Creating Markets for Climate Business An IFC Climate Investment Opportunities Report (2017)

Climate change presents us with perhaps our biggest challenge. In recent years, we have seen growing evidence of the effects of climate change. Greenhouse-gas pollution continues to build up in the atmosphere, causing more intense storms, floods, droughts, and heat waves. In recent years, we have seen growing certainty and evidence of climate change impacts, with supply chains disrupted, increased commodity price volatility, and severe impacts on communities. The World Bank Group’s Turn Down the Heat report warns that even more dangerous effects are still to come unless humanity changes course. In 2015, governments acted decisively, putting in place the Paris Agreement to tackle climate change before the end of this century. Unlike previous commitments, this agreement took a bottom-up approach—189 countries submitted national commitments with targets to increase investment in renewable energy, energy efficiency, sustainable infrastructure, and climatesmart agriculture. These commitments sent a clear signal to businesses and investors around the world: a low-carbon future is coming.