FFD4 Conference in Seville brings together governments from around the world to unlock finances related to Agenda 2030
Governments, companies, and organizations from around the world are gathering this week in Seville, Spain, for the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FFD4). The goal is to discuss how to finance the $4.2 trillion gap needed to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda, established by the United Nations (UN) ten years ago.
With less than half a decade remaining until the deadline, the SDGs are “off track,” as defined by the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, during the opening ceremony on Monday morning (30th). The opening also featured the participation of King Felipe VI of Spain, the President of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sánchez Pérez-Castejón, and leading figures from organizations such as the World Bank, World Trade Organization, and the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA), among others.
Combating hunger, reducing poverty and other inequalities, climate action, health, sanitation, and affordable renewable energy are among the main investment needs. With multilateralism in crisis and an international scenario marked by polarization and armed conflicts, the challenge of mobilizing resources is even greater. Therefore, FFD4 aims to be a turning point, establishing new alliances and ways to mobilize resources. In this sense, the event aligns with COP 30, to be held in Belém in November, which has financing the response to the climate emergency as one of its main themes.
Itaipu Binacional and Itaipu Parquetec are part of the Brazilian delegation at the event. According to Coordination Director Carlos Carboni of the Binational, besides following the debate that will determine the paths of the 2030 Agenda in the coming years, the goal is to share Itaipu’s successful experience in promoting sustainable development through the Itaipu More than Energy program in 434 municipalities in Paraná and Mato Grosso do Sul.
“Itaipu has a consolidated trajectory in territorial development, international cooperation, and financing of local solutions with climatic and social impact, which contributes to many of the SDG targets. In this regard, the promotion of agroecology, recovery of degraded areas, structuring of selective waste collection, energy transition, among other initiatives carried out with participatory management involving the community and other stakeholders, stand out,” Carboni said.
In addition to the director, the delegation includes Lígia Leite Soares, head of the Brasília office and responsible for Itaipu’s international affairs, and Irineu Colombo, superintendent director of Itaipu Parquetec. According to Lígia, Itaipu’s presence also contributes to the discussion of key COP30 themes, especially financing the ecological transition, climate solutions through local actions in the territories, and valuing the Global South as a source of innovation and response to the crisis.
“To advance the 2030 Agenda, we need to go beyond rhetoric. Itaipu shows that it is possible to transform global goals into local public policies with real impact. International financing needs to reach where solutions are already happening—in the territories—and enable them to scale up,” she stated.
Itaipu’s experience presentation will be held this Tuesday (1st) during the event “Innovating the Culture of Financing for Development: Perspectives from the Global South for the Pact of the Future,” promoted by the Brazilian government.
The event will feature the presence of Minister Márcio Macedo from the General Secretariat of the Presidency; Ambassador Philip Fox, Secretary for Economic, Financial, and Services Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; as well as other authorities, civil society representatives, and institutions such as Geledés, Banco da Amazônia, BNDES, Banco do Brasil Foundation, Gestos, the International Youth Organization for Ibero-America, and the National Campaign for the Right to Education.
