As cities worldwide grapple with rising temperatures, the need for sustainable, inclusive, and low-carbon cooling solutions is urgent. Nature-based Solutions (NbS) protect, restore, and sustainably manage ecosystems, offering a powerful yet underutilized avenue to tackle extreme heat without relying on mechanical cooling.
From urban forests and green corridors to wetlands and blue infrastructure, NbS help lower surface and ambient temperatures, improve thermal comfort, and curb energy consumption. They also yield co-benefits, such as better public health, carbon sequestration, enhanced biodiversity, and greater community cohesion.
Despite their promise, urban NbS investments remain limited. Many cities struggle to secure finance, develop robust business models, and navigate risk-return considerations that could attract private capital. According to UNEP’s State of Finance for Nature 2023, only 17% of total NbS investments come from private sources, contributing to an estimated 700 USD billion annual financing gap.
This webinar, convened by the UNEP Cool Coalition, explored strategies to overcome these barriers. Experts discussed how cities can mobilize and scale up financing for NbS that cool, thereby closing the gap between ambitious climate goals and real-world transformation.
