The UN General Assembly Climate Week NYC 2022 was a gathering of climate leaders from around the world, epitomizing the adage that converging creates more than a sum of its parts. ANDE was proud to be a part of this energizing week, connecting with members and staying up to date on the latest climate opportunities and the important role Small and Growing Businesses (SGBs) play in addressing pressing climate issues. The theme of this year’s Climate Week NYC 2022 was “Getting it Done.”
Five Key Takeaways for the SGB sector:
- We must work together as an ecosystem in order to reach net zero. SGBs are an integral part of that ecosystem. We must improve connectivity between donors, policy makers, and investors, to tailor climate adaptation finance mechanisms to the challenges of SGBs. Partnerships are key.
- Fostering peer-to-peer knowledge sharing is an important step in addressing the unique challenges SGBs face against climate change. Taking a community-centered approach is the only way to address the climate crisis. For example, last week, We Mean Business launched a new climate hub for SMEs committed to net-zero emissions by 2050 that want to partner with thousands of other companies and governments on the same path.
- SGBs need tailored tools and technical assistance to access climate financing. There are funding opportunities in climate change mitigation and adaption, but SGBs need intermediaries that will help them gain access to this capital.
- Climate adaptation strategies must be accelerated across all industries that SGBs operate in, including agriculture, energy, the built environment, or non-environmental sectors. The more a business has the tools for adapting to climate change now, the better positioned they will be in the future.
- Women and youth play key roles in adapting to, and mitigating the effects of, climate change, especially in the agricultural sector. Investors and intermediaries must adopt a gender-lens in their lending practices and support services.
We are coming out of UNGA feeling energized and committed to continuing to support sustainable development. We look forward to keeping the conversation going this November at COP27 in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt where we will represent our members and advocate for SGBs as key climate solution providers! Will you or your organization be attending COP 27? Reach out to Laura Simmons-Stern to collaborate!
To learn more about the challenges and opportunities that climate change presents the SGB sector, visit andeglobal.org/climate-and-environmental-action.
Read more about climate entrepreneurship and the barriers, needs and trends of the sector here.