Innovative financing needed to fund sustainable urban infrastructures
Bern, 21.02.2012 - The world’s cities, although among the leading culprits in climate change, also offer some genuine solutions to the problem. While the bulk of greenhouse gases are produced in cities, future investments in urban infrastructures offer enormous potential for combating the global climate crisis. Supported by SECO, the Global Energy Basel Summit 2012 on 21 and 22 February 2012 presents ways of financing such sustainable infrastructures.
The conference was opened on Tuesday in the Basel Exhibition Center by Marie-Gabrielle Ineichen-Fleisch, Director of the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs SECO, together with Guy Morin, President of the Government of Basel-Stadt. In her opening speech, State Secretary Ineichen-Fleisch underscored the significance of cities and urban areas in climate discussions. She also stressed the need to incorporate sustainability issues in decision-making on urban infrastructure planning.
This is also the vision of Global Energy Basel (GEB), a platform whose primary purpose is to promote sustainable urban infrastructures. An instrument designed by GEB can be used to validate the sustainability of infrastructure projects, helping to mobilise investors interested not only in economic gains but also the ecological and social aspects of such projects.
Cities from all over the world are presenting their sustainable infrastructure projects to inves-tors gathered at the Global Energy Basel Summit 2012. With high expectations of the forum, Marie-Gabrielle Ineichen-Fleisch expressed her hope for more such projects to emerge, making a sustainable contribution to improving and expanding basic infrastructures.
Over 300 experts and practitioners from 40 countries are participating in the two-day event.
As part of its infrastructure financing in economic cooperation and development, SECO puts its focus on sustainable urban infrastructures and utility systems. It thus contributes in terms of both content and finance to the Global Energy Basel platform and the Global Energy Basel Summit 2012 and 2013.
Address for enquiries
State Secretariat for Economic Affairs SECO
Holzikofenweg 36
CH-3003 Bern
Tel. +41 58 462 56 56
medien@seco.admin.ch
Publisher
State Secretariat for Economic Affairs
http://www.seco.admin.ch
