The symposium will examine how this can be done from two different perspectives. The first session, hosted by the UNEP Inquiry, will focus on efforts made so far in aligning the financial system towards sustainable development, including international models of cooperation. It will draw on international examples of best practice financial policy innovation. The session will also explore international cooperation, focusing on the potential role of Ministries of Environment and emerging areas of international cooperation, including G20, G7, regional developments in ASEAN, and voluntary coalitions such as the Sustainable Banking Networking for banking regulators. The second session, hosted by the UNEP Finance Initiative, will showcase where leadership is developing from within the financial industry itself. Together the sessions will highlight opportunities for the public and private sectors to come together in mobilizing private finance for sustainable development. 

Early on the 28th Feb of this year, UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner had traveled to Shanghai, China, attending the G20 finance ministers and central bank governors meeting. He highlighted that "the green transformation of financing is crucial to maintain long-term economic prosperity of non-essential and to solve the finance ministers and central bank governors current for the promotion of economic growth, employment and financial stability concerns."

This afternoon, Deputy President of Tongji University, Prof. Wu Jiang will deliver a speech on sustainable development education in the Green Room Event as the Chairman of the Global Universities Partnership of Environment and Sustainability (GUPES).