MDBs play multiple roles in supporting climate initiatives in emerging markets – including policy reform, firm-level technical assistance, placing investments, tapping into sources of concessional funds, and mobilizing additional co-investors. These will be illustrated through 3 case studies:

  • green bonds,
  • scaling solar initiatives, and
  • green buildings.

The presentation will also discuss the latest trends in MDB financing, including more than $131 billion in climate action committed since 2011 by the MDBs and leveraging $55 billion in additional finance for climate projects in 2015 alone. The MDBs leverage each other by acting as a unified group, including committing to scaling up climate action in a statement released at COP21, committing to Mainstreaming Principles on integrating climate into operations, and harmonization and transparency in reporting.

As emissions from emerging markets are expected to sharply rise and those from high-income countries flatten out, MDBs offer a path for maximum “bang for buck” in terms of GHG reductions, by financing important demonstration projects, helping to create the right enabling environments through policy and financing instruments, and providing technical know-how to projects on the ground.