
The Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities (ICSC) is an accredited civil society organization of the World Bank Group (WB) and International Monetary Fund (IMF) and regularly participates in their Spring and Annual meetings. This year’s Spring Meeting will be held on 10-16 April 2023 at the WB/IMF headquarters in Washington, DC.
The organization also supports the Vulnerable 20 (V20) Group of Ministers of Finance under the Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF), currently chaired by Ghana.
Contacts:
(Washington, D.C.) Denise Fontanilla – denise@icsc.ngo
(Manila) Ira Dominique Guerrero – media@icsc.ngo
(All times in Washington, D.C./Eastern Daylight Time, 12 hours behind Manila time)
I. OFFICIAL EVENTS
World Bank Group’s Evolution Forum
11 April, Tuesday, 8:30-10:30AM
There is broad recognition that the world must do more to address the crises facing development. The devastating impacts of climate change, fragility, debt, pandemics, and other threats to our natural world require a significant shift in the global response.
To this end, the WB, led by its Board and shareholders, has embarked on a process to evolve its Vision and Mission, Operating Model, and Financial Capacity, as detailed in the Evolution Roadmap, which was publicly disclosed in January 2023. The Bank Group is now engaging and listening to various stakeholders across the development spectrum – including ICSC – to ensure an inclusive and collaborative process.
REMARKS
World Bank Group’s Evolution Forum
by Angelo Kairos Dela Cruz, ICSC Executive Director
Remarks as delivered by ICSC executive director Angelo Kairos Dela Cruz at the World Bank Group’s (WBG) Evolution Forum on 11 April 2023, 8:30 to 10:30 AM EDT, in time for this year’s WBG and International Monetary Fund (IMF) Spring Meetings in Washington, DC.
Philippine economic team briefing
12 April, Wednesday
ICSC has been invited to join the briefing of the Philippine economic team – led by Department of Finance (DOF) Sec. Benjamin Diokno, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Gov. Felipe Medalla, Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Sec. Amenah Pangandaman, and National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Sec. Arsenio Balisacan – in Washington D.C. on the sidelines of the Spring Meetings.
Transforming the Global Financial System to Address the Climate & Debt Crises: A Climate Vulnerable Perspective
13 April, Thursday, 9:30-11:00AM
Boston University, Washington, D.C.
Panel discussion at the margins of the WB/IMF 2023 Spring Meetings co-organized by ICSC, featuring ICSC executive director Angelo Kairos Dela Cruz as speaker and former ED Renato Redentor Constantino as moderator and Deputy Advisor of the CVF Experts Advisory Group. Organized by the Munich Climate Insurance Initiative (MCII), Boston University Global Development Policy Center (GDPC), Financial Futures Center (FFC), ICSC, Caribbean Policy Development Centre (CPDC), and SLYCAN Trust. The panel will discuss the interconnectedness of debt and climate crises, the global financial system reform and initiatives addressing these crises; and the role civil society can play to further the reform of the global financial system.
REMARKS
Transforming the Global Financial System to Address the Climate & Debt Crises – A Climate Vulnerable Perspective
by Angelo Kairos Dela Cruz, ICSC Executive Director
Remarks as delivered by ICSC executive director Angelo Kairos Dela Cruz at the side event entitled “Transforming the Global Financial System to Address the Climate & Debt Crises – A Climate Vulnerable Perspective” on 13 April 2023, 9:30 to 11:00 AM EDT, in time for this year’s WBG and International Monetary Fund (IMF) Spring Meetings in Washington, DC.
V20 Ministerial Dialogue X: “From Accra to Marrakech: Advancing Fit-for-Climate Financial Architecture and Development-Positive Climate Action”
16 April, Sunday, 11:00AM-1:00PM
IMF Headquarters, HQ 2, Conference Hall 1
The Ministerial Dialogue is the principal forum of the V20 Group of Ministers of Finance co-hosted by the V20 and the IMF. It is an on-the-record, high-level dialogue of V20 finance ministers chaired by the Minister for Finance of Ghana (as V20 Chair) and invited partners including G7/G20.
The Ministerial Dialogue X in particular aims to launch the roadmap leading to the Accra-Marrakech Agenda, which lists four fundamental priority areas to ensure a world economy that is fit for climate and supportive of its most vulnerable countries throughout the year. The Accra-Marrakech Agenda will culminate at the WB/IMF Annual Meetings, to be held this October in Marrakech, Morocco, with the aim of cementing an international coalition backing climate-driven reforms of the global financial system.
More on the Accra-Marrakech Agenda: https://www.v-20.org/accra-marrakech-agenda.
II. OTHER ENGAGEMENTS
WB/IMF Civil Society Policy Forum
11-14 April, Tuesday-Friday
The Civil Society Policy Forum is a key event during the WB/IMF Spring and Annual Meetings. This weeklong forum provides an open space for Civil Society Organizations such as ICSC to dialogue and exchange views with World Bank Group and IMF staff, their peers, government delegations, and other stakeholders on a wide range of shared development issues.
“Not Too Late” with Rebecca Solnit, Yotam Marom and Renato Redentor Constantino
14 April, Friday, 7:00-8:30PM
Central Library, Lobby Gallery, Brooklyn Public Library
“Not Too Late” – edited by Rebecca Solnit and Thelma Young Lutubatabua – brings together powerful voices from around the world to address the political, scientific, social, and emotional dimensions of the most urgent issue human beings have ever faced: climate change. Accessible, encouraging, and engaging, it’s an invitation to everyone to understand the issue more deeply, participate more boldly, and imagine the future more creatively.
Rebecca Solnit, who provided the afterword for “Harvest Moon”, will discuss “Not Too Late” with contributor and former ICSC ED Renato Redentor Constantino, who is a co-editor of “Harvest Moon” and deputy advisor of the CVF Experts Advisory Group, and organizer Yotam Marom. Another Not Too Late contributor is Marshall Islands poet and activist Kathy Jetnil Kijiner, who is RMI climate envoy and CVF ambassador for culture.
Renato Redentor Constantino’s contribution, “How the Ants Moved the Elephants in Paris”, describes how he and ICSC supported the Philippine presidency of the CVF to successfully incorporate the 1.5 degrees Celsius threshold in the Paris Agreement.
“Not Too Late” with Rebecca Solnit: A Busboys and Poets Books Presentation
16 April, Sunday, 5:00PM
Busboys and Poets Takoma
Rebecca Solnit will talk about how it is “Not Too Late” for climate action with ICSC former executive director Renato Redentor Constantino, campaigner Mary Anne Hitt, and journalist Antonia Juhasz.