Key Impact Points:
- UN Climate Chief calls for next-gen climate plans to drive economic growth and stability.
- Panama positions blue finance as the “next frontier” of sustainable development.
- Nature Summit opens with cross-sector alignment on scaling ocean-based solutions.
High-Level Action Kicks Off Nature Summit in Panama
The Nature Summit 2025 opens today in Panama City with a clear message: the ocean is not just a casualty of climate change — it’s a catalyst for economic resilience, innovation, and equity.
Taking place at the Biomuseo, overlooking the Panama Canal, the summit brings together ministers, financiers, CEOs, and climate leaders from around the world to prioritize nature-based and ocean-driven climate solutions.
Hosted by Panama’s Ministry of Environment, the 2025 Nature Summit is Global Resilience Partners’ (GRP) inaugural flagship convening — a three-day catalytic platform uniting global decision-makers across business, philanthropy, and civil society to accelerate financing of the nature-based economy ahead of COP30. Organized in partnership with PVBLIC Foundation as the non-profit co-host and in collaboration with SDG News, and Roar Media, the global forum is positioned at the intersection of policy, capital, and innovation. Designed to move beyond dialogue, the Nature Summit will curate its delegates to unlock partnerships, mobilize capital, and scale solutions that value nature as the world’s most precious asset.
UN Climate Chief Calls for New National Plans
Reported live by SDG News from the Nature Summit in Panama City, Simon Stiell, Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), delivered a powerful call for countries to raise their climate ambition by developing next-generation national climate plans.
“Clear and strong climate policies are an antidote to economic uncertainty. Climate policy can help get trade flowing and economies growing. And prevent wildly destructive climate impacts. Providing signals from governments. To markets. To those investors ready to hit the ‘go’ button on huge investments. That’s why a new generation of national climate plans – or NDCs – are utterly essential. Here in Latin America, and all around the world,” stressed Stiell.
He also underscored a new direction for UN Climate Weeks, with Panama marking a pivotal shift:
“Here in Panama, we’re hosting the first of our new revamped Climate Weeks. More than ever before, this event will focus on connecting words on paper in our process, with making real-world progress. Involving stakeholders – not just from different countries, but from different sectors of economies. Showcasing solutions. And exploring how they can be scaled up and shared. Because to beat climate change, everyone needs to benefit,”Stiell added.
Blue Economy Takes Center Stage
Day 1 of the summit, themed “Blue Economy: Investing in Ocean Sustainability and Maritime Innovation,” is set to spotlight the need to embed the ocean into climate planning and finance.
Senior voices from A.P. Moller-Maersk, the UNFCCC, and Panama’s Ministry of Environment and Ministry of Economy & Finance will address key opportunities in green shipping corridors, deep sea mining policy, blue carbon markets, and coastal resilience.
Juan Carlos Navarro, Panama’s Minister of Environment, will open the day with a rallying call for economic transformation:
“We are here to align the power of nature with the future of our economies. Blue finance is not a niche – it’s the next frontier.”
Juan Carlos Monterrey, Panama’s Special Representative for Climate Change for the Ministry of Environment followed, stating The Nature Summit’s purpose and goal:,
“The Nature Summit is a unique convergence of capital and government designed as a catalyst for action where climate ambition is matched with investment, and where nature is not just protected, but positioned at the heart of economic strategy. What begins here must echo into COP30 and beyond.”
Summit Signals a Shift in Climate Capital
With standing-room-only attendance and cross-sector participation expected, Day 1 of the summit is already highlighting a unifying theme: nature is not a backdrop — it’s a backbone of economic and climate security.
From innovative financing models to scalable ocean solutions, the Nature Summit is actively forging alignment between public, private, and multilateral actors in the lead-up to COP30.The age of nature as capital is underway — and the momentum from Panama signals that the world is ready to invest in it.
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Related Article: UNFCCC Announces Inaugural Global Climate Week in Panama
