By Abbas Nazil
Africa’s Green Economy Summit 2026 will begin later this February in Cape Town, South Africa, with a dedicated Climate, Carbon and Nature Financing Academy aimed at turning the continent’s climate and biodiversity goals into bankable investment opportunities for public and private capital.
The academy, scheduled for February 24 ahead of the main summit running from February 25 to 27, will bring together governments, investors and development institutions to focus on financial tools that can mobilise funding for climate mitigation, adaptation and nature-based solutions.
Organisers said discussions will centre on practical financing instruments such as carbon markets, green and blue bonds, wildlife bonds, debt-for-nature swaps and performance-linked funding structures designed to attract long-term investment.
They explained that placing climate and nature finance at the opening of the summit reflects a growing recognition that environmental risks now shape investment decisions, national budgets and infrastructure planning across the world.
Africa is particularly exposed because natural capital accounts for between 30 and 50 percent of total wealth in many economies, far higher than the value of manufactured assets such as factories, roads and power plants.
As a result, climate shocks and ecosystem degradation can quickly translate into economic losses, rising public spending and increased risk for investors.
Global financing for biodiversity and nature protection remains far below what is required, with estimates suggesting the gap could approach one trillion dollars annually by 2030.
Current spending is around two hundred billion dollars a year, with private investment contributing less than forty billion dollars, underscoring the difficulty of attracting commercial capital at scale.
Despite this gap, investment linked to nature and climate assets has expanded rapidly, rising more than tenfold in recent years to over one hundred billion dollars.
Market projections indicate that combined flows into climate adaptation, carbon markets and biodiversity-related investments could reach as much as 1.45 trillion dollars by the end of the decade if momentum continues.
African policymakers face persistent challenges in converting climate strategies into investable projects, as investors often point to weak project pipelines, limited financial structuring expertise and regulatory uncertainty.
While most African countries have adopted national climate plans and biodiversity frameworks, large-scale capital deployment has remained slower than expected.
South Africa highlights both the opportunity and the risks, with healthy ecosystems contributing over fourteen billion dollars annually to the economy, roughly seven percent of national output.
Recent flooding near the Kruger National Park and prolonged water stress in the Western Cape have shown how climate pressures directly affect infrastructure, insurance costs and public finances.
Across Africa, droughts, floods and climate volatility are increasingly influencing lending conditions, insurance pricing and sovereign credit ratings.
The Climate, Carbon and Nature Financing Academy aims to close the gap between policy ambition and investment reality by focusing on how risks can be priced, projects structured and public and private capital blended effectively.
African Union officials said strengthening climate resilience on the continent is not only a regional priority but a global economic necessity given Africa’s role in food systems, natural resources and future growth.
Organisers stressed that Africa holds some of the world’s most valuable natural assets, but unlocking finance at scale will depend on clear policies, strong governance and credible investment-ready projects developed in the coming years.
