Cali, COLOMBIA – The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), with the support of Global Affairs Canada (GAC), will provide resources and technical assistance to Brazil, Colombia, Guatemala, and Mexico in implementing policy instruments aimed at attracting private investments in Nature-based solutions. The announcement occurred today during the United Nations Conference on Biodiversity, COP16.
Nature-based Solutions, or NbS refers to the strategic restoration, protection, or management of ecosystems to achieve development outcomes to address societal challenges by reinforcing the services provided by nature. NbS are important for climate change adaptation, biodiversity conservation, and ecosystem services improvement.
The pilot projects in each selected country will include NbS in sectors such as transportation, integrated landscape management, water and sanitation, urban planning, and watershed management. For example, Guatemala will integrate sustainable forest management with road infrastructure development to mitigate environmental impact and enhance climate resilience.
The policy instruments to be developed include governance frameworks and evidence-based contributions, which facilitate the private sector investments critical to closing the biodiversity financing gap.
The development of these NbS incorporates a gender-responsive approach, acknowledging that climate change impacts can exacerbate existing gender inequalities and that women are important decision-makers in the use of natural resources.
This effort is part of the program “Promoting improved climate change governance through the implementation of Nature-Based Solutions in Latin America and the Caribbean” funded by GAC, Canada's foreign ministry.
The program, approved in 2023, entered its implementation phase in 2024 and will continue until July 2027. Its aim is to achieve several key outcomes such as development of at least four business cases; integration of gender-responsive NbS approaches into relevant policies, and enhancement of policymakers' capacities in the pilot countries.
The IDB has been leveraging NbS as a cornerstone to drive nature-positive investments, actively managing funds to integrate them into public policies and investment strategies across countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. Between 2015 and 2020, the IDB invested over $800 million in projects with Nature-based Solution components.
Latin America and the Caribbean at COP16
The countries of Latin America and the Caribbean are a nature powerhouse and a critical part of the solution to biodiversity loss. In its three pavilions, the IDB is hosting more than 50 events with international leaders and experts to showcase initiatives on nature and biodiversity, and innovative approaches to nature-positive investments aiming to restore and conserve biodiversity. Journalists covering CO16 on site are welcome to visit the pavilions, with no registration required. Consult the event schedule here.
Find us at our Blue Zone pavilions:
📍 Amazonia Siempre
📍 Conservation International, Fondo Acción & IDB
📍 Joint MDB: Nature, People, and Planet
About the IDB
The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) is devoted to improving lives across Latin America and the Caribbean. Founded in 1959, the IDB works with the region’s public sector to design and enable impactful, innovative solutions for sustainable and inclusive development. Leveraging financing, technical expertise and knowledge, it promotes growth and well-being in 26 countries. Visit our website: https://www.iadb.org/en.
Borges De Padua Goulart,Janaina
