Financial markets are undergoing substantial changes. In 2019, the world’s largest sovereign wealth fund announced it would divest $13 billion in fossil fuel investments. In 2020, the world’s largest asset manager announced that it would make sustainability the new standard for investing. Most likely, this is the beginning of a major shift in financial priorities. 

“I believe we are on the edge of a fundamental reshaping of finance […] Companies, investors, and governments must prepare for a significant reallocation of capital.” - Larry Fink, Chairman and CEO of BlackRock, 2020.

With environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria increasingly guiding investors’ decisions, finance for impact is becoming a relevant topic in many corporate C-suites and boardrooms. Meanwhile, philanthropy is growing and foundations are increasingly looking for new and more impactful ways to leverage their financial means. While change is happening, its momentum needs to be increased to meet our planet’s impact finance needs. 

The UN estimates a financing gap of $2.5 trillion per year for developing countries alone to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Furthermore, the European Commission estimates a green investment gap of €260 billion per year to reach a 40% reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2030 relative to 1990 levels.