BEI Weekly Update - 14th June 2024

Dear Members and Friends, 

I’ve been out of London over the past couple of weeks, which has meant that I’ve missed our in-person events but have taken advantage of technology to speak to a number of members in all our sectors from education to infrastructure and international development. What I draw particularly from all the valuable feedback is that our networks – deep and diverse - remain at the heart of our offer to members. These days “network” very often goes along with “social”. At BEI we are of course very active on LinkedIn (“please follow, like, share and comment…”), but to us the real value added is the personal contact, sectoral knowledge and connections and the ability to translate these into the right combinations – in events and content. That’s what we want to be measured by, and that’s why the contribution of every member is valuable.

This week, I’ve been “moonlighting” writing a piece for our sister organisation BFPG on the recent European Parliament elections, which will soon be on their website, along with their foreign policy tracker, which is always worth a look. It’s said that one of the reasons for the rise of “right wing” parties in the European elections is resistance to the cost of climate-related policies. Similar arguments can be heard in the UK, even if the political cycle looks to be in a different place.   What’s to be done? I’m tempted to look to a commercial analogy: if you find the competition stealing your market share, you can curse them in private, but you don’t accuse your (ex) customers of being bad or stupid. Instead, you find creative ways to win them back. Which brings me back to “networks”, which are a wonderful thing provided they are broad and diverse to ensure that our ideas are sufficiently tested so they remain relevant and sustainable.

London Climate Action Week will of course provide an excellent opportunity for us all to consider the way ahead. We have a rich programme for the coming weeks:

On Tuesday 18 June we have a session on “Retrofitting Climate Change in Economic Development Programmes” with an excellent panel including: John Carstensen, International Development and Climate Change Lead, Mott MacDonald; Mark Harvey, Head of Profession (Infrastructure and Urban) FCDO; and Doogie Black, CEO, Climate Sense. Retrofitting climate change in existing economic development programmes enables a move away from a risk-focused approach by aligning economic development policies with long-term climate goals and leveraging funding to drive innovation and support sustainable projects. This panel will explore the practicalities. It will also be Mark Harvey’s last appearance, as he moves to a well-deserved retirement after a distinguished career in development. We wish him every success in his new ventures.

We have two events on Tuesday 25 June 2024. In the morning, we will have a panel on “Sustainable adaptation: Learning from communities on the frontlines of climate change” with speakers from Practical Action, DAI Global and FCDO. Some of the themes we will be discussing include programme co-design and learning from beneficiaries for sustainable outcomes; learnings from indigenous traditional knowledge in building resilience for vulnerable populations in the face of climate change; shared benefits from co-design and localisation.

Later on in the day, we will turn to a topic which is rapidly rising up our agenda with “New Solutions for Closing the Climate Finance Gap”. We will be joined by MOBILIST and USAID’s Climate Finance for Development Accelerator (CFDA) to discuss public markets, the importance of partnerships and other innovative solutions to mobilising private investment to address climate change.

The headline event and networking reception in our Climate Showcase series will take place on Wednesday 26 June, as we hold an early evening discussion on “The UK’s international leadership role in Climate Finance as a vehicle to deliver tangible impact”. For this, we will be joined by FCDO and BII to hear about how the UK is putting finance for climate change mitigation and adaptation at the heart of interventions and policy decisions. The panel will be followed by a Private View of our special photography exhibition showcasing members’ work in climate change mitigation and adaptation in LMICs. We are grateful to the show sponsors, Mott MacDonald, Practical Action, Fathom and Chemonics, for their support of this inaugural initiative.

Finally in this series, on Tuesday 9 July 2024 we will explore “Challenges in Accessing Climate Risk Data in Emerging and Developing Countries”, in a panel discussion with the support of Fathom, followed by networking drinks.

In addition to these events, British Expertise International and D Contemporary are together organising a photography exhibition, “Equilibrium”. Through the lens of talented photographers, this exhibition delves into the multifaceted dimensions of climate change and its impact on society, the built environment and natural landscapes. From bustling metropolises to farms and forests, each photograph encapsulates the intricate relationship between humanity and the environment, urging viewers to contemplate the urgent need for collective action. By showcasing a diverse array of perspectives, our exhibition endeavours to provoke thought, evoke emotion, and inspire dialogue and action.

Please take the time to view the exhibition while visiting Grafton Street between 18 and 28 June; there will also be a Private View evening for the gallery’s audience of collectors and investors on Friday 21 June.  

Looking back, this week’s “Election Watch” session with Nick Forbes (“Britain’s place in the world: does charity begin at home?”) focused on international development. Nick touched on Labour thinking, while Evie Aspinall, Director of BFPG, looked at the other parties. Drawing on BFPG’s role as co-convenor of the UK Soft Power Group, Evie also looked at the potential of soft power as a key part of the UK’s international offer.

On Thursday, in a taste of what’s to come during London Climate Action Week, we welcomed an expert panel to talk on the theme of “innovative Financial Instruments for Climate Mitigation and Adaptation”. We were grateful to: Nick Haslam, Head of Climate Change and Nature, Adam Smith International; Guido Cocco, Senior Economist, Ricardo; and Shasi Wagle, Team Leader of Rebuild, Palladium for their insights.

Next week, in addition to our climate events, we also will host on Tuesday a virtual session with Dominic Ashton, FCDO Development Director in Mozambique who will present the UK’s development strategy, programming and pipeline of opportunities in the country.

We’re very much looking forward to the results of all the preparation – ours and our members’ -for Climate Week. We hope to see as many members as possible in Grafton Street for the events and the exhibition. See you soon,

David Landsman 

Executive Chairman

British Expertise International 

‍

Recordings of recent past events:

• 14th May: FCDO Development Director: Indonesia & Minister Counsellor in UK Mission to ASEAN
• 28th May: Mauritania - Market Overview and Opportunities
• 30th May: Intersections - Climate and Migration
• 6th June: Retrofitting Infrastructure for Net Zero
• 13th June: Innovative Financial Instruments for Climate Mitigation & Adaptation

‍Key events coming up include the following:‍

• 18th June 2024 10:00 - 11:30 BST: Retrofitting Climate Change in Economic Development Programmes - Retrofitting climate change in existing economic development programmes allows a move away from a risk focused approach, by aligning economic development policies with long-term climate goals and leveraging funding to drive innovation and support sustainable projects. To delve into the opportunities, we will be joined by colleagues from the FCDO, alongside Mott MacDonald and Climate Sense.
• 18th June 2024 14:00 - 15:00 BST: FCDO Development Director: Mozambique - Join us as we host Dominic Ashton, Development Director in Mozambique for the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), who will present FCDO’s development strategy, programming and pipeline of opportunities in Mozambique.
• 21st June 2024 18:00 - 20:00 BST: Exhibition Private View: Equilibrium - Join BEI and D Contemporary at the Private View of Equilibrium, a captivating photography exhibition featuring images by the internationally acclaimed photographer Pierre Rivet alongside photography from around the globe showcasing the collective efforts of British Expertise International members in climate change mitigation and adaptation. The images weave stories of hope in creating balance between people and nature.
• 25th June 2024 11:00-12:30 BST: Sustainable adaptation: Learning from communities on the frontlines of climate change - Join us in person as Gemma Tanner, Senior Adaptation Adviser at the FCDO, Nandi Hall, Senior Director, Economic Growth at DAI Global, and Colin McQuistan, Head of Climate & Resilience at Practical Action discuss Sustainable adaptation: Learning from communities on the frontlines of climate change.
• 25th June 2024 14:00 - 15:30 BST: New Solutions for Closing the Climate Finance Gap - Join MOBILIST and USAID’s Climate Finance for Development Accelerator (CFDA) to discuss public markets, the importance of partnerships, and other innovative solutions to mobilising private investment toward addressing climate change at this in-person roundtable, as part of BEI’s Climate Showcase programme.
• 26th June 2024 16:00 - 17:00 BST: What is Infrastructure for Opportunity and Does it Mean Game Over for Levelling Up? - Labour clearly sees the link between infrastructure investment and wider economic growth. They have expressed their intention to drive quicker and cheaper delivery of major projects, unlocking private sector investment. The announcement of the British Infrastructure Council signals Labour’s intention to turn this into reality.
• 26th June 2024 17:00 - 19:30 BST: UK’s international leadership role in Climate Finance as a vehicle to deliver tangible impact - Join us for the main event in BEI’s Climate Showcase as our panel (DESNZ, FCDO and BII) discuss how the UK government is putting finance for climate change mitigation and adaptation at the heart of interventions and policy decisions. The panel will be followed by a Private View of our special photography Exhibition, showcasing BEI members’ work in climate change mitigation and adaptation in LMICs.
• 3rd July 2024 16:00 - 17:00 BST: Britain’s Place in The World: Using UK Soft Power More Effectively - If Labour wins the election, they will be keen to ensure that the UK’s reputation on a global stage becomes part of its toolkit to drive economic and social prosperity. From their commitment to the culture and the arts, to their belief in the strength of the UK’s reputation across sport and education, soft power has a key role to play.
• 9th July 2024 16:00-18:30 BST: Challenges in Accessing Climate Risk Data in Emerging and Developing Countries - Climate risks pose significant and multifaceted challenges for emerging and developing markets, ranging from data availability and inconsistency to the delicate balance between risk and humanitarian, economic, and environmental benefits. Our panel will explore how innovative partnerships can support stakeholders in emerging and developing countries in accessing climate risk data.
• 17th July 2024 16:00 - 17:00 BST: Net Zero – the new economy or bad for business? - Net Zero is now part of the mainstream debate in national politics. As a result, it is also becoming a more contested agenda. What does this mean for the changing role of business in helping the UK achieve its Net Zero targets, and what does Labour’s ambition for us to be a ‘Net Zero Superpower’ mean in practice? In this session Nick will explore Labour’s approach to Net Zero, including the interplay between Net Zero and Labour’s fiscal policies.

Register for an upcoming event →

External Events

• June 17th – 27th 2024: Made in the UK Sold to the Indo-Pacific: Meet The Experts - Want to hear from sector specialists, market experts and other companies about opportunities in the Indo-Pacific? This two week series of in-person events is run by the UK Government and their partners.‍
• June 19th – 20th 2024: MINEX Central Asia: MINEX Central Asia Mining and Exploration Forum is taking place in Bishkek under the general theme "The Prospects and Scenarios for Sustainable Development of the Mining Industry in Central Asia". MINEX Central Asia Forum provides a cross-regional platform for presenting and discussing investment and technological opportunities for the development of mineral resources, green energy transfer and the modernisation of industrial infrastructure across the Central Asian countries.
• June 24th 2024: UK-SAUDI SUSTAINABLE INFRASTRUCTURE SUMMIT - The City of London Corporation and The Saudi British Joint Business Council UK (SBJBC UK) are delighted to announce the UK-Saudi Sustainable Infrastructure Summit, set to take place on 24 June 2024 at Plaisterers’ Hall in London. A full-day, in-person event featuring keynotes, panels, workshops and networking opportunities, focusing on sustainable infrastructure opportunities in Saudi Arabia and the UK, and how firms can play a pivotal role.

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