• $143M CIF funding expected to unlock $1B in co-financing, driving private sector investment in nature-based solutions.
• Brazil’s $250M restoration plan targets Amazon and Cerrado, pioneering private-sector-led reforestation.
• Zambezi Basin initiative spans six countries, benefiting 51M people through sustainable land and water management.

The Climate Investment Funds (CIF) board has endorsed $143 million to drive nature-based solutions across Brazil, Kenya, and Africa’s Zambezi River Basin. This funding, part of CIF’s Nature, People, and Climate program (NPC), is expected to mobilize nearly $1 billion in co-financing, fostering private-sector engagement in reforestation, biodiversity protection, and ecosystem restoration.

Brazil: A Major Push for Restoration

Brazil’s $250 million investment plan, which includes $47 million from CIF, will focus on large-scale forest restoration in the Amazon and Cerrado regions. Key objectives include:

• Restoring 54,000 hectares of degraded land in the Tocantins-Araguaia Basin.
• Creating 21,000 jobs in environmental and restoration sectors.
• Tackling illegal deforestation and agricultural vulnerabilities.

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Ivan Oliveira, Deputy Secretary of Foreign Affairs at Brazil’s Ministry of Finance, emphasized: “By shifting from the Arc of Deforestation to the Arc of Restoration, we are addressing one of Brazil’s main sources of emissions while promoting sustainable economic opportunities.”

This initiative leverages $100 million from the Brazilian Development Bank and $100 million from the World Bank, making it CIF’s first-ever investment in the Amazon biome.

Kenya: Strengthening Ecotourism and Indigenous Communities

Kenya’s NPC plan, backed by $35.66 million in CIF funding and $108 million in co-financing, aims to protect wildlife, Indigenous communities, and key ecosystems in Lake Victoria South and Ewaso Ng’iro North. The initiative is expected to:

• Enhance ecotourism, a sector that contributes 8.2% of Kenya’s GDP.
• Support Maasai and other Indigenous groups through nature-based solutions.
• Promote regenerative agriculture and conservation-friendly enterprises.

Zambezi Basin: Climate Resilience for 51M People

The $60.35 million investment plan for the Zambezi River Basin region—covering Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania, and Zambia—aims to generate over $10 in co-financing for every $1 invested. This initiative will:

• Engage private sector players in voluntary carbon markets.
• Strengthen sustainable forestry and wildlife conservation.
• Provide alternative livelihoods for communities affected by deforestation and climate change.

CIF’s Dedicated Grant Mechanism (DGM) will also channel $15 million directly to Indigenous and local communities across the three regions, empowering them to lead their own sustainable development efforts.

Tariye Gbadegesin, CEO of Climate Investment Funds, stated: “This $143 million is expected to attract almost $1 billion in total, showing how the right funding at the right time can open up exciting new opportunities. These investments reward people for protecting forests, waterways, and wildlife, ensuring long-term sustainability.”

Global Commitment to Nature-Based Solutions

CIF’s $400 million NPC investment program focuses on integrating climate resilience, land use, and economic development in low- and middle-income countries. To date, nearly $300 million has been committed, with Brazil, Kenya, and the Zambezi Basin now leading the way in pioneering nature-based solutions for a sustainable future.

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