Water: Risk, Opportunity and Sustainability 2018

Conference address

David Harris, Group Head of Sustainable Business, London Stock Exchange Group & Head of Sustainable Investment, FTSE Russell

Opening Keynote address

Ambassador Pio Wennubst, Vice Director General, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation

Panel session: Water security, climate and business continuity

A panoramic view of the impact of water risks on business continuity and economic activity

Coverage:

• Analysis of  global water risks
• Water as a systemic risk – flood and drought issues
• Site location and impact on future business-development strategies 

Panellists:

Dr Richard Hewston, Strategic Lead, Environment and Climate Change, Verisk Maplecroft
Stella Thomas, Founder and Managing Director, World Water Fund
Ashim Paun, Climate Change Strategist, HSBC Bank plc
Christa Clapp, Research Director, Cicero

Moderator: Gemma James, Senior Manager, Environmental Issues, PRI 

Presentation: Approaches to investing in water

Analysis of due diligence procedures and research methods applied to investing in water-related investments

Coverage:

• Team expertise and experience
• Investment success drivers and mandate
• Strategy and targets

Hubert Aarts, Executive Director, Impax Asset Management 

Panel: Water risk integration in portfolio management

Discussion on how to increase investor awareness and management of water exposure in portfolios with a short presentation on the Ceres Investor Water Toolkit

Coverage:

• Operational and strategic risks by industry
• Water and the impact on long-term returns
• Water risks at the asset level

Panellists:

Esther Delbourg, Head of Responsible Insurance, AXA
Rick Stathers, Director of Investor Initiatives, CDP
Monika Freyman, Director, Investor Engagement Water, Ceres 
Åse Bergstedt, Chief Sustainability Strategist, Nordea

Moderator: John Joyce, Chief Economist, SIWI

Panel session: Portfolio investments – Exploring exposure and assessing responses to water risk

Discussion on emerging methods for identifying water risks at the portfolio level for investors to have a greater understanding of water risks at every stage of the investment process  

Coverage:

• Determining where the portfolio has exposure to water risks
• Approaches to assessing and identifying the portfolio water footprint
• Investor activism and evolving water management practises and reporting
• Looking into the future: water neutrality, water pollution footprinting, etc?

Panellists:

Kees Ouboter, Responsible Investment officer, ACTIAM 
Rick Hogeboom, Researcher, University of Twente
Ashok Kumar Chapagain, Senior Professor, University of Free State

Moderator: Marion de Marcillac, Vice President (ESG products), MSCI

Presentation: Water-Energy Nexus – Challenges and Opportunities in Hydropower

• The growth of hydropower globally
• Environmental, social and economic impacts
• Issues with financial planning and contingent liabilities
• System-scale applications and solutions  

Dr. Giulio Boccaletti, Chief Strategy Officer & Global Managing Director, The Nature Conservancy

Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures: how climate disclosure can help investors hedge against water risk and boost investments in sustainable water practices

Panel discussion on improving investors' ability to assess and price climate-related risk and opportunities

• How companies assess climate-related water issues and financial companies can comply with future financial regulation
•  Hedging against water risks and adjusting portfolios to attract better returns

Panellists:

Ambika Jindal, Vice-President, Sustainable Finance, ING
Pritha Hariram, Investment Manager, FMO
Kathleen Dominique, Environmental Economist, OECD
Faith Ward, Chief Responsible Investment Officer, Brunel Pension Partnership
Ani Kavookjian, Sustainable Business & Finance, Bloomberg LP

Moderator: Margaret Kuhlow, Leader, WWF Finance Practice

Panel: Water infrastructure and utilities opportunities

Panel discussion on public and private investment in utilities and infrastructure to meet future demand

Coverage:

• Introduction) infrastructure vs future water demand
• Financing needs & water demand
• Green bond structuring and environmental/water security  goals
• Climate credentials of green bonds with examples?

Panellists:

Mark Corben, CFO, Tideway
Anna Creed, Standards Manager, Climate Bonds Initiative
Jane Pilcher, Group Treasurer, Anglian Water

Moderator: Michael Hurley, Staff Writer, Environmental Finance   

Panel session: Mobilizing blended finance to help achieve 2030 sustainable development goals

Methods and opportunities for commercial finance through development finance structures in relation to 2030 Sustainable Development Goals

Coverage:

• Evidence of success in relation to blended finance and water security investments
• Types of instruments and financing structures applicable to water security
• Case studies

Panellists:

Kathleen Dominique, Environmental Economist, OECD
Piet Klop, Senior Advisor Responsible Investment, PGGM
Christian del Valle, Founder and Managing Partner, Althelia 
Alex Money, Programme Director, University of Oxford
Elena Chimonides, Fixed Income Product Specialist, London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG)

Moderator: Sophie Trémolet, Senior Economist, Water Global Practice,  World Bank 

Panel session: Investing in water management

Discussion on the latest developments in water-efficiency technologies including  a presentation water strategy innovation for the private sector - innovation in technology, financing/funding, business models and partnerships and a demonstration of water filtration using graphene.       

Coverage:

• Presentation by Will Sarni
• Next generation water technologies
• A short demonstration on application of graphene

Panellists:

Piers  Clark, CEO, Isle Group
Will Sarni, Founder, Water Foundry
James Baker, CEO Graphene@Manchester, National Graphene Institute

Moderator: Stuart Orr, Leader, Freshwater Practice, WWF 

Concluding remarks