Hello, its Kasmira, editor-in-chief of Geneva Solutions, with your sustainable business and finance news.

As companies face calls to shoulder more responsibility in tackling climate change, a report discussed at the Geneva Summit for Sustainable Finance last week reminds us not to underestimate the role of directors.

Plus, I look back at the first major (virtual) meeting of development banks where they made a major climate pledge - but fell short on commitments to phase out fossil fuel financing.

Kasmira Jefford

16.11.2020

Today’s reason for hope

Participants at a youth climate strike in Poland September. (EPA/Darek Delmanowicz )

Climate diplomacy is winning its fight against a zero-sum mindset As scientists and pharmaceutical companies charge in with the promise of a Covid-19 vaccine, another battalion may be stepping up to save the climate. There is growing international realisation that acting decisively is an investment not a cost, writes the Financial Times.

Financial Times (EN)

Sustainable Business and Finance news

Corporate sustainability starts with leadership in the boardroom. Research presented at the Geneva Summit on Sustainable Finance makes the link between the boardroom and a company's performance on sustainability.

Geneva Solutions (EN)

Stop financing fossil fuel projects, UN chief tells development banks. Speaking at the Finance in Common Summit, Antonio Guterres called for development banks to urgently phase out fossil fuel financing.

Geneva Solutions (EN)

The $36 trillion bill for neglecting climate and free trade. Bloomberg economists forecast different scenarios for globalization - and what these different trajectories mean for climate change.

Bloomberg (EN)

Here's what else is happening

Asia-Pacific countries form world's largest trading bloc covering nearly a third of the global economy.
BBC (EN)
International Geneva set to breathe easier with Biden.
Swissinfo.ch (EN)
Former ambassador and Swiss Red Cross president Franz Muheim dies.
Swissinfo.ch (EN)
Swiss federal councillor Isabelle Chevalley's crusade against NGOs
Heidi.news (EN)
China finds coronavirus on frozen beef and on packaging for these products, from Brazil, New Zealand and Bolivia.
Reuters (EN)
Covid-19 hampers work in clearing landmines, with over 5,000 civilian landmine deaths and injuries reported last year.
Deutsche Welle (EN)
Ethiopia’s Tigray leader confirms firing missiles at neighbouring Eritrea’s capital and is threatening more.
AP News (EN)
Scientists link record-breaking hurricane season to climate crisis.
The Guardian (EN)

Image of the day

Photo: 2020 EPFL / Alain Herzog

Paraplegic athlete Silke Pan wins silver at Cybathlon with EPFL's TWIICE exoskeleton. Competing against athletes from five countries, Pan took part in the 2020 edition of the cybernetic race organised by ETH Zürich. The former acrobat adorned the TWIICE exoskeleton especially designed for her by EPFL research group REHAssist, and which enables a person with spinal cord injury to walk.

EPFL (EN)

Next on the agenda

16-20 November | WTO trade and environment week This global online forum will explore issues at the forefront of the trade and environment agenda.

WTO (EN)

16-18 Novembre | 9th Annual Forum on Business and Human Rights Preventing business-related human rights abuses will be the central theme of the 2020 Forum.

OHCHR (EN)

18 November | Stakeholder priorities for a forward-looking WTO agenda on environmental sustainability and trade. This event is organised alongside WTO’s Trade and Environment week.

The Graduate Institute (EN)

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Have a good day!

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