Together with the Reserve Bank of Fiji (RBF), the Alliance for Financial Inclusion (AFI) is hosting the conference, Smart Policies for Green Financial Inclusion: Securing development gains and building resilience from 26-27 November, 2018 in Nadi, Fiji.

Part of the International Climate Initiative (IKI), the AFI green financial inclusion workstream is supported by the German Federal Ministry for Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU), based on the decision of the German Bundestag.

The international two-day conference is set to convene more than 90 participants from AFI member institutions including central banks, and other financial sector regulators from emerging and developing countries. Participants also include distinguished experts from relevant government authorities, private sector participants, academia, and international organizations such as Innovations for Poverty Action and Microinsurance Catastrophe Risk Organization (MiCRO).

Featuring preliminary findings of AFI’s research in financial inclusion and climate change, and taking stock of good policy examples within and beyond the AFI network, the conference will see AFI launch its green financial inclusion workstream, along with recommendations on how to further integrate it into the network. Panelists will showcase how financial inclusion policies can build resilience of the vulnerable and mitigate climate change threats.

The two-day conference is an important milestone following the Sharm El Sheikh Accord on Financial Inclusion, Climate Change and Green Finance adopted by the Alliance during the 2017 Global Policy Forum (GPF) in Egypt. AFI members that have been pioneers in implementing the Sharm El Sheikh Accord, such as the Reserve Bank of Fiji and the Bangladesh Bank, will be featured at the conference. With Fiji currently presiding over COP23 and leading advocacy in the region and globally, the conference will also focus on the role of green financial inclusion in the wider global context of climate action.

An active member of the Alliance, RBF is passionate about the role financial inclusion plays in  mitigating and adapting to climate change. RBF is also championing policies that would expand access to financial products and services for the unbanked, enabling Fiji’s most vulnerable populations to become more resilient to adverse climate and consequently economic and social conditions. Could financial inclusion strengthen the resilience of the poor and ease the transition to a low-carbon economy? Fiji is optimistic. Discover RBF’s experience with financial inclusion and climate change in their new case study.

Green financial inclusion plays a key role in enabling environmental objectives of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), in particular SDG 1 (No Poverty), SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) and SDG 13 (Climate Action).

To learn more please visit:

• Reserve Bank of Fiji’s Experience with Financial Inclusion and Climate Change
• The Sharm El Sheikh Accord on Financial Inclusion, Climate Change and Green Finance
• Green financial inclusion