Marty Durbin, President, Global Energy Institute and Senior Vice President, Policy, U.S. Chamber of Commerce

Karen Fang, Managing Director, Global Head of Sustainable Finance, Bank of America
In conversation with: Neil Bradley, Executive Vice President, Chief Policy Officer, and Head of Strategic Advocacy, U.S. Chamber of Commerce

This session will feature Karen Fang, global head of sustainable finance at Bank of America, in conversation with Neil Bradley, head of policy and strategic advocacy at the U.S. Chamber, to discuss the role of sustainable finance in driving climate and sustainability investments, and the importance of public-private partnerships and other de-risking models needed to accelerate the energy transition. The discussion will highlight the role of the private sector in ensuring a just transition and delivering on the UN SDGs, the greatest impediments to catalyzing private finance and what actions are needed for businesses to align their practices toward sustainable development and the circular economy.

Moderated by Marty Durbin, President, Global Energy Institute and Senior Vice President, Policy, U.S. Chamber of Commerce

This roundtable will explore the many ways in which the circular economy can complement the energy transition. From plastics to capital assets, recovery of materials is essential to emissions reductions, cost savings, and other economic and environmental benefits. In addition, there are several major policies being discussed in the U.S. and globally, including the UN plastic pollution instrument, EPR proposals, programs to stimulate the deployment of capital and infrastructure like the IRA and IIJA, financing programs, and chemicals legislation around which the business community needs to align.

Michael Maslansky, Chief Executive Officer, Maslansky + Partners

Roundtable 2: GreenTech Business Delegations and the Road to COP29

H.E. Khazar Ibrahim, Ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the United States of America

Marisa Lago, Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade, International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce

Moderated by Khush Choksy, Senior Vice President, International Member Services, Middle East, Turkiye and CIS

20-25 min of remarks from U.S. and Azerbaijan officials, followed by 35-40 min plenary discussion between GreenTech members and sustainability executives proposing interventions and COP29 priorities.

The Republic of Azerbaijan’s Ambassador to the United States Khazir Ibrahim will preview the activities and engagement opportunities leading up to the Bonn meetings and announcing the COP29 Presidency Action Plan. The U.S. Under Secretary of Commerce and International Trade Marisa Lago will speak to the government’s engagement with U.S. companies on the energy transition and green technology solutions as part of the broader national sustainability agenda.

Afterward, industry leaders from our UAE, Brazil, and Türkiye GreenTech Business Delegations will open the plenary discussion with the roundtable participants by identifying successful interventions and aligning on climate and sustainability priorities for the international business community to bring to COP29.

For the past several years, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, alongside its members from many key industries, have led GreenTech Business Delegations around the globe in support of the business community’s engagement at the annual UNFCCC Conference of the Parties. The missions have resulted in a number of investments and productive convenings between business leaders and local energy, environment, and trade ministers on how industry and government can collaborate to advance climate and other clean technology solutions nationally and globally.

Roundtable 3: Economics of Resilience
Moderated by Chuck Chaitovitz, Vice President, Environmental Affairs and Sustainability, U.S. Chamber of Commerce

Resilient infrastructure is an essential part of sustainable development, meeting environmental goals, and continued economic growth. This roundtable will discuss the interventions and policies that can create the market signals needed for companies and individuals to make the up-front investments in sustainable and predisaster mitigation projects and realize the long-term return on investment. Stakeholders will discuss the potential for public-private partnerships and other programs to ensure that communities and companies are able to access resilient infrastructure as well.