About
Private investors – often supported by public policy and finance – are already channeling significant amounts of money into the low-carbon economy in countries around the world, but much more investment is needed in order to tackle the climate challenge.
Well-designed financial instruments and appropriate public support that reduce private investors’ risks and improve their financial returns could play a central role in global efforts to address the adaptation and mitigation needs of developing countries.
The Global Innovation Lab for Climate Finance catalyzes this process by drawing on experience and expertise from around the world to identify, design, and pilot the next generation of climate finance instruments. These instruments provide concrete solutions to financing challenges faced in real projects, and can build new markets, attract new investors, and help to unlock billions of dollars in new climate-friendly investment in developing countries.
The Global Lab is part of broader government and private sector efforts to scale up climate finance. Given the urgent need to tackle climate change, governments are looking to use public resources to mobilize far greater private investment. The Lab helps by bringing public and private sector representatives together in a dialogue to enable a shared understanding of goals and perspectives, and work together to identify barriers and solutions to mobilizing investment. It moves quickly from talk to action by accelerating promising climate finance proposals so that they are ready to implement. By developing these project-ready solutions, it complements and feeds-in to existing processes such as the UNFCCC, NDC commitments, Green Climate Fund, climate disclosure, and impact investment efforts.
The Global Lab has served as the incubator and model for regional Labs including the India Innovation Lab for Green Finance and Brasil Innovation Lab for Climate Finance.
Global Lab Members
Global Lab Steering Group
Patrick Suckling
Ambassador for the Environment, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Australia
Daniel Firger
Environment Program, Bloomberg Philanthropies
Norbert Gorißen
Head of International Climate Change, Federal Ministry for Environment, Nature Conservation, and Nuclear Safety (BMU), Germany
Joëlla van Rijn
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Netherlands
Lorenzo Bernasconi
Associate Director, Rockefeller Foundation
Angelina Avgeropoulou
Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, UK
Daniel Kandy
Foreign Affairs Officer, US Department of State
Global Lab Principals and Advisors
Oliver Andrews – Lab Principal
Executive Director and Chief Investment Officer, Africa Finance Corporation
Tariye Gbadegesin – Lab Advisor
Head, Heavy Industries & Telecoms, Africa Finance Corporation (AFC)
Stefan Nalletamby – Lab Principal
Vice-President, African Development Bank (AfDB)
Astrid Manroth – Lab Advisor
Manager of Environment and Climate Change, Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Change, African Development Bank (AfDB)
Mustapha Bakkoury – Lab Principal
Chairman of the Board, Moroccan Agency for Solar Energy (Masen)
Obaid Amrane – Lab Advisor
Board Member, Moroccan Agency for Solar Energy (Masen)
Jim Barry – Lab Principal
Managing Director, BlackRock Infrastructure Investment Group (BIIG) and CIO BlackRock NTR Renewable Power Fund
Rael Mcnally – Lab Advisor
Director, Alternative Investments, Blackrock
Alan Synnott – Lab Advisor
Director, BlackRock Alternative Investors
Dr. Claus Stickler – Lab Principal
Managing Director, Allianz Investment Management
Martin Ewald – Lab Advisor
Managing Director, Head of Investment Strategy Infrastructure Equity, Allianz Global Investors
Rowan Douglas – Lab Principal
CEO of the Willis Capital, Science & Policy Practice, Willis Group
Olivia Darby – Lab Advisor
Chief Operating Officer, Capital, Science & Policy Practice, Willis Group
Sophie Evans – Lab Advisor
Program Director, Capital, Science & Policy Practice, Willis Group
Thomas Courbe – Lab Principal
Deputy Director General, French Treasury
Delphine Eyraud – Lab Advisor
Senior Policy Adviser, International Climate Negotiations, French Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Energy
Damien Navizet – Lab Advisor
Head of the Climate Division, Agence Française de Développement (AFD)
Stephane His – Lab Advisor
Senior Expert, Climate Change, Agence Française de Développement (AFD)
Audrey Rojkoff – Lab Advisor
Senior Climate Finance Advisor, Agence Française de Développement (AFD)
Anette Eberhard – Lab Principal
CEO, Denmark’s Export Credit Agency (EKF)
Mariane Soendergaard-Jensen – Lab Advisor
Director of the International Relations Department, EKF
Dan Cleff – Lab Advisor
Deputy Director, International Relations Department EKF
Anders Hoffmann – Lab Principal
Danish Deputy Permanent Secretary of State
Asger Garnak – Lab Advisor
Chief advisor, Climate and Energy Finance, Danish Energy Agency
Hans Jakob Eriksen – Lab Advisor
Special Advisor, Danish Ministry of Energy, Utilities and Climate
João Carlos Ferraz – Lab Principal
Managing Director, Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES)
Raphael Stein – Lab Advisor
Coordinator, Environmental Department, Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES)
Karsten Sach – Lab Principal
Director General Climate Policy, European and International Policy, Federal Ministry for Environment, Nature Conservation, and Nuclear Safety, Germany
Norbert Gorißen – Lab Advisor
Head of International Climate Finance, International Climate Initiative Division, Federal Ministry for Environment, Nature Conservation, and Nuclear Safety, Germany
Margarita Astralaga – Lab Principal
Director, Division of Environment, Climate Gender and Social Inclusion, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)
Charlotte Salford – Lab Principal
Associate Vice President, External Relations and Governance Dept, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)
Amath Pathe Sene – Lab Principal
Lead Technical Specialist, Environment-Climate for West and Central Africa, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)
Andrew Pidden – Lab Principal
Managing Director, Head of Sustainable Investments, DWS (formerly Deutsche Asset Management)
Murray Birt – Lab Advisor
Vice President, Senior ESG Strategist, DWS (formerly Deutsche Asset Management)
Susanne Kern – Lab Advisor
Vice President, Sustainable Investments, DWS (formerly Deutsche Asset Management)
Linda Broekhuizen – Lab Principal
Chief Investment Officer, FMO
Joëlla van Rijn – Lab Advisor
Senior Advisor, Climate Finance, Netherlands Ministry for Foreign Affairs
Michael Liebreich – Lab Principal
Chairman of the Advisory Board, Bloomberg New Energy Finance
Peter Sweatman- Lab Advisor
Chief Executive and Founder, Climate Strategy & Partners
Lab Principal TBC
Stephen Morel – Lab Advisor
Climate Finance Specialist, Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC)
Brian O’Hanlon – Lab Advisor
Director of Business Development, Global Energy Group, Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC)
Paddy Padmanathan – Lab Principal
President and CEO, ACWA Power
Thierry Tardy – Lab Advisor
Executive Director, Acquisition and Project Finance, ACWA Power
Kjell Roland – Lab Principal
Managing Director of Norfund (Norwegian Investment Fund for Developing Countries)
Georg Børsting – Lab Advisor
Policy Advisor, Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
John Roome – Lab Principal
Senior Director, Climate Change, World Bank Group
Vikram Widge – Lab Advisor
Head, Climate Finance and Policy, International Finance Corporation
Paul Currie – Lab Principal
Chief Risk Officer, Development Bank of Southern Africa
Jonathan First
Head of Syndication Finance, Development Bank of Southern Africa
Honorable Dr. Vincent Biruta
Minister of Natural Resources, Government of Rwanda
Hubert Ruzibiza
CEO, FONERWA
Lab Principal TBC
Angelina Avgeropoulou – Lab Advisor
Senior Policy Advisor, Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, UK
Purna Saggurti – Lab Principal
Global Chair of Investment Banking, Bank of America Merrill Lynch
Abyd Karmali – Lab Advisor
Managing Director, Climate Finance, Bank of America Merrill Lynch
Juan Pablo Bonilla – Lab Principal
Vice President for the Private Sector, Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)
Amal-Lee Amin – Lab Advisor
Chief, Climate Change and Sustainability Division, Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)
Toro Sugio– Lab Principal
Senior Deputy Director, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Japan
Kotaro Taniguchi – Lab Advisor
Director, Office for Climate Change, Global Environment Dept, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)
Ryutaro Murotani – Lab Advisor
Deputy Head, Office for Global Issues and Development Partnership Operations Strategy Dept, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)
Stephen Opitz – Lab Principal
Member of the Management Committee, KfW Development Bank
Peter Hilliges – Lab Advisor
Head of Division Climate and Energy Policy Unit, KfW Development Bank
Dr. Martin Lux – Lab Advisor
Senior Sector Economist Climate Finance and Policy, KfW Development Bank
Former Members
Eloy W. Lindeijer – Lab Principal
Chief Investment Management, PGGM
Marcel Jeucken – Lab Advisor
Managing Director Responsible Investment, PGGM
Bennett Freeman – Lab Principal
Senior Vice President, Sustainability Research and Policy, Calvert Investments
Gabriel Thoumi – Lab Advisor
Senior Sustainability Analyst, Calvert Investments
Torben Möger Pedersen – Lab Principal
CEO, PensionDanmark
Susanne Røge Lund – Lab Advisor
Head of SRI, PensionDanmark
Global Lab Observers
Bloomberg New Energy Finance
Climate Finance Advisors
Convergence Finance
European Investment Bank (EIB)
Green Climate Fund (GCF)
International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)
Impax Asset Management
Nordic Development Fund (NDF)
Nedbank
Ideas

MaliBuluu / MaliVerde
A large scale grant fund mechanism for climate adaptation and mitigation projects for smallholder farmers and fishers in African countries, which supports multiple community-managed revolving credit facilities for small-scale producers in land and seascapes

Clean Energy Bank for Smallholder Farmers
A micro-finance bank/facility to offtake smallholder produce in exchange for enhanced energy access via solar irrigation pumps, with additional financial incentives for tree planting

Cocoa Climate Resilience Fund
A fund to accelerate climate adaptation measures for smallholder farmers in the cocoa sector in West Africa, such as shading and crop diversification

Pact Global Solar Fund
A fund to expand access to energy and accelerate economic development in emerging markets by providing low-cost consumer and small business finance solutions for solar home systems and productive use equipment

Blue Carbon Resilience Credit
A hybrid blue carbon and resilience credit, where corporations seeking to offset their carbon footprint can buy credits to fund coastal restoration and conservation projects

Capital Markets Solutions for Urban Resiliency
A bond mechanism to drive critical investment to climate resilience infrastructure in cities in Latin America, which pools small cities and municipalities to finance climate resilient projects

The West African Initiative for Climate Smart Agriculture
A dedicated blended finance fund providing financial and technical support to smallholder farmer organizations and agribusinesses to adopt climate-smart agriculture practices in West Africa

Blockchain Climate Risk Crop Insurance
A standardized, digital index crop insurance platform for smallholder farmers that addresses the impacts of climate change on crop production by making insurance more transparent, efficient, and scalable

Solar Securitization for Rwanda
A securitization which allows solar developers’ to obtain capital to expand their sales, meeting the clean energy access needs of African households

Restoration Insurance Service Company (RISCO)
A social enterprise that finances and manages implementation of mangrove restoration and conservation by capturing the financial benefits generated by reducing property damage risks and storing blue carbon

The Breathe Better Bond Initiative
A bond issue with tied in technical assistance and financial incentives for local governments to finance air pollution and GHG emission reducing urban infrastructure in emerging market cities

Cooling as a Service (CaaS)
A pay-per-service model to decrease energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions from cooling systems in cities around the world, by making more efficient cooling technologies more accessible to customers

Pay As You Save for Clean Transport
A vehicle to accelerate investment in clean transit by lowering the upfront cost of electric buses, allowing a utility to capitalize the on-board battery and charging station for bus owners and recover its costs with a predictable monthly charge

Green Aggregation Tech Enterprise (GATE)
A vehicle to increase clean energy access through mini-grids in Sub-Saharan Africa, by addressing demand and revenue risk through a risk pooling guarantee

Smallholder Forestry Vehicle
A mechanism to scale up sustainable forestry in Africa through which investors buy portfolios of trees that have been planted by smallholders on degraded land, and recoup their investment once the trees are harvested and sold

Climate Resilience and Adaptation Finance & Technology Transfer Facility (CRAFT)
A fund that blends commercial and catalytic finance to invest growth equity in companies to accelerate the diffusion of climate intelligence products and resilience building solutions

Cloud Forest Blue Energy Mechanism
A mechanism for restoration and conservation of cloud forests in Latin America, which can improve the productivity of hydroelectric plants

Renewable Energy Scale-Up Facility (RESF)
An innovative options mechanism to dramatically reduce risk and drive large amounts of private institutional investment into early-stage renewable energy development in emerging markets

Water Financing Facility
The Water Financing Facility mobilizes domestic investment into climate compatible water sector projects through the local bond market.

Climate-Smart Lending Platform
A platform to bring together the tools, actors, and finance necessary to help lenders incorporate climate risk in their loan portfolios while incentivizing the adoption of climate-smart farming methods by smallholders.

Oasis Platform for Catastrophe and Climate Change Risk Assessment and Adaptation
A platform to provide open access to data and open source modeling tools that enable risk assessments as well as the transparent evaluation of economic and financial losses associated with extreme climate-related events.

Energy Efficiency Enabling Initiative
A private equity fund that relies on donor-backed equity capital, technical assistance, and risk mitigation instruments to crowd in private investment in energy efficiency.

Small-Scale Renewables Financing Facility
An instrument to increase investment in small-scale renewables by increasing access to long-term debt and construction finance through a discounting facility” and a mezzanine facility

Clean Energy Investment Accelerator (CEIA)
A revolving working-capital fund to develop bankable renewable energy and energy efficiency projects combined with early-stage venture capital

Energy Savings Insurance
An instrument to insure the financial performance of energy efficiency savings projects in Mexico and other countries

Long-Term FX Risk Management
An instrument to provide tools to address currency and interest rate risk for climate relevant projects in developing countries

Agricultural Supply Chain Adaptation Facility
A facility to provide farmers with know-how and finance for climate-resilient investments, by enabling development banks to partner with agribusiness corporations who empower farmers within their supply chains

Renewable Energy Platform for Institutional Investors (REPIN)
A platform to facilitate institutional investment in renewable energy projects, aiming to increase the scale of available financing and to reduce its costs

Climate Investor One
A financing facility for early-stage development, construction financing, and refinancing to fast-track renewable energy projects in developing countries

Debt Fund for Prepaid Energy Access
A fund to lend to energy service providers of prepaid solar home system products and services, providing the necessary working capital to expand energy access in Sub-Saharan Africa

Global Renewable Independent Power Supplier (GRIPS)
An innovative renewable energy service company, building and operating a diversified portfolio of hybrid energy plants in remote areas in developing countries
News & Events
Lab busca ideias inovadoras de instrumentos financeiros para o ciclo 2020
November 21, 2019O Global Innovation Lab for Climate Finance (Lab) está buscando ideias de instrumentos inovadores de investimento sustentável para projetos de mitigação e adaptação climática em países em desenvolvimento. Este ano, há uma chamada especial para ideias de acesso à energia sustentável, cidades sustentáveis, agricultura sustentável e soluções baseadas na natureza, e com foco em Brasil, […]
The Lab at COP25
November 20, 2019Experts from the Lab network will host and present at several events at COP25 that cover the Lab and innovative instruments to drive sustainable finance, as well as the global landscape of climate finance, climate alignment in the financial sector, approaches to closing the investment gap for urban subnational climate projects and infrastructure, and other […]
Webinar: The Lab Call for Ideas 2020
November 19, 2019 Download here the presentation for this webinar. The Global Innovation Lab for Climate Finance is currently accepting proposals for financial instruments that can unlock investment to tackle some of the most difficult sustainable development challenges. In five years, the Lab has launched 41 innovative financial instruments that have collectively mobilized nearly US$ 2 billion […]
The Lab partners with the Sustainable Innovation Forum at COP25
November 15, 2019The Global Innovation Lab for Climate Finance (the Lab) is pleased to announce a partnership with the 10th Sustainable Innovation Forum 2019 convened alongside the UNFCCC’s COP 25. The Forum has a reputation as one of the largest business focused event at COP, facilitating direct engagement between private and public sector leaders. As an official […]
BASE has launched the Cooling as a Service Alliance
November 7, 2019Cooling as a Service (CaaS), endorsed by the Lab in September as part of the 2019 cycle, is launching the CaaS Alliance, a partnership between technology providers, cooling customers, investors, and other stakeholders in the model. The alliance aims to create a collaborative environment between stakeholders active in the market as well as facilitators to […]
The New Times: Rwanda’s solar energy ambition receives $9 million boost
October 7, 2019The 2019 Lab Instrument Solar Securitization for Rwanda was featured in The New Times, a newspaper from Rwanda. The article describes how the instrument fits into the country’s energy ambition and says that “by 2024, off-grid solutions will contribute up to 48 percent of national electrification”. It also explains how the mechanism is a solution […]
Business Green: Major investors embark on green farming, cities, and clean energy financing drive
Business Green, a UK’s specialized media outlet on green economy and environmental issues, has published a note about the Lab’s 2019 endorsement meeting, which took place on October 2nd at The Rockefeller Foundation, in New York. It quotes Lab director Barbara Buchner, also executive director of the Climate Policy Initiative, saying the projects would unlock investment […]
Investors launch new solutions for climate action targeting blue carbon, clean energy access, sustainable agriculture, and sustainable cities in developing countries
October 2, 2019New York, 2 Oct 2019 – Today, the Global Innovation Lab for Climate Finance announced the endorsement and launch of six innovative financial instruments for climate-related projects in developing countries. The Lab, an initiative of over 60 public and private investors and institutions, accelerates much-needed investment solutions to support developing countries to meet their climate […]
Forbes: How Private Equity Can Fight Climate Change
September 25, 2019Forbes interviewed Jay Koh, Co-founder and Managing Director of The Lightsmith Group and the proponent of 2017 Lab instrument CRAFT (Climate Resilience and Adaptation Finance & Technology Transfer Facility). He talked about how private equity can help address the risks of climate change. “All investments will be impacted by climate risk, and investments in every […]
Marketplace: At UN Climate Summit, both anger and the need for money are palpable
Marketplace published an article about the UN Climate Summit telling how climate finance is a much more tangible topic than it used to be just five years ago. The publication quotes Barbara Buchner, Executive Director of the Climate Finance program at Climate Policy Initiative. She explains that climate finance is taking climate into account when […]
Apolitical: Inside the innovation lab solving climate financing
Apolitical spoke with Ben Broche, program manager of the Lab, about the many climate finance instruments incubated by the Lab and how it “aims to create sustainable development financial products that are innovative to attract private investors and donor governments.” The article mentions solutions developed by the Lab, like Cloud Forest Blue Energy Mechanism and Restoration […]
2018 Lab instrument DESH signs MoU with municipality of Belo Horizonte
August 19, 2019An instrument from the Lab’s 2018 cycle, Distributed Energy for Social Housing (DESH) signed a memorandum of understanding with the municipality of Belo Horizonte on July 22nd. DESH offers cheaper distributed solar energy for low-income tenants. Through this partnership, PopLuz, the implementing product of DESH, is registering potential customers among residents of popular housing. Proponents Endless and […]
Instrumento do Lab de 2018, DESH assina parceria com prefeitura de Belo Horizonte
Instrumento lançado pelo Lab no Brasil em 2018, Distributed Energy for Social Housing (DESH) assinou um memorando de entendimento com a prefeitura de Belo Horizonte, no dia 22 de julho. O serviço oferece energia solar mais barata a condomínios de baixa renda. Através da parceria, o PopLuz, produto comercial resultante do DESH, fará o cadastro […]
Climate Investor One, 2015 Lab instrument, reaches final close at USD 850 million
June 21, 2019Climate Fund Managers today announced the final close of the Climate Investor One Stichting Development Fund and Coöperatief Construction Equity Fund U.A. at a combined USD 850 million. The fund focuses on financing for renewable energy in emerging markets and estimates it will support renewable energy delivery to 13 million people. The fund model was […]
Investor initiative chooses ideas that will mobilize investment for sustainable cities, energy access, blue carbon, and sustainable agriculture
March 5, 2019LONDON – The Global Innovation Lab for Climate Finance, an investor-led initiative that identifies, develops, and launches promising solutions to drive critical investment to action on climate change in developing countries, has selected its top six ideas for 2019. At a time when large-scale action on climate change is more urgent than ever before, the […]
Germany invests EUR 50 million in Lab proponent TCX for long-term FX risk management
December 11, 201811 December 2018 The Currency Exchange Fund (TCX) has announced that the German Federal Ministry of Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) has invested EUR 50 million in TCX up to 2045. EUR 20 mln is a new investment and EUR 30 mln is an extension of 20 years of an existing investment into […]
IFAD and the Lab launch new partnership to drive finance to African smallholder farmers combating climate change
September 28, 201828 September, 2018 New York — Today, in the margins of the United Nations General Assembly, the Global Innovation Lab for Climate Finance (the Lab) and the International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD) announced a new partnership that will help build climate resilience for smallholder farmers in Central and West Africa by developing and scaling […]
Oasis Platform to be used for catastrophe modelling in the Philippines and Bangladesh
August 1, 20182016 Global Lab instrument Oasis, an open source catastrophe modelling platform, is pleased to announce a major project funded by the International Climate Initiative (IKI) of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) for the co-development of catastrophe models for flood in the Philippines and windstorm in Bangladesh. Oasis’ […]
Climate Investor One Third Close at USD 535 Million
June 21, 2018Climate Fund Managers, the fund manager of the innovative blended finance facility Climate Investor One (CIO), announces the Third Close at USD 535 million. The Third Close increases the facility by an additional ca. USD 75 million. Climate Investor One, a 2015 Global Lab instrument, launched in partnership between FMO, the Dutch Development Bank, and […]
Landscape News: Blue energy initiative restores cloud forests, boosts hydropower
May 16, 2018Many companies are taking steps to lower their impact on the environment, but what if a greater number could be convinced that investing in restoration was worth their while? For environmentalists it is a compelling idea, and a new initiative by The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and Conservation International (CI), incubated by the Global Innovation Lab for Climate Finance, proposes to […]
CRAFT, a 2017 Global Lab instrument, receives USD 1.6 million from Nordic Development Fund and Global Environment Facility
November 13, 2017Bonn, Germany – November 13, 2017 View the original press release from the Lightsmith Group here. The Lightsmith Group (Lightsmith) – the proponent of the 2017 Global Lab instrument CRAFT – today announced that it is receiving $1.6 million in funding from Nordic Development Fund (NDF) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF). Conservation International is the GEF […]
Dinheiro Vivo: Inovação portuguesa no financiamento do clima apresentada em Nova Iorque
September 22, 2017Get2C foi distinguida pela competição internacional The Lab, cuja sessão de apresentação decorre à margem da Semana do Clima de Nova Iorque. Read more: https://www.dinheirovivo.pt/empresas/inovacao-portuguesa-no-financiamento-do-clima-apresentada-em-nova-iorque/
Reuters: Climate investment incubator branches out into cloud forests, cattle ranches
Latin American cloud forests, energy-saving street lights in Rio de Janeiro and sustainable cattle ranching in the Amazon will get a boost from new financial instruments to channel capital for tackling climate change, their backers said. The Lab, a network of programs that incubates sustainable finance mechanisms, expects to attract an initial $855 million to […]
Climate Investor One announces first close at USD 412mn
June 27, 2017Climate Investor One is the inaugural financing facility launched by Climate Fund Managers (CFM), and incubated and developed within the auspices of the Global Lab. It is the first of an intended series of climate finance initiatives designed to combat the detrimental effects of unmitigated climate change. CIO will provide expertise, technology & financing to […]
Open Data Hub Launches with Aims to Narrow $125 Billion Natural Hazard “Protection Gap”
June 7, 2017The Launch of Oasis HUB introduces a transparent data exchange to accelerate the ability of communities to adapt and protect themselves against the worst disasters, backed by funding from Climate-KIC and H2020. The Oasis Platform was endorsed in June 2016 by the G7-backed Global Innovation Lab for Climate Finance in light of its transformative potential. […]
Closing the Climate Protection Gap through Collaboration & Open Data
June 5, 2017Total economic losses to property and infrastructure from natural disasters have averaged around USD $180 billion annually in the last decade, 70% of which are uninsured (Swiss Re, 2015). Ever-increasing climate-related disasters are driving up insured and uninsured losses, placing the insurance sector under threat, and creating significant problems for those sectors involved in maintaining […]
Netherlands Government commits EUR 10mn to Water Financing Facility, marking a milestone for water finance and climate adaptation
April 26, 2017New York, April 26, 2017— Today, during a meeting of the Global Innovation Lab for Climate Finance, the Dutch government announced EUR 10mn for an innovative facility that will enable private finance for otherwise difficult-to-fund water projects in emerging markets, starting with Kenya. This news marks a key milestone in financing for water and climate […]
Wall Street Journal on CRAFT and the Lab
April 25, 2017Lightsmith Group, a new firm founded by former Siguler Guff & Co. partner Jay Koh, is getting closer to launching a private-equity fund to invest in protecting communities from droughts, floods and threats from a changing global climate. The New York firm is working with the Global Innovation Lab for Climate Finance, an incubator, to […]
MoMo4Climate opens first call for proposals
March 16, 2017The Dutch private climate finance challenge ‘MoMo4Climate’ calls for fresh proposals. MoMo is interested in ideas that attract private investment for climate mitigation or adaptation programs. The challenge is to send a proposal that can attract private investors. MoMo4Climate tests your business case through a panel of financial experts, offers advice to make your case […]
Financial Times: The drive for a social purpose
March 10, 2017“What if that bond in your fixed income portfolio not only paid you a decent interest rate but also saved a giant forest from succumbing to wildfires? What if your latest venture capital investment not only earned you a fat return but also provided jobs for former prisoners who otherwise would find it tough to […]
Energy Savings Insurance scales across Latin America and beyond
March 2, 2017March 2, 2017— Energy Savings Insurance overcomes investment barriers to energy efficiency by providing an insurance product for projected energy savings for efficiency projects undertaken by small and medium sized enterprises. Endorsed by the Global Innovation Lab for Climate Finance in 2015, the Inter-American Development Bank has led the implementation of Energy Savings Insurance, and now has […]
Lab instrument helping to connect 500 African homes to solar each day
March 2, 2017–The Long-Term FX Risk Management instrument, developed and endorsed by the Global Innovation Lab for Climate Finance, aims to increase financing for low-carbon projects by providing foreign exchange and interest rate risk management instruments. TCX – the implementing partner of the instrument – recently worked with M-Kopa, a solar electricity systems provider that brings power to low-income homes […]
Oasis Platform pilot moves forward in Asia
March 1, 2017March 1, 2017–The pilot of the Oasis Platform for Climate and Catastrophe Risk Assessment in Asia has passed the pre-selection process of the International Climate Initiative (IKI) of the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB). Dickie Whitaker and Tracy Irvine, the proponents of the Oasis Platform, are now working with the Lab Secretariat […]
Reuters article: Could restoring Latin America’s cloud forests boost hydropower?
February 13, 2017Cloud Forest Blue Energy Mechanism, new Lab instrument proposed by Nature Conservancy and Conservation International, featured in Reuters. Read more
US-Brazil investor group picks three financial instruments that can drive funds for climate action
February 9, 2017Rio de Janeiro, February 9, 2017 — Brazil aims to reduce emissions by 37% by 2025, mostly through changes in its land use and energy sectors. Like in many emerging economies, however, funding to meet these targets remains a challenge. This week, a group of public and private investors met for the first time in […]
New Global Lab instruments in development
December 6, 2016December 6, 2016, London – The Global Innovation Lab for Climate Finance has selected three new ideas for climate finance instruments to move forward for further analysis, development, and preparation for launching in its 2016-2017 cycle – a cloud forest conservation fund, a facility for early stage finance for renewable energy, and a commercial investment […]
Netherlands government commits development funding to establish Climate-Smart Lending Platform
December 2, 2016The Climate-Smart Lending Platform will assist local lenders, including banks, microfinance institutions and cooperatives, adopt climate-smart lending practices and manage climate risk in their agricultural loan portfolios, while incentivizing the adoption of climate-smart farming methods by smallholders. The approach was developed by F3 Life, in partnership with the Lab. The Netherlands Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation has been a supporter of […]
Oasis Platform receives endorsement from two key players to take the pilot demonstration forward
November 15, 2016November 15, 2016-The Oasis Platform for Catastrophe and Climate Change Risk Assessment, which works to provide access to transparent and standardized analytics to improve understanding and management of risks in regions vulnerable to extreme climate-related events, has now cemented ties with the two key groups of stakeholders relevant for its pilot. It received endorsement from the Insurance […]
UN learns from Lab model to launch Financial Innovation Platform to support Sustainable Development Goals
October 12, 2016Dr. Barbara Buchner, Head of the Lab Secretariat, presented the Lab at a high-level finance gathering at the United Nations on Monday, October 10th. Secretary General Ban Ki Moon said, “This global initiative can support the identification and piloting of innovative finance instruments that can drive investment and support well thought-out SDG interventions.” Read more
Economist article: The green light
October 6, 2016Economist features Energy Savings Insurance in article about the Green Climate Fund’s progress. Read more
Investor network seeks powerful, actionable ideas to drive finance for a low-carbon, climate-resilient economy
September 19, 2016Submit ideas at http://www.ClimateFinanceIdeas.org New York—Today, in the margins of Climate Week, a network of investors, governments, businesses, and foundations launched a call for ideas to accelerate finance for climate mitigation and adaptation. “Nations and businesses have put forward strong targets for climate action, but implementation is still a challenge, particularly when it comes to investment,” […]
Green Climate Fund approves USD 21.7 million for Energy Savings Insurance to expand to El Salvador
July 1, 20161 July 2016 – In its first round of approvals this year, the Green Climate Fund approved funding for Energy Savings Insurance (ESI). The Global Innovation Lab for Climate Finance (the Lab) endorsed Energy Saving Insurance in 2015. It has been developed and led by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), with funding to-date from the Danish government, and it […]
Reuters: New ways to lower investment risk seek to propel climate action
June 30, 2016“The innovation lab has so far mobilized close to $600 million in seed money for initiatives from its backers, which include the British, Danish, Dutch, German and U.S. governments, as well as banks, foundations and other investors.” Read more
Global coalition of governments, investors, and foundations launch four new financial instruments to catalyze billions for developing country climate action
June 27, 2016London, June 27, 2016—Today the Global Innovation Lab for Climate Finance (The Lab) announced endorsement for four new investment vehicles that are ready to pilot in developing countries. This announcement is in partnership with The Lab members, including the Danish, Dutch, German, United Kingdom and United States governments, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Willis Group, development […]
Philanthropy’s Role in Financing a Climate-Resilient World
June 16, 2016The Rockefeller Foundation cites The Lab in a new commentary piece on philanthropy’s role in resilience finance. Read more
Can Philanthropy Spur the Massive Climate Finance the Developing World Needs?
June 13, 2016The Lab and two of its funders, Bloomberg Philanthropies and Rockefeller Foundation, are mentioned as examples of innovative philanthropic solutions to scale up finance for development and climate needs. Read more
USAID Partners with Climate Investor One
March 22, 2016Climate Fund Managers, the Fund Manager to Climate Investor One recently announced a new association with USAID through their Power Africa programme. USAID is the lead U.S. Government agency working to end extreme global poverty and enable resilient, democratic societies to realize their potential. In support of Climate Investor One, USAID has pledged a sum […]
Climate Investor One sign first term sheet
February 19, 2016During the Making Solar Bankable conference of 18-19 February 2016 in Amsterdam, Climate Investor One witnessed the signing of its first term sheet – a significant operational milestone in what has already been an exciting start to 2016 for Climate Fund Managers, the fund manager of Climate Investor One. The project, which is due to […]
Development Finance Magazine features The Lab model and instruments
February 17, 2016Five new instruments to drive investment in developing countries have been chosen for development by the Global Innovation Lab for Climate Finance. Three ideas are based on enhancing climate resilience and two are mitigation-focused. The Lab selected the proposals in January, following a scoping process which tested the viability of each idea. Read more
The Lab selects six new ideas to drive finance for climate adaptation and mitigation
December 4, 2015PARIS–The Global Innovation Lab for Climate Finance has selected six new ideas for additional analysis, stress-testing, and development in the next phase of its second year. During its Call for Ideas, which was open from October 7th through November 7th, The Lab received a huge breadth and quality of submissions. Following an initial screening of these […]
Germany to provide €30mn to TCX for currency hedging instruments
PARIS – During the Lima-Paris Action Agenda from COP21, The German Environmental Ministry announced it will provide €30million to the hedging specialist TCX, one of the implementing entities of the Long-Term FX Risk Management Instrument alongside IFC. The Ministry will channel funds through KfW Development Bank. Starting in 2016, TCX will use these funds for innovative and […]
Dutch Government announces €50m commitment to Climate Investor One
December 3, 2015PARIS—At COP21, during a launch event for Climate Investor One, the Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Mrs Lilianne Ploumen announced a EUR 50 million commitment to the instrument. Climate Investor One (formerly the Climate Development and Finance Facility) will help fast-track renewable energy projects in developing countries, mobilizing an estimated […]
India Innovation Lab for Green Finance, a sister to The Global Lab
November 12, 2015With the endorsement of the Government of India’s Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, The India Innovation Lab builds on the successes of The Global Lab, but adapts them to India’s unique opportunities and challenges. Read more
The Rockefeller Foundation urges a scale up of private adaptation finance, calls for ideas to The Lab
October 29, 2015In a piece titled, “It’s Time to Scale Up Finance for Climate Resilience and Adaptation,” The Rockefeller Foundation outlines why adaptation finance is more important now than ever. Read more
The Lab featured on Environment and Energy TV’s On Point
October 20, 2015Dr. Barbara Buchner discusses the need to scale up private climate finance, and the next round of The Lab. Read more
The Global Innovation Lab for Climate Finance seeks new initiatives to drive billions of dollars to climate adaptation and mitigation in developing countries
October 7, 2015Building on hundreds of millions of dollars in initial funding for Lab initiatives and G7 endorsement, The Lab is now launching a second cycle Submit ideas here, deadline: November 6th LIMA— Today, financial leaders gather in Lima, Peru to review pledges to provide finance to help poor countries around the world address climate change. In this […]
President Obama’s climate change action plan includes The Lab
September 23, 2015At the United Nations on September 23, President Obama participated in the Climate Summit — a meeting of world leaders to showcase climate action commitments from governments, local leaders, and the private sector. Part of the White House action plan is to mobilize climate finance and the plan cites The Lab as the key point […]
The Lab seeks a Senior Associate
September 8, 2015The Lab Secretariat is looking for a talented and a motivated individual at Senior Associate level. This position will play a key role in the initiative, and over the next year will work to help shape and launch the Second Lab Cycle, incorporating learning and experiences from the First Lab Cycle. Read more
The World Bank features The Lab in climate finance lessons blog
September 2, 2015Climate change presents serious and growing risks to the global economic system, with a number of recent studies showing the impact that climate change is already having on livelihoods and business models… Read more
G-7 voices support for The Lab
June 8, 2015Group of Seven leaders met in Bavaria, Germany June 7-8. In the communique released following their meetings, the G-7 committed to accelerating access to renewable energy in developing countries by building on The Lab and other initiatives. Read more
The UK government commits £50 million to the Climate Development and Finance Facility to help developing countries tackle climate change
May 29, 2015London – The UK government has announced a £50 million commitment of existing funding to the Climate Development and Finance Facility that will help fast-track renewable energy projects in developing countries. The Climate Development and Finance Facility has been developed within the framework of The Global Innovation Lab for Climate Finance (The Lab), an initiative that supports the identification and […]
The World Bank Decarbonizing Development Report Features The Lab Instruments
May 28, 2015Stabilizing climate change entails reducing net emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) to zero. This report outlines three principles to guide countries in their efforts to create a zero-carbon future….. Read more
The Global Innovation Lab for Climate Finance launches four initiatives to drive billions in climate investment
April 22, 2015Initiatives begin fundraising efforts, collectively raise over $100 million in initial funding NEW YORK – As nations work to address climate change, access to finance has emerged as a critical element particularly in developing countries, which are often unable to attract private investment to low-carbon and climate resilient activities. Today, The Global Innovation Lab for Climate […]
ClimateWire features Energy Savings Insurance
From the article featuring The Lab instrument, Energy Savings Insurance: “The idea — which is among four proposals from nearly 100 applications — is to underwrite energy efficiency investments. The Inter-American Development Bank has pledged a $20 million credit line and secured $2.5 million in grants from a World Bank fund. According to the consortium, […]
Michael Liebreich Held A Webinar On FiRe 2015
January 13, 2015Michael Liebreich, the founder of Finance for Resilience (FiRe) and Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) held a webinar on FiRe 2015. Discussion topics included a background to FiRe, the different FiRe roles, the achievements of FiRe 2014 and what qualifies as a good submission for FiRe 2015. In 2014, FiRe had six winners in three […]
Banking Exchange: 5 “green” resolutions for bankers
January 5, 2015From the article featuring The Lab: “A wave is building, formed of billions, even trillions of dollars in available financing for “green” purposes and projects. Banks and asset managers have seen an upsurge in the preference for “green” investments, exemplified by the announcement that the Rockefeller family trusts will in the future focus on “cleantech” […]
RMI Holds Kick-Off Event For Business Renewables Center
November 14, 2014The FiRe winner “Business Resource Center (BRC)” launched by the Rocky Mountains Institute (RMI) hosted its kick-off event on 3 November in New York. With over 60 participants ranging from Fortune 500 corporations, project developers to service providers and non-profit organizations, the event was a tremendous success and marks the starting point for further activities […]
IDB blogs about The Lab and ASCAF
October 19, 2014Kelle Bevine is Chief of Strategy within IDB’s Structured and Corporate Finance Department (SCF). She recently blogged about The Lab’s process and one of the ideas – the Agricultural Supply Chain Adaptation Facility. Read more
New Initiative Seeks to Unlock Billions in Private Investment to Tackle Climate Change in Developing Countries
June 3, 2014The UK, German, and U.S. governments today launch the Global Innovation Lab for Climate Finance, a global public-private initiative that will identify, design, and support the piloting of new climate finance instruments with the aim of unlocking billions of dollars of fresh private investment for climate change mitigation and adaption in developing countries. Members of “The Lab” – […]
Contact
Ben Broche
Global Lab Program Manager
ben.broche@cpiclimatefinance.org