In the UK Green Finance Strategy published on 2nd July 2019 the Government announced that it will be strengthening its training for the public sector by organising a public sector conference on green finance, to take place in October 2019.

The UK Government, with support from the University of Oxford and the UK Green Finance Institute, is hosting the first conference focused on green finance and the public sector on the Thursday 17th October 2019 in central London. It will be an opportunity for representatives from central government departments, devolved administrations, local government, regulators, public bodies, UK overseas posts, and officials from key partner governments to come together to explore the role of public policy and the public sector in green finance.

The transition to a green financial system means fundamental changes to the way decisions are made across the economy. To achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement and our wider environmental ambitions, all finance will need to incorporate the financial risks and opportunities presented by climate change and other environmental challenges.

Green finance brings together many of the UK’s strengths. The Government recognises that delivering the systemic changes required to align private financial flows with clean, resilient and environmentally sustainable growth will require collaborative efforts across the public and private sector, and that leadership on green finance will in turn strengthen the competitiveness of the UK financial sector.

This conference aimed to co-ordinate efforts on green finance policy across central and local government, showcase work and successes, provide a forum to discuss emerging topics, and provide opportunities for peer learning and exposure to latest practices on green finance.

The conference was primarily targeting public servants working directly and indirectly on green finance-related topics.