What is PRI hoping to achieve in the “Road to COP30”?

The PRI attended New York Climate Week in September and COP 16 in October. We will be at COP29 (11–22 November) in Baku, Azerbaijan. Read on for an overview of our objectives and relevant events for signatories.

Please also let us know if you plan to attend any of these events by filling in this form. Completing this will help us tailor our content and events to match your needs and help us connect you with relevant opportunities.

What is PRI hoping to achieve in the “Road to COP30”?

The road to UNFCCC COP30 (to be hosted in Brazil, November 2025) is a critical window of opportunity for both state and non-state actors to raise their ambition to achieve a global transition to net zero. Unlocking policy and regulatory barriers is essential for investors seeking to implement their climate commitments, as part of their core fiduciary duty.

The UNFCCC COP30 represents a significant milestone, as it is when countries must update their national climate action plans (NDCs) to mitigate emissions. Being hosted in Brazil, there is also an opportunity to more strongly focus on the importance of nature and land use as part of climate action.

The PRI has three key objectives in the lead up to COP30.

To support:

An enabling policy environment for responsible investment.
Investor ambition on net zero, nature and climate adaptation.
Regional action where climate and nature events take place.

Coming up

UN Climate Conference COP29
11-22 November | Baku, Azerbaijan

COP29 is a significant opportunity to advance ambition in the next set of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), which are due before COP30. Held this year in Azerbaijan, the focus for COP29 is likely to be around unlocking policy action and financial flows alike – core strategic pillars for the PRI’s work.

Download an overview of the PRI at COP29

The COP29 Presidency’s key pillars to “enhance ambition” by prioritising further commitment to national emissions reduction plans, and to “enable action” by facilitating the flow of finance to climate-positive solutions, are fundamentally aligned with the PRI’s own strategic pillars.
The PRI team will be on the ground (10-16 November) advocating on behalf of our signatories for ambitious policy action which contributes to an enabling environment for investor action.
Finance day has been confirmed for 14 November. Find more information on the agenda and thematics.
The Taskforce on Net Zero Policy, supported by the PRI in a secretariat capacity, is preparing a landmark report for presentation to the UN Secretary General at COP29. This report will take stock of current practice on net zero policy formation across select territories.
Ahead of COP 29, we have published a Climate Policy Roadmap for 2024/25 highlighting key policy recommendations to governments. These can support investors in their efforts to address climate risk, pursue positive outcomes on climate in line with their duties, and incentivise companies and capital market actors to accelerate delivery of the transition to a resilient, net zero economy.
We have also recently published a blog post, Will the next round of ‘NDCs’ accelerate the net-zero transition?

Events to look out for at COP29

PRI and Goals House roundtable: ‘Redefining Responsible Investment: Aligning with long-term sustainability goals’

12 November, 4-6pm
PRI-hosted event - invitation only
PRI UNEP FI signatory and stakeholder convening at COP29

13 November, 8.30-10.30am
Location: KPMG, 12^th floor, Port Baku, South Tower. 153, Neftchiler Avenue. Baku, AZ1010. Link to location on Google Maps

Join us for a PRI and UNEP FI networking event at COP29. Hosted in collaboration with KPMG, PRI and UNEPFI the event will convene their members and other stakeholders for an engaging discussion on important COP29 themes.

Key topics will include investable Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), how private sector finance can be accelerated through the NCQG, and other enabling policies.  The event will also highlight examples of finance sector leadership and the latest developments from key initiatives such as the Net Zero Policy Taskforce. 

Register your interest below and you’ll receive a calendar invite.

Register your interest
The Sustainable Investment Forum (PRI’s David Atkin speaking)

13-14 November, 9am-6pm
Location: Baku Hotel Boulevard (sessions will also be livestreamed)

This event brings together leaders from across government, science, business, finance and civil society. The agenda will focus on finance during the afternoon of 13 November, when PRI CEO David Atkin will provide a keynote address, ’Financing 2030: An international financial framework fit for purpose’ (2pm).

Find out more and register
GCBC ’Introducing the Global Capacity Building Platform’

13 November, 2.30-3.30pm
Location: Bloomberg Hub, Baku Business Centre (no accreditation required)

This event will provide a demo of the Global Capacity Building Coalition platform, and discuss the role of capacity building in unlocking capital.
’Making progress on Nature Finance: From Cali to Belem’ (PRI’s Tamsin Ballard speaking)

13 November, 1-2.30pm
Location: Mugham, Zone B Blue Zone

This high-level roundtable event is co-convened by HE Razan Al Mubarak (High-Level Climate Champion for COP28), the Climate Champions team, PRI and others. It will bring together leaders from governments, public and private financial institutions, and Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities to discuss actions that will maintain and increase ambition on nature finance from CBD COP16 in Cali towards COP30 in Belem, on the road to CBD COP17 and COP31 in 2026.
SEE and IOSCO ’Exchanges and climate action: Financing the net zero transition’ (PRI attending)

14 November, 9.30-11am
Location: Blue Zone (accreditation required)

Join us for the joint SSE - IOSCO Exchanges and climate action event at the COP29 Blue Zone in Baku. Under the motto “Financing the net zero transition”, this year’s gathering will bring together leaders from security market regulators, exchanges, standard setters and members of the Net Zero Financial Service Providers Alliance (NZFSPA). The event will address the pivotal role of capital markets in combating climate change and promoting a rapid transition to net zero economies. 

More information
Launch of the Taskforce on Net Zero Policy’s ‘Policy Matters’ report

14 November, 1-2pm
Spanish Pavilion, Blue Zone (accreditation required)

The Taskforce on Net Zero Policy, for which PRI serves as secretariat, will announce the findings of its inaugural report, taking stock of the net-zero policy landscape governing the activity of non-state actors (specifically, investors and large corporates). The session will follow the handover of the report to the UN Secretary General, and will see members of the Taskforce present and discuss its findings.
Exchanges and climate innovation: Climate disclosure, carbon markets and net zero (PRI speaking)

14 November, 3.30-4.30pm
Location: Green Zone

Stock exchanges and their regulators play a critical role in fostering financial innovation that supports climate-positive initiatives and promotes climate action among companies. By developing climate-aligned products, services, and regulations, exchanges can enhance the climate resilience of their markets. They also play a key role in facilitating the adoption of climate-aligned standards and disseminating climate-related information across financial markets. Exchanges can drive the transformation of markets toward a net-zero future by implementing guidelines, benchmarks, and educational initiatives.

More information
Business and Philanthropy Climate Platform (PRI attending)

14 November (full day)
Location: Blue Zone (invitation only)

This event is organised by the COP29 Presidency and the COP29 UN Climate Change High-level Champion and is aimed at CEOs and director-level individuals from the business, finance and philanthropy communities. The event builds on the success of the COP28 Business and Philanthropy Forum held in Dubai, with a stronger focus on finance. It will be a full day programme on the COP29 site.

More information
The role of sovereign wealth funds in financing the energy transition (PRI attending)

14 November, 11am-12.30pm
Location: Blue Zone, Presidency Pavilion (invitation only)

Hosted by the COP29 Presidency, this discussion represents an official convening of sovereign wealth funds to discuss the range of roles they can play in financing the energy transition.
Best practice capacity building to unlock climate potential (PRI attending)

14 November, 2.45-3.45pm
Location: Baku Stadium in the Blue Zone, UNFCCC Capacity building hub, special room 4 (accreditation required)

A Global Capacity Building Coalition and UNFCCC workshop to co-design principles of best practice to scale the impact of capacity building.
CASI Sustainability Forum (PRI’s David Atkin speaking)

15 November, 9am-4pm
Location: Third Campus of Azerbaijan State University of Economics (UNEC) - outside the COP Blue Zone

Co-hosted by CASI, the Institute of Finance and Sustainability (IFS) and Azerbaijan State University of Economics (UNEC), with support from the Azerbaijan COP29 Presidency and the COP29 High-level Champion for Climate Action, the forum is designed to build capacity on green finance for policy makers, regulators, financial institutions and stakeholders from both Azerbaijan and other countries in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. 

Register to attend
Accelerating global investor climate action to achieve the Paris Agreement’s goals - official Investor Agenda COP29 side event (PRI’s David Atkin speaking)

Friday 15 November, 6.30-8pm
Location: Blue Zone, room tbc

To facilitate a just global transition to net zero, investors are setting net zero targets, laying out climate action plans (ICAPs), and engaging with companies and governments. This event will feature discussions from investors, government representatives and Founding Partners of the Investor Agenda on the policies needed to scale up the finance needed to deliver ambitious nationally determined contributions (NDCs) and implement the Global Stocktake (GST) outcomes. 

You can register to attend either in-person or online, but please note if you plan to attend in person, you will need a COP29 Blue Zone pass to enter. Read more about the agenda.

Register to attend