Rethinking locally led adaptation finance: bridging public and private investment for scale

The need for climate adaptation is immediate, but climate finance is not reaching low-income households and microenterprises who must invest in adaptation and resilience. Meeting local adaptation and resilience needs requires not just more financing, but greater access to and empowerment through that financing.

Local financial and public institutions already serving these communities are well positioned to invest in adaptation and resilience, but often lack climate expertise and remain disconnected from global climate finance flows. This is a missed opportunity that the world can no longer afford. Effective solutions depend on aligning public finance, policy frameworks and financial systems to better serve communities most vulnerable to climate change.

This interactive session will build on emerging examples to discuss what combination of public finance, policy support and genuine engagement with local communities can reduce the barriers to private investment and scale up adaptation and resilience finance to local communities while ensuring a genuinely locally led adaptation approach.