• The 2024 Global Investor Statement to Governments on the Climate Crisis is the most comprehensive investor call for climate action, demanding a whole-of-government approach with policy implementation at all levels of government.
  • 534 institutional investors and their representatives managing more than USD $29 trillion in assets have already signed on, urging enactment of policies that will unlock the private capital flows needed for a just transition to a climate-resilient, nature-positive, net-zero economy.

In the most comprehensive statement to date, investors and financial institutions have urged governments worldwide to enact the critical policies needed to free up private financial flows for the just transition to a climate-resilient, nature-positive, net-zero economy.

The 2024 Global Investor Statement to Governments on the Climate Crisis, was publicly launched one week ahead of Climate Week NYC on 17 September, where investors encouraged their peers worldwide to support the global call for government action. It has already been signed by 534 financial institutions and their representatives, with more than USD$29 trillion in assets under management. The statement will remain open until 1st November, ahead of the UN Climate Conference (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan, where it will be presented to governments with the final list of signatures.

Statement signatories are encouraging a whole-of-government approach to achieve a climate-resilient, net zero emissions economy by 2050 or sooner. To reach this goal, the statement calls for governments to enact policies across five critical policy groupings:

  1. enacting economy-wide public policies;
  2. implementing sectoral strategies, especially in high-emitting sectors;
  3. addressing nature, water and biodiversity-related challenges contributing to and stemming from the climate crisis;
  4. mandating climate-related disclosures across the financial system; and
  5. facilitating further private investment into climate mitigation, resilience and adaptation activities in emerging markets and developing economies.

“Investors recognize that policy mechanisms are essential to achieve a climate-resilient, net zero emissions economy by 2050 or sooner, with interim targets in line with credible 1.5°C pathways. Nonpolicy mechanisms, including public-private partnerships, sectoral strategies, and other collaborative efforts, should also play an important role in decarbonizing value chains and building out resilient electricity infrastructure,” the statement reads.

“Renewed focus is needed to address rising energy demand from end-use sectors such as transportation, industry and buildings, including through energy efficiency. We encourage governments to consider other fiscal, financial and regulatory innovations that could reduce the cost of capital and facilitate a just and equitable net zero transition.”

Coordinated by the Founding Partners of the Investor Agenda – 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 – the global investor statement calls on governments to increase the ambition of their updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) due to be submitted next year. The Founding Partners have coordinated global investor calls to action urging governments to step up climate policy action since 2009.

“We call on governments to submit more ambitious NDCs ahead of COP30 in Brazil while enabling a whole-of-government policy approach and industrial strategy to drive the low-carbon transition. Particularly important is the consideration of both climate and nature in the finance sector’s response to the global environmental crisis. Both contribute to key goals at COP29 this December, to scale climate finance and at COP16 Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in November, to ensure climate and nature goals are ambitious and aligned.” – Remco Fischer, Climate Lead, UNEP FI and Investor Agenda Steering Committee member

Investors have until 1 November 2024 to sign on to the statement. Investors should contact one of the Founding Partners (AIGCC, CDP, Ceres, IGCC, IIGCC, PRI, UNEP FI) or The Investor Agenda Policy Manager Paul Smith at paul.smith@un.org if they have any questions about the statement.

  • Read the full statement here.
  • Access the press release here.