News from SDSN Germany

Connecting the Dots: Digitalization, Finance & Sustainable DevelopmentHow can financial innovations, new technologies and digitalization contribute to financing sustainable development? The conference „Connecting the Dots: Digitalization, Finance & Sustainable Development“ at Allianz Forum in Berlin focused on this question and was organised by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network Germany (SDSN Germany) together with the Sustainable Digital Finance Alliance and the UN Task Force on Digital Financing of the SDGs in cooperation with the Frankfurt School of Finance & Management. The high-level event started with a keynote by Werner Hoyer, President of the European Investment Bank, on financing sustainable development. The keynote was followed by panel discussions and the presentation of the report “Fintech for Sustainability in Germany: Current Landscape and key opportunities”.

Photo: Anna-Katharina Hornidge

Anna-Katharina Hornidge ©DIE

The Leadership Council of SDSN Germany elected Anna Katharina-Hornidge (as from 1 March 2020 new Director of DIE) as new Co-Chair of the network. Together with Gesine Schwan, Mrs Hornidge will lead the network.

On 11 February, the 11th Extended Leadership Council of SDSN Germany took place under the leadership of Gesine Schwan (Co-Chair of SDSN Germany) at the Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik (SWP; member organisation of SDSN Germany) in Berlin. The meeting focused on the question „Keep it up? The future of the German Sustainability Strategy between Europe’s Green Deal, industry interests and election dates”. The starting point for the discussions were critical analyses and recommendations on the German Sustainability Strategy, which had been presented in recent months by the Science Platform Sustainability 2030 (wpn2030), the Federal Audit Office and the German Council for Sustainable Development (RNE). Key findings of the recommendations were presented by Marianne Beisheim (SWP and member of the Steering Committee of wpn2030), Kay Scheller (President of the Federal Audit Office) and Imme Scholz (DIE and Vice-Chairwoman of RNE). Members and guests of the Extended Leadership Council discussed how the political relevance of the German Sustainability Strategy can be structurally increased and linked to other processes such as the transformation of energy systems and social issues. SDSN Germany intends to incorporate these considerations in a statement on the further development of the Sustainability Strategy in 2020.

Find more information about SDSN Germany here.