Redirecting capital to climate solutions
Investments in clean energy can generate six times as many jobs as fossil fuel investments, protect pension funds from climate-related financial risks, and help cities meet climate targets. Yet much municipal and pension fund capital remains tied to fossil fuel-dependent business models.
The Clean Investment Forum supports cities to:
- align investment policies with climate goals
- engage with pension funds and financial actors
- demonstrate climate leadership through financial decision making
The Forum is open to any city wanting to learn about clean investment strategies, with a pathway to the C40 Clean Investment Accelerator for cities ready to make a formal commitment. Accelerator cities represent 61 million people and influence over USD 1 trillion of municipal and pension fund capital.
What cities are achieving
Cities in the network are demonstrating that clean investment delivers financial and social benefits:
Boston shifts city funds to ESG investments
After a multi-year comparison showed Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG)-focused investments performed as well as or better than traditional portfolios, Boston moved its entire USD 635 million General Fund investment portfolio into funds leading in ESG strategies.
Auckland’s Future Fund
Auckland reallocated NZD 1.32 billion from airport share sales to establish a Future Fund for long-term investment in climate-aligned assets. The fund marks a shift from carbon-intensive sectors to green economy investments while creating a new, diversified, NZD 60 million annual revenue stream for Council operations, services, and infrastructure projects.
New York City pension fund action
New York City’s five pension funds increased climate solutions investments to USD 15.6 billion, with three funds divesting from fossil fuels and committing to net-zero portfolios by 2040.
Jakarta’s green incentive mechanisms
Jakarta cultivated a local green investment market through tax breaks, import duty exemptions, and 0% sales tax on electric vehicles to accelerate clean transportation.
London’s Climate Finance Taskforce
London launched a dedicated taskforce to unlock billions in private capital for clean energy, sustainable transport, and energy efficiency projects.
How the Forum supports cities
Cities participating in the Forum access:
Expert-led webinars sharing global trends and insights on clean investment.
Regular newsletters featuring the latest news, events, and opportunities in the green finance space.
Case studies and evidence demonstrating that clean energy investments protect against climate-related financial risks while creating economic opportunities.
Advocacy opportunities to engage with pension funds, private financial institutions, and governments to help champion and shift investment toward green, job-creating sectors.
Resources and tools available through the C40 Knowledge Hub covering practical approaches for developing and implementing clean investment policies.
Access resources on the C40 Knowledge Hub
Access implementation guides, policy briefs, and case studies on divestment and sustainable investment. Resources include toolkits for delivering clean investment commitments, evidence on financial benefits, and progress reports from Accelerator cities.
Join the Clean Investment Forum
Email cleaninvestment@c40.org to learn how your city can join the Forum, access resources, and connect with cities implementing clean investment strategies.
related
How C40 helps cities access climate finance to shape greener, healthier and more resilient cities.
How C40 helps cities collaborate with businesses to accelerate climate action and create local opportunities.
