A tale of investing in sustainable cities Episode 11
Episode Summary
SDG #11: Sustainable Cities. Efforts to make cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable face significant challenges that have been exacerbated by the pandemic. Liz and Steve investigate the investments and projects that will help the world’s cities evolve by 2030, when an estimated 5 billion people will reside in them. Anjali Mahendra at World Resources Institute describes the benefits of tying investment priorities to development goals and Derek Ballantyne of New Market Funds joins the podcast to explain the opportunities for affordable housing projects and how advisers are the key to putting impact investments in the hands of retail investors.
Episode Notes
In this episode, you’ll hear about:
- Why making cities more sustainable requires solving political and other challenges.
- How fixing cities can achieve other goals like fighting poverty and cleaning up the air.
- What investors can do to help beat the challenge of creating affordable housing.
- How impact investments can be created that account for adviser interests, too.
Related Story: What investors should know about the sustainability revolution
United Nations SDG #11 Information
Expanding Access to Impact Investments
Guest Bios:
Anjali Mahendra is director of global research at World Resources Institute’s Ross Center for Sustainable Cities. She leads the research agenda and guides its worldwide team in conducting policy-relevant, innovative and interdisciplinary research across all program areas of the center. She also is co-leading development of the World Resources Report, Towards a More Equal City, a flagship WRI publication, working with thought leaders from around the world. Her current research focuses on how rapidly growing cities in the global South can manage urban expansion in a way that ensures equitable access to core services, and more resource-efficient economic and environmental outcomes.
Derek Ballantyne is a member of New Market Funds’ management committee and is responsible for the Community Forward Fund Assistance Corp. He has more than 20 years of experience leading community housing and development corporations as CEO of Toronto Community Housing and COO of Build Toronto. He has deployed over $500 million in real estate in Canada. He holds a BA from Carleton University.