More than 70 climate finance experts, project developers, policymakers, partners, and practitioners gathered at the June Climate Meetings in Bonn for a joint event facilitated by the Mitigation Action Facility and the NDC Partnership. Together, they explored a critical question for the climate community: How can countries turn ambitious climate commitments into investment-ready mitigation projects capable of attracting public and private finance at scale?
Held against the backdrop of the post-COP30 implementation agenda, the event focused on closing the persistent gap between climate pledges and delivery. While countries to strengthen their climate targets, participants agreed that significant challenges remain in turning these ambitions into bankable projects that can attract investment and deliver tangible mitigation outcomes.
From ambition to implementation
Opening the event, Joaquim Leite, Head of Climate Finance at the NDC Partnership, highlighted four key ingredients needed to catalyse climate investment:
- Coherent policies and incentives
- Institutional capacity and coordination
- Prioritisation and alignment across climate goals
- Catalytic finance
Building on these themes, the spotlight inputs and panel discussion explored practical experiences from the energy, transport and industry sectors. Drawing on lessons from the Namibia – Biomass, Nepal – Electric Transport and Viet Nam – Sustainable Industries projects, speakers shared perspectives on mobilising investment, managing risk and developing viable business models.
Atika Ben Maïd, Deputy Head of the Climate & Nature Division at the Agence Française de Développement, representing the Namibia – Biomass project, highlighted the roles of the public and private actors in providing technical expertise and finance while navigating different risk appetites.
Diego Senoner, Programme Manager for the Nepal – Electric Transport project, emphasized the importance of strong business models in unlocking investment.
Andrea Dreifke-Pieper, Programme Lead for International Economy at the World Wildlife Fund Germany, shared insights from the Viet Nam – Sustainable Industries project, highlighting the importance of creating enabling conditions for private sector engagement.
A recurring message throughout the discussion was that finance alone does not make projects bankable. Successful climate projects require enabling policy frameworks, strategic partnerships, strong project preparation and a clear understanding of local market conditions.
Moving from presentations to problem-solving
The event’s collaborative lab provided participants with an opportunity to move from discussion to action. Working in sector-focused groups covering transport, energy and industry, participants analysed real-world project cases from the Mitigation Action Facility portfolio, assessing their investment readiness and identifying measures to strengthen their attractiveness for public and private investors.
Among the most frequently cited barriers were weak business models, limited access to finance and insufficient financial mechanisms to de-risk investments and mobilise private-sector participation.
Contributions from representatives of the South Africa – Public Buildings and Infrastructure, Philippines – Green Cooling Solution, South Africa – Steel, Türkiye – Cement, Bhutan – Solar Power, India – Waste Management, and Colombia – Energy Communities projects enriched discussions across the thematic breakout groups.
Across all five groups, participants identified six recurring success factors for scaling climate investments:
- Streamlined regulatory and permitting processes
- Long-term policy certainty and clear government commitment
- Strong project preparation and technical assistance support
- Early stakeholder engagement
- Effective coordination between government institutions and financing partners
- Better access to market and investment data
Building partnerships for climate action
The event concluded with a networking reception, creating space for continued exchange and new collaborations. Long after the formal programme had ended, participants continued discussing ideas, sharing experiences and exploring opportunities for future cooperation.
The discussions in Bonn reinforced a key message: moving from pledges to pipelines requires more than finance. It requires strong policies, strategic partnerships, robust project preparation and sustained collaboration between governments, implementers and investors.
As countries continue to advance from climate ambition to implementation, strengthening these links will be critical to turning climate commitments into tangible mitigation outcomes at scale. Through its continued financial and technical support for innovative mitigation projects, that help mobilise public and private investment, the Mitigation Action Facility remains committed to helping countries develop and scale investment-ready climate solutions that deliver lasting impact.
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