Jun 19, 2012

• IDFC, a club that unites 19 institutions from around the world, released a document after a meeting at the BNDES’ headquarters

At a meeting held on June 19 at the headquarters of the BNDES, executives from development banks and funding agencies that comprise the International Development Finance Club (IDFC) issued a statement containing the club’s principles for fostering sustainable development.

In the document, members of the group, which includes 19 institutions from all continents, committed to collaborating with knowledge, resources and tools to facilitate and accelerate the transition process to a more sustainable, social and ecological economy.

Among the commitments made to help economic agents adopt new levels in their environmental practices, there is support for sustainable investments in the infrastructure area and the development of new financial instruments based on sustainability and innovation. The full document can be accessed in Portuguese (http://migre.me/9yNcM) and English (http://migre.me/9yNdD).

“Development banks are a very powerful tool for inclusive and sustainable development," said the BNDES’ president, Luciano Coutinho. He also recalled the importance of the "stabilizing role" of such institutions in times of crisis like the present.

The President of IDFC and German development bank KfW, Ulrich Schroeder, highlighted the experience of members of the club in "combining public and private funds in financing development".

Renewable energy, public transport, water and sanitation are among the sectors of infrastructure to be strengthened. The IDFC’s other commitment is to help reduce incentives to non-sustainable production.

In the afternoon, the executives of the IDFC attended the international seminar on Financing the Green Economy and the Sustainable Development, held at the BNDES’ headquarters.

The conference, which marked the 60th anniversary of the Bank, allowed the exchange of experiences on sustainability on the eve of the meeting of Heads of State at Rio+20.