Climate Finance Instruments
Expert-defined terms from the Certified Professional in Climate Investment Planning course at London School of Planning and Management. Free to read, free to share, paired with a globally recognised certification pathway.
**Adaptation finance #
** Refers to the funding directed towards projects and initiatives that help communities and ecosystems adapt to the negative impacts of climate change. This can include building sea walls to protect against sea-level rise, developing drought-resistant crops, or improving early warning systems for extreme weather events.
**Carbon pricing #
** A market-based approach to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, where a price is placed on carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. This can be done through a carbon tax or a cap-and-trade system, and provides an economic incentive for businesses and individuals to reduce their carbon footprint.
**Climate risk insurance #
** A type of insurance that protects against the financial impacts of climate-related risks, such as extreme weather events or rising sea levels. This can include crop insurance for farmers, or property insurance for homeowners in coastal areas.
**Climate #
resilient infrastructure:** Infrastructure that is designed to withstand the negative impacts of climate change, such as extreme weather events, sea-level rise, and changing temperature and precipitation patterns. This can include things like flood-resistant buildings, sea walls, and drought-resistant water infrastructure.
**Debt #
for-climate swaps:** A financing mechanism where a country's debt is forgiven in exchange for investments in climate change mitigation and adaptation projects. This can help countries access the funding they need to address climate change, while also reducing their debt burden.
**Green bonds #
** Bonds that are specifically designated for financing environmental projects, such as renewable energy, energy efficiency, and sustainable agriculture. These bonds are typically issued by governments or organizations with a strong environmental focus.
**Mitigation finance #
** Refers to the funding directed towards projects and initiatives that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and slow the pace of climate change. This can include things like renewable energy projects, energy efficiency upgrades, and reforestation efforts.
**Public #
private partnerships (PPPs):** Collaborative agreements between governments and private companies to finance and deliver infrastructure projects. PPPs can be an effective way to leverage private sector expertise and financing to deliver climate-resilient infrastructure.
**Sovereign green bonds #
** Bonds issued by national governments to finance climate change mitigation and adaptation projects. These bonds can help countries access the funding they need to address climate change, while also signaling their commitment to addressing the issue.
**Sustainable development goals (SDGs) #
** A set of 17 global goals adopted by the United Nations in 2015, aimed at ending poverty, protecting the planet, and promoting prosperity for all. Many of the SDGs are closely linked to climate change, including Goal 13 (Climate Action) and Goal 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy).
**The Green Climate Fund (GCF) #
** A fund established in 2010 to support climate change mitigation and adaptation projects in developing countries. The GCF is funded by developed countries and provides grants and concessional loans to support projects that help communities and ecosystems adapt to the impacts of climate change.
**The Paris Agreement #
** A global agreement adopted in 2015 to limit global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. The agreement requires countries to submit plans for reducing their greenhouse gas emissions, and provides a framework for supporting climate change adaptation and mitigation efforts.
**Transition finance #
** Refers to the financing of projects and initiatives that support the transition from a high-carbon to a low-carbon economy. This can include things like renewable energy projects, energy efficiency upgrades, and the retirement of coal-fired power plants.
**Vulnerability assessment #
** A process of evaluating the potential impacts of climate change on a community or ecosystem, and identifying the factors that make them particularly vulnerable. This can include things like exposure to climate-related hazards, sensitivity to those hazards, and adaptive capacity.
**Climate finance instruments** are tools and mechanisms used to finance climate… #
These can include grants, loans, guarantees, and other financial instruments, and are often used to leverage private sector financing and support projects that would otherwise be difficult to fund.
**Blended finance #
** A financing approach that combines public and private sector funding to support climate change mitigation and adaptation projects. This can help leverage private sector financing for projects that have high social or environmental impact, but may be considered too risky for traditional commercial financing.
**Climate bonds #
** Bonds that are specifically designated for financing climate change mitigation and adaptation projects. These can include both green bonds and sovereign green bonds, and are typically issued by governments or organizations with a strong environmental focus.
**Climate risk disclosure #
** The process of disclosing the financial risks and opportunities associated with climate change. This can include things like physical risks (such as damage from extreme weather events), transition risks (such as changes in regulations or technology), and liability risks (such as lawsuits related to climate change).
**Climate venture capital #
** A type of venture capital that focuses on investing in climate change mitigation and adaptation projects. This can include things like renewable energy startups, energy efficiency technologies, and climate-resilient agriculture.
**Guarantees #
** A type of financial instrument that provides a guarantee of payment in the event of a default. Guarantees can be used to reduce the risk of climate change mitigation and adaptation projects, making them more attractive to private sector investors.
**Impact investing #
** A type of investing that seeks to generate both financial returns and positive social or environmental impact. Impact investing can include climate finance instruments, and is often used to support projects that address climate change mitigation and adaptation.
**Microfinance #
** The provision of small loans to individuals or groups who lack access to traditional banking services. Microfinance can be used to support climate change adaptation projects, such as providing loans for the purchase of drought-resistant crops or the installation of solar panels.
**Remittances #
** Funds sent by migrant workers to their families in their home countries. Remittances can be used to support climate change adaptation projects, such as building sea walls or improving irrigation systems.
**Securitization #
** The process of pooling assets and selling them as securities to investors. Securitization can be used to finance climate change mitigation and adaptation projects, by bundling together a portfolio of assets (such as renewable energy projects) and selling them as a security to investors.
** Challenges ** in climate finance include the need to mobilize large amou… #
Additionally, climate finance instruments must be designed to be transparent, accountable, and accessible to a wide range of actors, in order to ensure that they are effective in supporting climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts.