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This research paper evaluates South Africa's G20 presidency, noting its partial success in raising global awareness of Africa's challenges in accessing affordable development finance while highlighting a lack of consensus on reforming the G20's Common Framework for debt restructuring and the governance of the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

This research paper argues that South Africa should continue to prioritise the financial and debt challenges facing Africa following the conclusion of its 2025 G20 presidency. The author highlights a 'vicious cycle' where debt obligations and climate impacts undermine sustainable development goals, and proposes three specific actions—a technical report on finance barriers, the creation of an African Borrower's Club, and a review of IMF operating principles—to address these systemic issues.

The IDFC Green Finance Mapping 2025 executive summary reports that 23 member institutions committed USD 173 billion in green finance in 2024, a 13% decrease from 2023. While overall commitments fell, 14 of the 23 responding members increased their individual contributions. Climate finance dominated the total at 96% (USD 167 billion), with a significant 64% increase in adaptation finance to USD 17 billion, largely driven by the China Development Bank.

The IDFC Green Finance Mapping Report 2025 provides an executive summary of green finance commitments made by members of the International Development Finance Club (IDFC) in 2024. It details the distribution of climate and biodiversity finance, noting a 13% decrease in total green finance commitments compared to 2023, while highlighting the continued dominance of mitigation finance and the growth of adaptation finance.

This global communiqué, issued in March 2025 during the SEforALL Global Forum in Barbados, records the consensus of ministers and representatives from 28 countries on accelerating a just and inclusive energy transition. The document emphasizes the need for increased development finance to eradicate energy poverty and the importance of country-specific transition plans to attract investment aligned with net-zero goals.

This action brief by the Climate Policy Initiative outlines opportunities for development finance institutions (DFIs) and multilateral development banks (MDBs) to integrate a dual gender-nature lens into their investment processes to support biodiversity goals and gender equality.

This policy note by Daniel Bradlow of the South African Institute of International Affairs outlines how South Africa can leverage its 2025 G20 presidency to advance reforms in International Monetary Fund (IMF) governance and sovereign debt restructuring. The author argues that while South Africa inherits a complex portfolio of existing G20 issues, it has a realistic opportunity to push for more transparent IMF operating procedures regarding 'new' issues like climate change and to address the inefficiencies of the G20's Common Framework for Debt Treatment.

This research paper analyzes development finance flows for renewable and non-renewable energy in five Western Balkan countries from 2008 to 2020, identifying a total of US$3.2 billion in funding and noting that a significant portion supported non-renewable energy sources.

This report examines the use of risk mitigation and transfer (RMT) instruments to enable utility-scale renewable energy investments in the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC). Through case studies in Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, and Zambia, the authors analyze how financial instruments from development finance institutions (DFIs) help projects reach financial close by addressing offtaker, political, and currency risks. While RMTs have successfully protected existing projects during recent economic shocks, the report finds they are currently insufficient to enable new projects in countries facing severe debt distress, such as Zambia.

This statement, submitted by Accountability Counsel and several endorsing organizations to the UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights, provides feedback on the role of development finance institutions (DFIs) in ensuring accountability and remedy for human rights and environmental harms caused by their projects.

This report by the NewClimate Institute evaluates the role of Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) and Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) in transitioning the land sector toward Paris Agreement goals. It argues that current frameworks and strategies are insufficient, often prioritizing economic development and efficiency over transformative climate action, and identifies significant gaps in climate safeguards for projects in specific countries.

This research paper describes a review of 24 financing strategies for adaptation in developing countries, conducted as part of a four-year project to scale up development finance. The authors analyze the diversity of these strategies—ranging from high-level support documents to detailed costing frameworks—and provide emerging insights and established good practices to help governments better secure and manage funding for climate adaptation.

This executive summary by the Center for International Environmental Law outlines necessary reforms for the International Finance Corporation's (IFC) 'Approach to Greening Equity in Financial Institutions' (Green Equity Approach or GEA). While acknowledging the GEA's goal to phase out coal-related investments by 2030, the document argues that the current framework is too narrow to align the IFC's equity portfolio with the Paris Agreement and proposes ten essential improvements to address loopholes and integrate social and environmental safeguards.

This research paper analyzes development finance targeting climate change adaptation in Africa from 2014 to 2018, finding that funding levels are insufficient, heavily skewed toward mitigation, and characterized by low disbursement rates.

The NewClimate Institute proposes a four-tier rating system for agribusinesses to guide development finance toward activities consistent with the Paris Agreement's mitigation goals, focusing on deforestation, carbon sinks, and sustainable farming practices.

The NewClimate Institute and I4CE have developed an operationalization framework to provide practical guidance for members of the International Development Finance Club (IDFC) and Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) to align their financial flows with the Paris Agreement.

This executive summary from Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) analyzes the gap between financial commitments and actual disbursements for energy projects in 20 high-impact countries (HICs) across Africa and Asia. Using OECD Creditor Reporting System (CRS) data, the report highlights that while energy finance disbursements grew faster than overall development finance between 2013 and 2018, they still significantly lag behind commitments, hindering the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7).

This 2020 report by Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) analyzes the gap between financial commitments and actual disbursements for energy access in High-Impact Countries (HICs). Using OECD Creditor Reporting System (CRS) data, it evaluates the efficiency of development financing for electricity and clean cooking, identifying systemic delays and project design flaws that hinder the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7).

This report provides a comprehensive framework and actionable recommendations for members of the International Development Finance Club (IDFC)—a group of 24 national and regional development banks—to align their strategies and operations with the goals of the Paris Agreement. It emphasizes that alignment requires moving beyond incremental climate finance to a systemic transformation of financial flows, ensuring all activities are consistent with low-GHG, climate-resilient development pathways.

This fact sheet describes a USD 500 million inaugural green bond issued by the Netherlands Development Finance Company (FMO) on February 20, 2019, with a maturity date of February 20, 2024.