The Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) and the World Economic Forum (WEF) are convening a roundtable consultation to explore the opportunities for unlocking private and listed debt capital to bridge Africa’s adaptation and resilience (A&R) financing gap.
Event Objective
The roundtable seeks to facilitate a constructive, solution-oriented dialogue among key financial stakeholders, with a focus on mobilizing private debt for climate adaptation. Approximately 15 senior stakeholders will participate, including donors, banks, guarantee providers, institutional investors, multilateral organizations, project developers, and operators. The session aims to:
- Explore emerging financial models and instruments for A&R financing in private and listed debt markets.
- Identify synergies and collaboration opportunities among stakeholders.
- Define roles that GCA can play in accelerating private sector financing for large-scale adaptation efforts across multiple sectors.
Context and Financial Need
Sub-Saharan Africa faces a significant adaptation and resilience financing gap, requiring an estimated $579 billion by 2030, equating to $48.25 billion annually. However, the current adaptation finance flows to the region amount to only $11.4 billion per year. Research from the Global Resilience Partnership and Boston Consulting Group demonstrates that private sector engagement in adaptation could yield returns of 2 to 15 times the initial investment. Despite this potential, private debt remains underutilized, accounting for only 7% of total funding raised for adaptation in Africa. Increasing this share to 14% could unlock an additional $3.38 billion annually for adaptation efforts.
Africa Business Adaptation Platform
In collaboration with the African Development Bank, GCA and WEF are establishing the Africa Business Adaptation Platform to mobilize business-led innovation and investment in climate adaptation across Africa. This initiative aims to:
- Facilitate engagements with commercial investors, corporates, multilateral institutions, and philanthropic funders focused on Africa’s adaptation finance.
- Serve as a catalyst for scaling innovative financing mechanisms and business models.
- Complement efforts like the Adaptation & Resilience Leaders Initiative, launched by GCA and WEF at Davos 2025.
By promoting a business-focused approach, GCA and WEF aim to attract sustainable and scalable private sector investment into Africa’s climate resilience agenda.
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