The F20 Climate Solutions Forum 2024 (CSF2024), hosted on June 4th & June 5th 2024 by the Foundations Platform F20, the Institute for Climate and Society (iCS), and their co-hosts Fundación Avina & Group of Institutes, Foundations and Companies (GIFE) has concluded with resounding success, marking a pivotal moment in the global dialogue on sustainable development. The two-day event brought together a diverse array of international stakeholders, including foundations, philanthropists, public managers, researchers, businesses, as well as political and civil society leaders.
With the theme “Accountability in Action: Building Bridges for North-South Partnerships,” the forum emphasized the importance of forging new alliances, sharing knowledge, and amplifying the voice of global philanthropy from the South within G20 discussions. The event’s agenda aligned closely with key priority issues of the G20 presidency, focusing on Sustainable Climate Finance, Food Security and Climate Change, Climate Adaptation & SDGs and Inequalities. CSF2024 gathered more than 300 participants on site in Rio De Janeiro and over 220 online.
“Combatting climate change is a task for all of us and only together we are going to be able to tackle some of the solutions.” – said Ana Toni, National Secretary for Climate Change of Brazil, ahead of the conference in her greeting words to the public.
On behalf of the Rio de Janeiro City Hall, Lucas Padilha, Head of International Affairs, gave a warm welcome to the participants: “Thank you all for coming to Rio for this important F20 event. The G20 process is an opportunity to lead by engagement [and] to influence for change towards public policies, towards science, towards social inclusion.”
Event participants benefited from a rich lineup of talks, panels, interactive side events and networking opportunities. The ten F20 Recommendations 2024 were presented as a framework for discussions and advocacy. The recommendations were developed in close cooperation with F20 members as a call to action for global leaders. Aimed at the G20 Heads of States, they embody F20’s commitment to fostering collaboration and accountability for a sustainable future, leaving no one behind.
H.E. Jochen Flasbarth, State Secretary in the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development of Germany reacted to the F20 Recommendations: “We share your concerns. As a committed member of the G20 we are eager to join efforts to fight inequalities, build strong partnerships, combat global food insecurities and improve global climate finance. We know public funds are not enough to meet the challenges posed by the climate crisis. I call on all countries and private sector actors, especially big emitters, to support those countries most in need of international climate finance.”
In two fireside chats, three case study presentations, two storytelling sessions, two fishbowl conversations, five keynote speeches and two panel discussions influential experts, predominantly from Brazil and other South American countries were joined by speakers from Africa, Asia and Europe and discussed the urgency of climate action and the 2030 agenda along with the role of philanthropy in driving change. Attendees connected and built partnerships during various Networking Opportunities.
Referring to the potential of networking and in the spirit of cooperation Alice de Moraes Amorim Vogas, F20 Chair & Director of Partnerships and Communications at iCS, stated: “The CSF2024 is not only about the Brazilian G20 Presidency, but also about the power of action and agency of philanthropies. In the context of the global crises we are facing, we cannot waste this potential and continue working in silos. We need to use these resources to help governments implement better policies to sustain a vibrant civil society, to promote scientific innovation from the South to the South and to direct private sector money flows to contribute to, not hinder the implementation of the SDGs and the Paris Agreement.“
Additionally, seven side events provided deep dives into specific issues, fostering intimate discussions and targeted networking. The side events curated by NetFWD OECD, Alianza Fondos del Sur & Rede Comuá, Clean Air Fund, FARN, WINGS, CLUA and SPORTS20 explored issues such as gender, locally led financing, urban air quality, the just energy transition, climate philanthropy & sustainable economic models. In addition, over thirty children from Escola Municipal Dom Aquino Corrêa, a local school in Rio de Janeiro, joined the Forum on the second day. They presented their Letter for a Healthier Environment, which they had developed during a training course on climate change and after a tree planting session at Parque Estadual da Chacrinha on 29 May 2024, which was organized by Plant for the Planet and supported by the WILO Foundation.
Roberta Eugenio, Executive Secretary of the Ministry of Racial Equality of Brazil, and Viviana Santiago, Executive Director of Oxfam Brazil, urged the audience to consider issues related to environmental racism and colonial structures when discussing the climate crisis and inequality in international forums. They also highlightend the proposal by President Lula for the creation of a Sustainable Development Goal 18 (SDG18), which explicitly addresses ethnic-racial equality.
Beyond the CSF2024, several actors engaged in the Philanthropy Week which took place in Rio de Janeiro on the days before and after the CSF2024. Several partners of F20 hosted five additional independent events to exchange ideas, forge alliances, and amplify the voices of the Global South. Topics of these events included stronger advocacy for philanthropy in the G20 process, inclusive education, litigation for climate action, strategic alignment around adaptation and the Global South Climate Philanthropy Initiative.
“We are thrilled with the outcomes of the Climate Solutions Forum,” said Katrin Harvey, Secretary General of F20. “The level of engagement and the quality of discussions have been truly inspiring. By building bridges between different actors across geographic boundaries, we are laying the groundwork for more inclusive, aligned and effective implementation of the SDGs and taking climate action to the next level.” As the forum wraps up, the F20 platform and its partners remain committed to advancing the dialogue and actions initiated at the event. “The insights and connections made here will drive forward the collective efforts to address the pressing challenges of our time and send a strong message to the G20 leaders.”
Overall, the forum fostered a spirit of collaboration and innovation, with participants committing to continued engagement beyond the event itself. This week has been dedicated to further networking and exchanges, solidifying the relationships and ideas sparked during the forum.