In this Week’s Issue: $13.8 billion across 25 deals in Transition Finance ($11.8 billion), NbS ($1 billion), Carbon Removal ($393 million), Hard-to-Abate industries ($57 million) and the Blue Economy ($502 million).
Insights on the size of the investment opportunity for nature in Brazil;
Market data on the ongoing growth in the pipeline of investable Nature-based Solutions;
Expert perspectives on project success factors and what needs to happen next to scale private financing and investment.
We were pleased to leverage our market intelligence and experience facilitating the Nature-based Solutions investment landscape in Brazil and globally. You can explore more on Capital for Climate’s NbS Investment Platform, and stay up-to-date on weekly deal flow in our Newsletter.
The Central Africa Forest Initiative (CAFI) and the Cameroonian government have launched the CAFI-Cameroon partnership, to mobilize $2.5 billion by 2035 to prevent deforestation and aid Cameroon's transition to a greener economy. The CAFI fund has committed $60 million for a start-up phase running through 2027. The agreement calls for the sustainable intensification of agriculture within non-permanent forests, preserving and managing 18 million hectares of permanent forest, and improving cross-sectoral and multi-level governance of natural resources.
Quebec has announced a $676 million plan to protect and restore nature and biodiversity across the province through 2028. The plan targets are based on the 2022 Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. CAD 466 million ($338 million) will support the expansion of protected areas, CAD 326 million ($236 million) will fund efforts to mainstream biodiversity conservation in agriculture, fishery, and forestry operations, with the final CAD 95 million ($69 million) supporting stakeholder involvement in biodiversity conservation.
California has secured $360 million from the Biden-Harris Administration for projects focused on river restoration, park improvements, and clean transportation. Nearly $45 million will enhance rivers and aquatic ecosystems, while $95 million from the National Park Service will improve parks in underserved communities. Additionally, $220 million will fund clean transportation initiatives, including a high-speed rail station and upgrades along I-680, aimed at boosting air quality and job creation.
Brazil's Grupo Potencial is investing 600 million Reais ($108.86 million) to expand biodiesel production at its Parana state facility, aiming to achieve the world's largest production capacity for soy oil-based biofuel. The investment comes as the Brazilian government promotes biofuels, with President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva set to sign the "Fuel of the Future" bill to increase biodiesel blends in diesel from 14% to 25% by 2035. The expansion will boost the plant's annual capacity from 900 million liters to 1.62 billion liters, with work beginning in 2025 and completion expected in 2026.
Basecamp Research, a London-based technology company, has raised $60 million to build an AI agent dedicated to collating and enhancing biodiversity research. The company hopes to develop an AI agent that can analyze biology and biodiversity research and produce new insights, while filtering out inaccurate and outdated research, with the end goal of creating a "chat GPT for nature".
Italy's xFarm Technologies has secured €36 million ($39 million) in a Series C funding round led by Partech through its Impact Growth Fund, with participation from Mouro Capital and existing investors. The new capital will enhance the company's EU presence, expand into Turkey, India, and other regions, and support the development of new fintech products. Since its previous funding round, xFarm has grown its platform from 110,000 to 450,000 farms and expanded its traceable hectares from 1.5 million to 7 million, using a farm management system that integrates data from machinery and IoT devices to optimize operations and reduce environmental impact.
Key Carbon has secured a $15 million investment arrangement with Marex, allocating two-thirds of the funds to produce and distribute low-emission cookstoves in Africa through a joint venture with Burn Manufacturing. Marex will invest US$5 million in Key Carbon for a 2% equity stake, valuing the company at CAD 337 million ($245 million), while the remaining $10 million will support the cookstove subsidiary, with Key Carbon entitled to 10% of the carbon credits generated.
IFC has invested $5M in Equator Africa Fund I's $54M pool to support early-stage climate tech companies in sub-Saharan Africa. Focused on green solutions in energy, agriculture, and mobility, the fund has raised $40M in its first close and targets investments across Kenya, Nigeria, and other African countries. IFC’s investment is supported by a $1.5 million guarantee from the Korea Green Resilient and Innovative Development (K-GRID) Programme, a $30 million initiative by the Government of Korea to support IFC projects that help reduce or avoid greenhouse gas emissions and facilitate the development and commercialization of technologies to improve climate mitigation.
Mining giant Rio Tinto will pay $6.7 billion in cash to purchase Arcadium Lithium, a U.S.-based lithium chemicals producer. Rio Tinto will pay shareholders $5.85 per share, with the deal expected to close fully in 2025. The acquisition is expected to position Rio Tinto to become one of the world's largest suppliers of lithium. Arcadium currently has an annual lithium production capacity of 75,000 tons of lithium carbonate equivalent.
EQT has completed its SEK 16.35 billion ($1.58 billion) acquisition of OX2, securing a 98.81% stake through its investment vehicle Otello BidCo AB. EQT plans to leverage its new ownership to support OX2's growth from a renewables developer to an asset owner.
BrightNight, a renewable power company based in Florida, has announced a $440 million strategic equity investment from Goldman Sachs Alternatives. The investment is expected to fully fund BrightNight's 5-year business plan and advance the execution of a 31 GW renewable power project portfolio.
Form Energy has secured $405 million in funding to accelerate the manufacturing of its long-duration iron-air batteries at its first factory in Weirton, West Virginia. This funding, led by T. Rowe Price and joined by GE Vernova and several venture capital firms, aims to scale up production and advance research and development. To date, the company has raised over $1.2 billion in total funding. The company's batteries are designed to store energy for up to 100 hours, and could potentially support solar-dependent electricity grids on days without sun.
Climate United, one of three entities managing the $14 billion National Clean Investment Fund (NCIF), made its first major investment of $31.8 million to support Scenic Hill Solar's development of 18 solar plants across Arkansas. The projects, developed in collaboration with the University of Arkansas, aim to generate over 4 billion kWh of clean energy. The investment aligns with NCIF's goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving lives, and bridging market gaps to attract private capital.
Actis Asia closed its $560 million Asia Climate Transition Fund, anchored by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority. The fund received $75 million from the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), $50 million from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), and $40 million from the International Finance Corporation (IFC). The fund will invest in renewable energy, energy efficiency, sustainable transportation, and smart grid technologies across Asia, deploying $100 million to $150 million in equity per project.
The Hertfordshire Pension Fund has allocated £100 million ($131 million) to Osmosis Investment Management to launch a new global equity fund portfolio. The mandate is expected to address challenges posed to Hertfordshire Pension Fund's passive investments by climate change and energy transition developments. Osmosis' Local Government Pension Scheme now has an AUM of over £1 billion.
Virescent Ventures, Australia’s largest climate tech venture capital firm, has successfully closed $100 million in its second climate technology investment fund (Fund II), with aims to raise a total of $200 million. Investors include major institutions like Westpac and the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC). The fund will focus on strategic investments in innovative climate technologies that facilitate the global transition to net zero, covering areas such as clean energy, electrification, transport decarbonization, and sustainable agriculture.
Diagram, a Montreal-based venture studio, has raised CAD 80 million ($58 million) for its Diagram Climate Tech Fund, exceeding its initial CAD 60 million ($43.5 million) target. This marks the firm's first fund dedicated to climate startups, focusing on capital-lean digital solutions across various categories, including electric vehicles and biodiversity. The fund attracted investments from entities like Sagard, Investissement Québec, BDC Capital, and Teralys Capital.
Adani Green Energy's four subsidiaries plan to raise $1 billion by issuing U.S. dollar-denominated bonds with a 20-year maturity, starting this October. The bonds will be issued in one or more tranches and are rated BBB- (EXP) by Fitch and Baa3 by Moody's, according to two merchant bankers involved in the deal.
The Arab African International Bank (AAIB) is planning to raise $500 million from the first sustainability bond issued in Egypt. The five-year private placement will be backed by anchor investments from the IFC and EBRD, with the IFC agreeing to invest up to $300 million, and the EBRD up to $100 million. The EBRD expects the bond to set standards for future green and social bond issuances in Egypt.
Canada has re-opened its second green bond to raise CAD2 billion ($1.5 billion) in an almost twice oversubscribed deal. The raise brings the total raised by Canada's green bond program to CAD11 billion ($8 billion). The government aims to raise an additional CAD4 billion ($2.9 billion) by the end of the fiscal year on March 31, 2025.
The World Bank has issued a SEK 3 billion 10-year sustainable development bond, maturing on October 10, 2034, with an annual coupon of 2.5% priced at 98.422%. Nordea Bank Abp acted as lead manager for the bond placement, which was directed toward Nordic investors.
The UK government has approved the £4 billion ($5.23 billion) Net Zero Teesside (NZT) project, led by BP and Equinor, to build an industrial-scale carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) facility in North East England. Set to begin operations by 2027, the project will generate up to 860 MW of low-carbon electricity, powering 1.3 million homes, while capturing 2 million metric tons of CO2 annually. The captured CO2 will be stored under the North Sea.
HysetCo has secured approximately €200 million ($218 million) in funding to enhance transport decarbonization solutions, with hydrogen fund manager Hy24 becoming the majority shareholder. As the largest investment fund manager focused exclusively on the hydrogen sector, Hy24 aims to leverage Denmark's potential for renewable hydrogen production. The partnership is expected to foster collaboration within the hydrogen value chain, advancing both investment conditions and production capacity in Denmark.
The Nordic Investment Bank (NIB) has provided Epiroc AB with a ten-year, USD 150 million sustainability-linked loan to support decarbonization in the mining industry. The loan is tied to Epiroc’s climate targets, validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), which include reducing Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions by 50% by 2030 and achieving a full range of emission-free products.
Paebbl, a Nordic-Dutch climate tech startup, has raised $25 million in a Series A funding round led by strategic investors, including Amazon's Climate Pledge Fund and Holcim. This investment will enhance Paebbl's efforts to transform captured CO2 into permanent carbon-storing materials and scale up its CO2 storage value chain in building materials. The company plans to expand its operations in existing hubs and open a new UK location.
The UK Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (Ofgem) has funded 21 innovation projects as part of the alpha phase of its Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF), with each project receiving up to £150,000 for feasibility studies. Notable initiatives include National Grid Electricity Transmission's exploration of superconductors for efficient power transmission and Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks' use of weather data to optimize overhead line ratings. Successful projects can apply for up to £10 million for large-scale demonstrations in the beta phase. The £450 million SIF, developed with Innovate UK, aims to tackle strategic energy challenges in the UK’s transition to net zero.
Saudi Arabia plans to invest at least $10 billion in hydrogen production through a new company, Energy Solutions Co., created by its Public Investment Fund (PIF). The company will focus on financing green hydrogen production, aiming to diversify the Saudi economy away from oil and position Saudi Arabia as a leading global producer of the low-carbon fuel.
Brazil's Ministry of Mines and Energy announced 6 billion Reais ($1.06 billion) in investments, in partnership with Climate Investment Funds (CIF), to support global hydrogen hubs for industrial decarbonization. This initiative will offer low-cost financing for eligible projects under Brazil's National Hydrogen Program, aiming to establish low-emission hydrogen hubs by 2035. A public hearing will invite hydrogen project proposals, with selected projects potentially receiving funding for engineering, equipment, and working capital.
KfW and KGAL have invested €30 million ($32.8 million) in Egypt Green Hydrogen, a hydrogen producer located in the Suez Canal Economic Zone. The investment is expected to support the production of 70,000 tonnes of green ammonia by 2028 and came from the PtX Development Fund 1, a €270 million fund investing in hydrogen projects in developing and emerging economies.
Scope3, a sustainability platform focused on decarbonizing media and advertising, has closed a $25 million funding round led by GV, focused on expanding Scope3's work beyond the advertising ecosystem. The funding will support new decarbonization solution offerings focused on the AI industry, including emissions models focused on measuring emissions from AI training systems.
IFC has partnered with Axis Bank for a $500M loan to scale green project financing in India. This loan is the IFC's largest such financing in India, providing Axis Bank with capital to expand its climate-focused lending, and is focused on "blue finance", including wastewater treatment and green building projects.
The UK Sustainable Aquaculture Innovation Centre (SAIC) has announced £1.6 million ($2 million) in funding for three projects aimed at improving fish health and welfare, providing nearly £600,000 ($784,000) alongside support from other businesses and organizations. The initiatives focus on developing a holographic imaging system for monitoring micro-jellyfish, refining predictive biomarkers for gill health in Atlantic salmon, and enhancing stock management strategies for proliferative kidney disease outbreaks.
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The Government of Canada is developing voluntary sustainable investment guidelines or a taxonomy, to categorize investments aligned with net-zero emissions goals and limit global warming to 1.5°C. This taxonomy will define "green" and "transition" categories to guide funding for decarbonizing emissions-intensive sectors, including electricity, transportation, and agriculture. Initially focusing on two to three priority sectors, the taxonomy aims to mobilize private capital and will be available for voluntary use by financial institutions and companies. The initiative follows recommendations from the Sustainable Finance Action Council to enhance sustainable finance practices in Canada.
The European Securities Markets Authority (ESMA) has published its first report on the current functioning of the EU Emissions Trading System market. Findings included that the fall in prices in the EU ETS since 2023 was likely driven by a wider economic slowdown, falling natural gas prices, increased renewables generation, and climate policy changes, and that emission allowance actions remain concentrated, with 10 participants buying 90% of auctioned volumes.
Malaysia plans to introduce Carbon Capture, Utilisation, and Storage (CCUS) legislation to support decarbonization and achieve net-zero targets. In an announcement, Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli emphasized the need for a regulatory framework to attract investment and develop a supply chain for CCUS technology, crucial for reducing emissions in hard-to-abate sectors like power generation and steel production. The CCUS bill is set to be tabled in Parliament next month.
The Brazilian federal government is preparing a second auction of public land licenses to restore degraded public land. The government will auction 7.3 million hectares across 12 forests and national parks, 10 in Para’, 1 in Roraima, and one in Amazonas. Auction winners will be responsible for restoring the degraded land and will also be able to exploit sustainable timber concessions on select plots. Project structuring will be conducted in conjunction with BNDES.
As part of the development of its Article 6.4 carbon crediting system, the UN has announced requirements to identify and address environmental and social impacts within project risk assessments. The rules were adopted during a meeting of technical experts in Baku, Azerbaijan, in advance of COP29. The new "Sustainable Development Tool" requirements are expected to help address problems related to environmental and social abuses that dogged the previous Clean Development Mechanism process. Under the new system, project developers will have to fill out questionnaires designed to assess risk across 11 potential harm areas, and describe their plans for avoiding negative impacts. These plans will then be assessed by external auditors.
KfW Development Bank has launched a platform focused on improving biodiversity outcomes in carbon credit projects. The new Worldwide Alliance for Landscape-based Decarbonisation (WALD Initiative) was created in partnership with the German Landwirtschaftliche Rentenbank, and with anchor funding from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development. The fund will provide grants of up to $1.6 million to NbS enterprises unable to raise funds through the VCM currently, with open-call projects opening soon.
A new study by RepRisk has found that the number of greenwashing incidents in the banking and financial sectors decreased 27% overall in H1 2024, with only 146 tracked incidents, as compared to 199 in H1 2023, the first year that decline was observed since tracking began 6 years ago. However, the report also observed that the number of severe greenwashing cases, which RepRisk characterizes as having intentional deception, a high potential impact and extent of impact increased by 30%. 36% of financial companies linked to greenwashing in the previous year were also found to have continued to engage in greenwashing practices.
Deloitte has launched the LEAP Dashboard, a tool that aims to streamline the management of nature-related dependencies, impacts, risks, and opportunities (DIROs) for organizations. Aligned with the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) framework, the dashboard aims to enhance environmental reporting by integrating ecological considerations into corporate strategies through its three phases: Locate, Evaluate, and Assess. This initiative aims to support sustainable business practices and ensure compliance with global environmental goals.
Pension funds, led by IFM Investors, are urging the UK government to reform borrowing rules to enhance green spending, aiming to attract greater institutional capital for renewable energy investments. The proposed blueprint suggests including the net worth of illiquid infrastructure investments in public debt calculations, as the government seeks to meet its clean power targets by 2030 amidst fiscal challenges. Major UK and Australian pension funds support these reforms, which also recommend overhauling the planning system and extending Contracts for Difference (CFDs) to lower capital costs for renewable projects.
The state of Para's $183 million, 12 million credit carbon credit deal, agreed with 30 multinational corporations and announced at New York Climate Week, is expected to face implementation challenges as it aims to achieve REDD+ certification and begin issuing credits. Several experts contacted by Mongabay raised concerns that the state may not be able to achieve certification or pass the required legislation, in line with the timeline that it laid out at Climate Week and that increasing forest fires might risk the permanence of the carbon credits sold by the state, among other potential issues.
The World Wildlife Fund has released its annual Living Planet report, with estimates of overall wildlife populations across geographic segments, as well as estimates for specific species. The report found major causes for concern, including a 76% decline in wildlife populations across Africa over the past 50 years, with an 85% decline in freshwater ecosystems. Worldwide, the decline was 73%, with wildlife populations decreasing fastest in Latin America and the Caribbean. The report also found major funding gaps for wildlife conservation across regions, including just $50 million invested in Congo Basin conservation and restoration. While there is consensus on overall wildlife population decline, researchers in the Czech Republic have raised criticism of the methods used to calculate the LPI, arguing that poor-quality population survey data may have caused the WWF to overestimate declines.
A new study in Nature finds that carbon sequestration on agricultural land offers mitigation potential of up to 2.8 GtCO2e per year by 2050, under a scenario where a price per ton of GH reaches $160 by 2050. Sub-Saharan Africa was projected to have the largest cost-effective agricultural CO2 sequestration potential at 37%. Overall, 27% of the cost-effective CO2 sequestration potential was located in the Global North, with 73% in the Global South.
Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon has remained at a six-year low according the most recent DETER data from Brazil's INPE. The most recent analysis found that 4,191 square kilometers of forests were cleared from September 2023 to September 2024, a 30% decline from the 2022-2023 period. Despite this decrease in deforestation, fire-affected areas increased significantly, surging to 39,983 square kilometers affected, an 18-fold increase from the previous recording period, magnified by a historic drought.
A new paper in Nature Geoscience suggests that human impacts on ecosystems are reducing their ability to resist stressors and maintain biodiversity. The study, which analyzed 1,000 experiments measuring human-caused environmental stressors, found that 2 environmental stressors reduced ecosystem resilience by 10%, with a third reducing it by 36%.
Data from the Timber Exploitation Monitoring system (Simex) suggests that the area of illegal extraction of native timber in the Amazon increased by 19% from 2022-2023, rising from 106,000 to 126,000 hectares. 71% of illegal extraction occurred on private lands, and the rise was accompanied by a 17% decrease in logging in authorized areas. Timber production overall, however, fell to its lowest level since 2010.
Capital for Climate, along with its partner, Nature4Climate, released a first-of-its-kind landscape analysis of the nature tech market. This report illuminates a burgeoning sector that will help protect, manage, and restore nature.Click here for the report!
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