CARBON FINANCE IN DISPLACEMENT SETTINGS
Roundtable on Realizing Potential, Sharing Learnings, and Building Partnerships
Organized by IOM, Innovation Norway, Secretariat for the Climate and Environment Charter for Humanitarian Organizations, Ernst & Young, Save the Children Global Venture, World Vision International and the Permanent Mission of Norway.
Welcom by: Mr Tormod C. Endresen, Ambassador - Permanent Representative to the UN and other International Organizations
29. oktober 2025
Welcome to the Norwegian Mission, and thanks to IOM and co-organizers for putting the topic of carbon finance in displacement settings on the agenda.
I am pleased to see the broad interest in this topic, and that we have participants in the room and online from governments, humanitarian organizations, carbon project developers, investors, and probably more.
Carbon Finance in Displacement Settings is a topic which brings together humanitarian, development and climate objectives. And how different financial sources can be combined to impact all three outcomes. These interlinkages force us to think outside silos and work together across actors and domains.
We know that energy is required in displacement settings to run services and to meet basic needs such as cooking, lighting, heating and communication. In recent years, Norway has invested considerably in green energy solutions in the humanitarian sector. We have a commitment to fund risk reduction measures and projects that utilise innovative business models which can increase access to clean energy for people affected by crises. This includes displacement settings.
Renewable energy in displacement settings is also a vehicle to support local development. Access to clean, affordable energy provides a foundation for income-generating activities, both for displaced people and for host communities.
And, green energy solutions in displacement settings have numerous environmental benefits, including reduced deforestation, air pollution and climate emissions. Transitions to low-carbon energy solutions ensure that climate considerations are better integrated into our humanitarian efforts.
We all know that ODA budgets are under pressure, which gravely affects the humanitarian sector. New financing mechanisms may encourage the use of traditional humanitarian finance as a catalyst to mobilise other and larger capital flows.
Carbon finance is one potential innovative financing mechanism which may complement other sources. This is one very concrete way to operationalize the Sevilla Commitment on Financing for Development, and a contribution to our climate commitments.
The Norwegian Government supports investments in new and innovative financing mechanisms. We see interesting work by our partners that are exploring carbon markets and potential carbon credit buyers that are also looking to support social impact.
[Direct partners, in addition to Innovation Norway, include the Global Platform for Action (“the GPA”) on Sustainable Energy in Displacement Settings, who is also present with us today. The GPA and Innovation Norway in turn collaborate with each other and with several other partners present here today.]
While there are opportunities to accelerate and scale up the combination of reduced emissions with increased access to finance, we also know that there are obstacles to overcome.
I will have to leave shortly, but colleagues will stay in the room and online. We look forward to learning from you and discussing how carbon finance can be responsibly and effectively applied in displacement settings, where the needs are urgent and the potential for impact is significant.