Search Climate Insights Directory

The report assesses how Indonesia can move from corporate-level financing to project finance to meet a USD 24 billion investment requirement for transmission lines and substations. It analyzes five models: leasing, joint ventures (JVs), public-private partnerships (PPPs), infrastructure investment trusts (InvITs), and collective investment schemes for infrastructure (CIS-DINFRA). While leasing and JVs are easier to implement, InvITs and CIS-DINFRA offer the highest scalability and liquidity. The report emphasizes that success depends on three policy enablers: a dedicated transmission fee, off-balance sheet accounting treatment, and targeted fiscal support.

The Uganda Development Bank (UDB) has developed a Currency Risk-Sharing Facility (CRSF) to mitigate the foreign exchange (FX) risks associated with borrowing in hard currencies (USD/EUR) and lending in Ugandan shillings (UGX) for climate projects. The CRSF employs a layered risk-sharing approach, combining a partial hedge (e.g., currency swaps) with a tail-risk FX guarantee to protect against severe UGX depreciation beyond a dynamic threshold. Financial modeling indicates that the CRSF offers a more affordable and stable funding cost (average 9.82%) compared to full hedging (10.96%) or unhedged exposure (average 8.39% but highly volatile). The instrument is designed to be replicable for other public development banks in emerging markets and developing economies facing similar currency mismatches.

The report evaluates CCUS as a primary decarbonization lever for India's steel sector, specifically targeting the emission-intensive BF-BOF route. It identifies single-point pre-combustion capture with gas conditioning as the most cost-effective technical approach, with a net CO2 abatement cost of USD 5560/tCO2. The study maps seven steel clusters in Eastern India and finds significant geological storage potential, primarily in deep saline aquifers (estimated at 62 Gt). To overcome high capital costs, the report proposes novel financing instruments like Partial Deep Discount Carbon STRIPS (PDDCS) bonds and the establishment of a Carbon Capture Finance Corporation (CCFC). It concludes that a breakeven carbon price of approximately INR 2,099 (USD 25)/tCO2 is necessary for project financial viability in a mature market.

The report argues that tropical forests must be transitioned from being viewed as climate risks to central climate solutions. Based on an assessment of 91 countries, it highlights that restoring areas deforested since 2001 could capture up to 49 GtCO2. To achieve this, the authors propose the Reversing Deforestation Mechanism (RDM), a results-based financial tool designed to reward net carbon removals at the jurisdictional level. RDM is intended to complement existing frameworks like Jurisdictional REDD+ (JREDD+) and the Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF). At a carbon price of US$ 50 per ton, the RDM could remove up to 2 GtCO2 annually, potentially closing 11–13% of the 2035 emissions gap and generating US$ 100 billion in annual revenues.

The document details the methodology used to evaluate investment risks and attributes for the livestock sector in Latin America and the Caribbean, categorizing risks into governance, financial, physical climate, market, infrastructure, and nature. It establishes a framework for matching these risks with the preferences of public and private investors and models three capital scenarios: business-as-usual (BAU), improved financial strategies (IFS), and improved financial and political strategies (IFPS). The analysis distinguishes between small-scale farms (2-10 hectares) and large-scale commercial operations, noting that small-scale systems are more dependent on public funding. Geographically, it segments the region into Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, and the 'rest of LAC', highlighting Brazil's role as the region's primary beef producer and the significant underreporting of private climate finance in the sector.

The document outlines a comprehensive methodology for evaluating investment risks and attributes in the livestock sector across Latin America and the Caribbean, specifically distinguishing between small-scale and large-scale commercial farms. It establishes a scoring system across six risk categories—governance, financing, physical climate, market, infrastructure, and nature—and compares these against the risk tolerances of public and private investors. The annexes also model three financial scenarios: Business-as-Usual (BAU), Enhanced Financial Strategies (IFS), and Enhanced Financial and Policy Strategies (IFPS), predicting how targeted interventions can shift capital composition from predominantly public to increased private investment. Geographic analysis highlights Brazil's relative stability and market dominance, while noting higher risks in Argentina and Mexico.

The Agri-Smallholder Resilience Fund (ASRF) is a USD 22.5 million blended finance vehicle designed to address a USD 7 billion agricultural credit gap in the Philippines. Managed by the agri-tech platform Mayani, the fund utilizes a three-tier capital structure—comprising senior debt (50%), junior debt (30%), and catalytic first-loss capital (20%)—to provide loans to agri-aqua cooperatives. The ASRF employs a 'whole-of-value-chain' de-risking strategy that bundles working capital with parametric insurance, corporate offtake agreements, climate-smart inputs, and cold storage infrastructure. A USD 1 million pilot targeting 2,800 farmers in the Cordillera Mountain region will precede a full rollout aiming to reach 8,800 smallholders over five years. The fund targets a debtholder internal rate of return (IRR) of approximately 9% and projects annual greenhouse gas emission reductions of 4,400 to 10,600 tonnes of CO2e for the pilot phase.

Carbon Neobank is a digital financial vehicle designed to bridge the USD 331 billion SME finance gap in Africa by integrating international carbon markets into business banking. Headquartered in Kenya, it offers three primary products: receivables loans, unsecured working capital loans, and carbon-backed term loans, targeting a USD 1 billion total addressable market. The vehicle utilizes a digital-first model, leveraging a partnership with Ecobank for geographic reach across 33 countries and employing digital Measurement, Reporting, and Verification (dMRV) to monetize emission reductions. A USD 10.8 million pilot is planned to demonstrate the model's ability to mobilize private capital and deliver climate outcomes, including an estimated 6.097 million tCO2e in emission reductions over 10 years. The bank specifically targets the agricultural sector and women-led businesses to promote an inclusive green transition.

The Clean Economy Fund (CEF) is a USD 75 million structured-equity fund targeting a financing gap for Indian climate tech companies seeking USD 1-10 million. It employs a two-stage investment approach using convertible notes for early commercialization and direct equity for early growth, supported by a 20% junior tranche to absorb downside risks from non-converting notes. The fund focuses on three verticals: industrial solutions, energy systems, and the built environment. It aims for a first close of USD 35-40 million by mid-to-late 2026, targeting a mitigation impact of 15 megatons of CO2e over ten years.

The Community Equity Opportunity Fund (CEOF), led by Meliquina Partners, is a blended finance facility designed to overcome capital and governance barriers that exclude rural and Indigenous communities from the economic benefits of the energy transition in Latin America. By providing milestone-based development loans and catalytic equity, the fund enables community co-ownership of renewable energy projects from early development through operations. The model includes a mechanism for communities to execute a leveraged buyout (LBO) of the fund's equity position approximately two years after the commercial operation date, supported by external credit guarantees. Targeting a fund size of USD 35-40 million, CEOF aims to invest in six to eight projects (15-100 MW each) in Argentina and Colombia, with a projected mobilization ratio of 10:1 for commercial capital. The fund's impact goals include avoiding 417,000 tCO2e annually and creating over 3,200 job-years over 25 years, with a specific gender strategy targeting 40% female representation in the workforce.

IREN Agri is a blended debt fund designed to support climate-smart agriculture in West Africa, starting with a cocoa-focused pilot in Côte d’Ivoire. The vehicle combines medium-term loans, multi-year offtake agreements, and digital technical assistance via the SUTTI platform to reduce investor risk and improve smallholder resilience. The fund aims to scale from a EUR 12.5 million pilot to a EUR 100 million fund by 2028, targeting a serviceable obtainable market of over EUR 500 million across six West African countries.

The Páramo Wildfire Resilience Facility is a proposed financial vehicle designed to protect Colombia's high-elevation páramo ecosystems from catastrophic wildfires. It utilizes a two-pronged approach: a parametric insurance policy to provide rapid liquidity for emergency fire suppression and an adaptation and recovery trust fund for long-term risk mitigation and ecosystem restoration. The facility targets ecosystem service beneficiaries, such as water utilities and corporations, to fund these activities, aiming to safeguard the drinking water supply for millions of people in the Bogotá metropolitan area.

The Price Risk Facility (PRF), developed by Agtuall, is an insurance mechanism that bundles price protection into agricultural loans to stabilize smallholder farmer incomes and reduce credit risk for lenders. While India has government schemes like PMFBY for production risks, price risk remains largely unaddressed. The PRF uses a grant-funded risk pool to catalyze insurer participation and aims to scale from current pilots to insuring USD 500 million annually within three years. The facility intends to transition from pure price insurance to comprehensive revenue insurance covering both yield and price risks.

The Seeded Initiative is a financial vehicle designed to address a critical bottleneck in Brazil's restoration value chain: the lack of capital for native seedling nurseries. To meet national targets of restoring 12 million hectares by 2030, Brazil needs approximately one billion seedlings annually, but currently produces only 200 million. The initiative employs a revolving debt structure using receivables-backed credit (via CPR-F, CRA, and FIDC instruments) and blended finance to provide working capital and CAPEX support to nurseries. The model transitions from high concessional support in its Proof-of-Concept phase to market-aligned returns in its commercial and scale-up phases. If scaled to one billion seedlings per year, the initiative could enable the restoration of 670,000 to 1 million hectares, removing an estimated 8.6 to 18.3 million tons of CO2e annually.

The Tropical Resilience Fund (TREF) is a USD 100 million closed-ended mezzanine debt fund designed to bridge the 'missing middle' financing gap for nature-based ventures in the tropical belt. Managed by Impact Earth, the fund employs a blended finance structure—combining a junior first-loss tranche with senior commercial capital—to invest in nature projects, productive systems, and market catalysts. TREF focuses on enhancing climate resilience across high-value commodities such as coffee, cacao, and rice, primarily in Latin America and Southeast Asia. The fund targets a net internal rate of return (IRR) of 10% and utilizes a three-stage resilience approach involving risk mapping, resilient operating plans, and post-investment verification.

The document details the methodology used to quantify investment risks (governance, financing, physical climate, market, infrastructure, and nature) and attributes (horizon, ticket size, and return) for livestock in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). It establishes a scoring system to match these risks with the risk tolerances of various public and private investors, while modeling how different finance and policy strategies (IFS and IFPS) could improve investor suitability. The analysis distinguishes between small-scale farms (2-10 hectares) and large-scale commercial farms (10+ hectares) across Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, and the rest of LAC, noting that small farms are primarily served by public and concessional finance, whereas large farms have better access to commercial private finance.

The report identifies that India requires USD 300 billion in total investment by 2032 to meet its National Electricity Plan-14 targets. It argues that managing project-specific risks is essential to keep the cost of capital low, as a 400 basis point increase in this cost could result in India falling short of its 2030 renewable energy target by 100 GW. Key risks analyzed include commissioning delays, the complexities of Firm and Dispatchable Renewable Energy (FDRE) projects, PV module performance and localization, and the financial instability of distribution companies (DISCOMs).

The document outlines a framework for evaluating the economic impact of transmission infrastructure, focusing on three primary benefit categories: congestion relief, resource adequacy, and public policy savings. It describes the specific calculations used for these benefits, the financial models applied to different ownership structures (investor-owned, public power, and merchant developers), and compares the results against original project projections for three specific case studies. The authors acknowledge several conservatisms in their approach, including the exclusion of certain benefit categories and the use of isolated line capacity estimates rather than complex power flow simulations.

The document argues that tax-exempt entities—such as CDFIs, green banks, and cooperatives—can overcome financial barriers to low-income solar adoption by becoming third-party owners. This model utilizes the IRA's 'direct pay' mechanism, Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF) capital, and bonus tax credits to reduce costs for LMI households, who often lack the tax liability to benefit from traditional residential credits.

The Clean Utilities for Affordable Housing instrument aims to raise USD 54 million (ZAR 976 million) to provide renewable energy as a service to affordable housing residents in South Africa. By partnering with major landlords to aggregate demand and using a catalytic subordinated funding vehicle to derisk investments, the model attracts commercial senior debt to fund solar installations. The first phase targets 28,000 housing units over five years, aiming to generate 1,352 GWh of renewable energy and avoid 1,369 ktCO2e. The instrument is designed to be financially sustainable, with a projected Fund internal rate of return (IRR) of 20-30% in the base case, and intends to expand into township retail and the Kenyan market.