments, Climate Fund, Initiative, International Monetary Fund, Boston Consulting, Africa Finance Corp, Trust Fund Committee, International Finance Corp, African Development Bank, Asian Development Bank, European Development Bank, Inter, American Development Bank, Thomson Locations: South Africa, Indonesia

"Coal in North Macedonia represents 40% of the energy source, so it's very big, it's very important," EBRD President Odile Renaud-Basso told Reuters. Both of its coal-fired plants are ageing, outdated and run on lignite, the most polluting type of coal. An IFC spokesperson said the green transition, including in North Macedonia, was one of its key priorities, but that it was not in a position to confirm any plan details. "The world's richest countries need to work with the multilateral development banks to find effective, structural ways to channel significantly scaled up energy transition finance," he said. North Macedonia joined the Powering Past Coal Alliance, a group of countries committed to phasing out coal-fired power, in 2021.

Persons: Odile Renaud, Basso, COP27, REK, Renaud, Leo Roberts, E3G, Kate Abnett, Kirsten Donovan, Louise Heavens Organizations: European Bank for Reconstruction, World Bank, Reuters, Investment, United Nations, Climate Investment Funds, International Finance Corporation, IFC, Bank, Past Coal Alliance, Union, Thomson Locations: Dubai, wean, Macedonia, North Macedonia, South Africa, Indonesia, Vietnam, Senegal, North, Skopje, Europe, Macedonian, Pakistan, Colombia, Ukraine

The deal, which is expected to be announced at the COP28 climate talks in Dubai beginning on Nov. 30, will lay out a plan to close the country's two coal power plants and replace them with 1.7 gigawatts of renewable energy. "Coal in North Macedonia represents 40% of the energy source, so it's very big, it's very important," EBRD President Odile Renaud-Basso told Reuters. Both of its coal-fired plants are ageing, outdated and run on lignite, the most polluting type of coal. An IFC spokesperson said the green transition, including in North Macedonia, was one of its key priorities, but that it was not in a position to confirm any plan details. North Macedonia joined the Powering Past Coal Alliance, a group of countries committed to phasing out coal-fired power, in 2021.

Persons: Odile Renaud, Basso, REK, Renaud, Kate Abnett, Kirsten Donovan Organizations: European Bank for Reconstruction, World Bank, Reuters, Investment, United Nations, Investment Funds, International Finance Corporation, IFC, Bank, Past Coal Alliance, Union, Thomson Locations: Dubai, wean, Macedonia, North Macedonia, South Africa, Indonesia, Vietnam, Senegal, North, Skopje, Europe, Macedonian, Ukraine

A view of the exterior of the JP Morgan Chase & Co. corporate headquarters in New York City May 20, 2015. "We need to build a funding model for green tech companies," Chuka Umunna, JP Morgan's (JPM.N) head of EMEA ESG and green economy investment banking, told the Reuters Energy Transition Europe 2023 event in London. This was partly because of the capital requirements for some green tech firms in early stages of development, he said. Investment into green tech was also being stymied by bureaucracy, including delays to permitting for the infrastructure needed for renewable energy and other projects. Umunna also said a shift to a greener, lower-carbon economy offered up a huge opportunity for banks such as JP Morgan.

Persons: Morgan Chase, Mike Segar, Morgan, Umunna, JP Morgan's, JP Morgan, Simon Jessop, Tommy Reggiori Wilkes, David Goodman, Alexander Smith Organizations: Co, New York City, REUTERS, EMEA, Reuters, Capital, British, Investment, Thomson Locations: New York, London, Europe

Of those to set a target, just 37% had one that covered their Scope 3 emissions, or those tied to a company's value chain. "A clear line in the sand on net zero has surfaced. Countless net zero targets are credibility light, but now we can say for certain that most of the world's largest listed companies are on the right side of the line on net zero intent," said John Lang, Project Lead, the Net Zero Tracker. As well as companies, the Net Zero Tracker tracks pledges made by nations, states and regions, and cities using machine and human data analysis. Alongside Oxford Net Zero, the consortium includes The Energy & Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU); Data-Driven EnviroLab (UNC) and the NewClimate Institute.

Persons: Wolfgang Rattay, John Lang, Simon Jessop, Mark Potter Organizations: REUTERS, Nations, Dubai LONDON, Oxford University, Dubai, Oxford, The, Climate Intelligence, UNC, NewClimate Institute, Thomson Locations: Niederaussem, Germany, Dubai

SummaryCompanies Funding round led by Just ClimateMetal-light motor 10% to 65% more efficientAims to produce 150,000 motors by end of 2024SAN FRANCISCO, Nov 1 (Reuters) - Climate technology firm Infinitum, which develops high efficiency industrial motors, said on Wednesday it had raised $185 million in a funding round led by venture capital investor Just Climate. The Infinitum motors can also work at variable speeds, helping account for a drop in energy consumption of about 10% to 65%, and the motors are relatively easy to fix and recycle, Schuler said. Just Climate Investment Partner Benoit Grobon said about half of the power from electric generation in the world goes into electric motors, and increasing their efficiency would save a lot of energy. Moreover, electric motors used as generators could make windmills more efficient and improve the range of electric cars, he added. Reporting by Simon Jessop and Peter Henderson; Editing by Jamie FreedOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Ben Schuler, Schuler, Benoit Grobon, PwC, Simon Jessop, Peter Henderson, Jamie Freed Organizations: FRANCISCO, Reuters, Climate, Thomson Locations: Dubai, Monterrey, Mexico, Texas

A sign directing towards electric vehicle charging points is seen in a car park in Manchester, Britain, September 8, 2023. In its first major position paper on the topic, UK Finance also told the country's political parties that more clarity is needed on the path to a net zero economy to help financial markets muster the huge amounts of capital needed. In April, the government estimated it would need an additional 50 billion pounds-60 billion pounds ($61 billion-$73 billion) of capital investment a year through the late 2020s and 2030s to meet its net zero targets. UK Finance, which represents around 300 firms, set out a series of recommendations to marshal pools of capital which are currently "underused" due to "policy gaps". An independent body could be asked to monitor and provide updates on public and private capital flows, it added.

Persons: Phil Noble, Ian Bhullar, Huw Jones, Simon Jessop, Sharon Singleton Organizations: REUTERS, Finance, European Union, Zero, Reuters, UK Finance, Labour Party, Thomson Locations: Manchester, Britain, Europe

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