Bonn event explores potential of Digital Sustainable Finance to accelerate Agenda 2030
Bonn, 8 October 2025 – Leading experts from the financial, technology, and development sectors convened in Bonn for a roundtable and public book launch to discuss how digital sustainable finance can be leveraged to accelerate the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development.
The event, titled “Harnessing the Potential of Digital Sustainable Finance to Accelerate the Agenda 2030,” was organised by the SOAS Centre for Sustainable Finance in partnership with the German Institute for Development and Sustainability (IDOS) and the Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), the German development cooperation agency.
Key Focus: Turning Potential into Action
The core of the discussion centred on how digital technologies, such as big data, artificial intelligence and blockchain, are revolutionising finance and offering opportunities to overcome traditional barriers to sustainable development in emerging and developing markets. These technologies can reduce the cost of risk and impact assessment and facilitate new, innovative fundraising or payments approaches.
The event featured a closed-door roundtable in the morning, followed by a public session celebrating the launch of the new open-access book, Sustainable Digital Finance. Co-edited by Ingrid-Gabriela Hoven, Vice Chair of the GIZ-Management Board, the book gathers perspectives from over 50 experts, offering successful case studies and concrete recommendations.
The morning roundtable focused on two topics: “Rethinking Capital Market Infrastructure to Scale Up Sustainable Finance” and “Fostering Inclusive Green Finance through Digital Solutions”. Dr Yuen Lo and Dr Peter Knaack, both Research Associates at the SOAS Centre for Sustainable Finance, delivered scene setting presentations.
The afternoon public session provided an overview of the book’s key findings and its relevance to development and climate finance. It concluded with a high-level panel discussion on “What Are the Next Steps to Unlock the Potential of Digital Sustainable Finance to Accelerate the Agenda 2030?” moderated by Professor Ulrich Volz, the Director of the SOAS Centre for Sustainable Finance. Speakers included Marianne Haahr, Executive Director of the International Advisory Panel on Biodiversity Credits and Senior Fellow at SOAS; Dr Erica Moret, Director for United Nations Affairs and International Organizations at Microsoft; H.E. Professor Bitange Ndemo, Kenya’s Ambassador to Belgium; Dr Ronald Steyer, Digital Transformation Manager at KfW Development Bank; Dr Iliya Nickelt, Chief Digital Scientist at the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, and Kristian Lempa, the Director of Division for Global Policy, Governance and Cities at GIZ.
The dialogue focused on defining tangible actions to scale sustainable digital finance across developing economies to ensure these technological advances contribute effectively to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
