Resilience to Disasters, Capital Markets Union, and Sustainable Finance: Protecting Citizens, European Growth and Jobs

As the EU moves ahead on sustainable finance reforms, we are at a crossroads in building a new regulatory framework for the European financial system that can ensure resilient and sustainable growth in the future. As Europe shows leadership on this issue, it is critical to address the full spectrum of sustainability by integrating disaster risk reduction in all aspects of efforts.

Disaster risk reduction is the concept and practice of reducing disaster risks through systematic efforts to analyze and reduce the causal factors of disasters. Reducing exposure to hazards, lessening vulnerability of people and property, wise management of land and the environment, and improving preparedness and early warning for adverse events are all examples of disaster risk reduction.

The internationally adopted approach of disaster risk reduction called the “Sendai Framework” has become the accelerator to align a series of international efforts among the Paris Agreement and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The discussion will explore the problems of sustainable finance and capital markets union in Europe involving the Member of the European Parliaments and experts, and addressing the following key questions that pose the main challenge to progress in this area.

Key questions

• Why is it important that disaster risk is integrated into sustainable finance reforms including the Capital Markets Union and the Juncker Plan?
• What action is currently being taken by financial institutions and governments, including the European Commission? What are the successes and challenges?
• How do we ensure incentives for European businesses to invest in longer-term risk reduction and resilience in advance of disasters? At the same time, how to remove barriers that prevent such investment or, worse, drive continued low-resilience investment and mal-adaptation? 

Confirmed speakers

• Mairead McGuinness, Vice President, European Parliament
• Sirpa Pietikäinen, Member of the European Parliament
• Ugo Bassi, Director, Financial Markets, DG FISMA
• Johannes Luchner, Director, Emergency Management, DGECHO
• Constance Kann, Director, International Relations and Public Affairs, European Investment Bank
• Paola Albrito, Chief, Regional Office for Europe, United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction
• Pietro Negri, CSR Manager and Senior legal counsel, National Association of Insurance Companies (ANIA)
• Paolo Garonna, Secretary General, Italian Banking, Insurance and Finance Federation (FeBAF)​

Please RSVP using this Eventbrite link by Wednesday, 21 February 2018.