The OPEC Fund for International Development and the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), alongside development partners, have launched a toolkit to help African cities prepare nature-based solutions for investment, as early-stage financing challenges continue to limit the development of climate resilience projects.
The toolkit was launched at COP31 during an investor roundtable focused on mobilising funding for projects that address urban flooding, water security and coastal protection.
The initiative, organised in partnership with UN-Habitat and Earthna, seeks to help cities develop investment-ready nature-based solutions and address barriers that prevent promising projects from attracting financing.
Opening the event, Musab Alomar, OPEC Fund Vice President for Strategy, emphasised the importance of climate resilience to the institution’s development mandate.
“At the OPEC Fund, climate resilience is not a side agenda. It is at the heart of our development mandate,” Alomar said.
The launch of the NbS Toolkit for Cities was a central feature of the event, with the resource designed to support cities in developing nature-based projects and overcoming challenges in accessing investment.
A panel discussion examined how early-stage financing, project preparation and risk-sharing mechanisms could help attract investment into nature-based solutions across African cities.
Valerie Herzog, Senior Climate Change Specialist at the OPEC Fund, joined representatives from the African Development Bank, the Green Climate Fund and the Islamic Development Bank for the discussion.
The roundtable also showcased promising nature-based projects from African cities, providing a platform to explore opportunities for investment and partnerships.
The discussions noted the challenge of moving promising climate solutions from the development stage to projects capable of attracting financing.
The OPEC Fund, IsDB, UN-Habitat and Earthna emphasised the importance of stronger partnerships and innovative financing in translating nature-based solutions into tangible benefits for communities and the environment.
