Background
African cities are on the front line of the climate crisis. With urban populations expected to double by 2050 and extreme weather events projected to increase by 50% before 2030, Nature-based Solutions (NbS) offer cities a proven pathway to build resilience while generating measurable returns. Research shows every USD 1 invested in urban green infrastructure yields an average USD 3 in ecosystem services yet the financing pipeline remains limited.
To address these challenges, UN-Habitat, in partnership with the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) and Earthna, is launching an initiative aimed to strengthen knowledge sharing, promote replication of proven NbS approaches and support municipalities in developing investment-ready NbS projects capable of attracting climate and biodiversity finance.
Purpose of the Call
The call seeks to identify proven Nature-based Solutions with demonstrated impacts and/or promising project concepts with strong investment
Selected projects documented as standardized case studies and featured on the African Urban NbS Knowledge Platform and NbS toolkit to promote replication, peer learning and policy uptake across African cities and will be showcased at the Biodiversity COP17 at Yerevan, Armenia in October 2026.
Projects with Scale-up potential will receive technical support to strengthen investment readiness and bankability. They will form part of a curated pipeline presented to development finance institutions, climate funds and private investors at COP31 in Antalya, Türkiye in November 2026.
Through this initiative, UN-Habitat, IsDB and Earthna aim to foster innovation, strengthen municipal capacity and mobilize increased investment in Nature-based Solutions that advance climate resilience, biodiversity conservation and inclusive urban development across Africa.
What we are looking for
We seek 10–15 documented or pipeline NbS projects in African cities that demonstrate strong investment potential. Eligible NbS types include, but are not limited to:
- Urban forests, green corridors, and tree-planting programmes
- Restored or constructed wetlands, mangroves, and urban rivers
- Green-blue infrastructure: bioswales, permeable surfaces, urban ponds
- Coastal resilience: coral restoration, dune stabilisation, lagoon rehabilitation
- Peri-urban agroforestry and food-forest systems
- Green roofs, living walls, and biodiversity-positive public spaces
How to apply
Submit your complete application package (PDF or DOCX).
Send the complete application package via email to unhabitat-nbs-roaf@un.org, with the subject line: Investable Nature-Based Solutions in African Cities.
Send your submissions by 25th August 2026
Applications in English, French, Portuguese, or Arabic are accepted. Incomplete submissions will not be considered.