The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
The Department of Finance (DOF), in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and supported by the Government of Canada, has introduced a new initiative aimed at expanding green and climate finance through nature-based solutions (NbS) in the Philippines.
In a statement released last week, the DOF announced the launch of NatureNest, a six-month accelerator program under the “Accelerating Green and Climate Finance in the Philippines: Nature-based Solutions” (AGCF-NbS) initiative. The program, which officially began on May 5, is co-implemented by Villgro Philippines.
Backed by an approved AGCF funding of USD4.5 million, the project seeks to establish several foundational tools and systems. These include a climate finance lab, digital platforms to support research in NbS finance, gender-responsive and climate-smart policies in lending schemes, and a reporting system to track the impact of green and climate-related investments on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“The NatureNest allows us to tap into the potential of NbS as cost-effective and sustainable means to build climate-resilient communities and incentivize private sector investment,” the DOF said.
One of the program’s key goals is to identify and nurture 10 high-potential, nature-based enterprises that generate measurable environmental benefits while promoting inclusive and sustainable economic development.
These selected enterprises will receive targeted coaching, technical assistance, and capacity-building support to help scale their operations and maximize impact. The initiative will also connect them with mission-aligned investors to unlock private sector capital and expand their reach.
“NatureNest is a vehicle of transformation, serving as an avenue to enhance the capacity of enterprises in developing and implementing NbS projects allowing participants to transform innovative ideas into scalable projects that will create jobs, restore and protect ecosystems, and shield vulnerable communities from the risks of climate change,” said the DOF’s Climate Finance Policy Group.
The program is among the pioneering efforts listed under the Interagency Task Force on Sustainable Finance’s Center of Excellence — a dedicated facility supporting policy development, market expansion, and capacity building in green finance.