Alia Al Zarouni, Chief Operating Officer of the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), welcomed attendees at the Climate Finance Capacity Building Forum. She expressed gratitude to the partners—the Global Capacity Building Coalition (GCBC) and the Global Ethical Finance Initiative (GEFI)—for co-hosting the event, emphasising the importance of collaborative efforts to shape a resilient and sustainable financial ecosystem.
Alia outlined the DIFC’s significant strides in fostering sustainable finance, highlighting two cornerstone initiatives: the Dubai Sustainable Finance Working Group and the DIFC Sustainable Finance Catalyst. Together, these initiatives provide a comprehensive framework aimed at strengthening the sustainability ecosystem both locally and globally. The Sustainable Finance Catalyst’s ambition to support the capacity building of 1 million sustainability leaders by 2030 underscored her belief that investing in human capital is essential for driving meaningful, long-term change.
She also spotlighted the Dubai Sustainable Finance Working Group’s role in rallying over 40 member organisations to create practical solutions for mobilising capital, de-risking investments, and supporting sustainable economic growth. Another pivotal commitment—the DIFC’s decarbonisation strategy—aims to achieve net-zero emissions by 2045, outpacing national targets and signaling the region’s determined stance on climate action.
In closing, Alia expressed confidence that the forum would shed light on the critical capacity gaps and investment barriers hindering climate finance, particularly in emerging markets. Her remarks set the stage for the day’s discussions, reinforcing DIFC’s dedication to nurturing a financial environment where innovation, knowledge-sharing, and targeted capacity building can accelerate sustainable finance and climate resilience worldwide.