Public–private alliances hold the key to scaling up climate finance
The 8th IKI Brazil Meeting created a space for rich exchanges across environmental, social and economic agendas, aiming to strengthen partnerships and generate tangible commitments on the road to Belém.
In a day of intense conversations, thoughtful exchanges and countless connections, the 8th National Meeting of projects under the International Climate Initiative (IKI) in Brazil showed that climate finance is not only about resources — it is about alliances. Bringing together around 100 participants, 26 projects and 40 private-sector institutions and organisations, alongside representatives from government, financial institutions and civil society, the event put one question at the heart of debate: how can the potential of the private sector be unlocked for climate and biodiversity?
Held on 29 July at the Brasília Palace Hotel, the meeting combined strategic panels, thematic roundtables and networking sessions, all with a clear goal: to forge partnerships capable of reaching COP30 in Belém with concrete results.
Even before the official opening, public-school students from Paranoá, in the Federal District, joined an immersive experience, exploring real solutions implemented by IKI projects across Brazil. Amid conversations, laughter and curiosity, they also shared their visions for a fairer, more sustainable future. These reflections were captured in a video screened at the closing session, which became a symbol of youth leadership at the event.
Watch the video here:
The opening session brought together Brazilian and German authorities, who emphasised the urgency of aligning climate ambition with economic opportunity and pointed to the Amazon as a strategic stage for the next global conference. Speakers included Ana Paula Cunha Cavalcante, Director of the Department of Climate Governance and Articulation (DGov) at the Brazilian Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change (MMA); Simon Wolfram, Senior Policy Officer at the German Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWE); and Caroline Schmidt, Senior Policy Officer at the German Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMUKN).
Their remarks set the tone for the day, underscoring COP30 as a pivotal moment for advancing global climate action. They also flagged themes set to take centre stage in Belém, such as the just transition, the 2030 environmental agenda and the implementation of the Paris Agreement targets. In addition, they highlighted the significance of hosting the conference in the Amazon, a region vital for preserving climate, biodiversity and socio-environmental diversity. Among the key messages, Vanessa Moosmann, Policy Officer at Germany’s Federal Foreign Office, stressed the opportunities opened up by the Paris Agreement as it marks its tenth anniversary:
“Celebrated ten years ago, the Paris Agreement represented a historic success for climate multilateralism. Today, with COP30, climate action has gained undeniable momentum, opening up a range of economic opportunities — from the energy transition to innovation and job creation,” she said.
Financing for projects — One of the greatest challenges for climate finance is connecting investors with strong initiatives, while also overcoming the widespread perception that there are few viable projects to receive funding. Gabriel Ribenboim, founder of Impact Bank, centred his presentation on this challenge. He introduced a platform designed to help small businesses, cooperatives and associations report their results in a simple and structured way. By using technology to enhance transparency and make it easier to measure risks and indicators, the platform enables financiers to closely follow the use of funds and learn the stories behind each investment. In just two years, Impact Bank has channelled more than R$120 million into initiatives across all Brazilian biomes, working with financial solutions that deliver significant impact without compromising community assets.
A compelling example came from Mahryan Sampaio Rodrigues, Director of the Perifa Sustentável Institute, who shared the reality of Brasilândia, a peripheral neighbourhood in northern São Paulo where the lack of basic sanitation, waste accumulation and deforestation exacerbate flooding. She believes there is no separation between environmental and social issues: “most social problems are aggravated by the climate crisis.” The institute works with education and mobilisation, as well as community-led adaptation projects. Recent actions include installing the first meteorological station in Brasilândia and launching a women’s training programme in preparation for COP30. Funded by the British Embassy, the programme has already supported the development of 15 climate adaptation advocacy plans.
Youth were represented by Paloma Costa of Youth4COP30, who presented the Caravana Guaió project, inspired by the historic Alliance of the Peoples of the Forest, created in the 1980s by leaders such as rubber tapper Chico Mendes and Chief Raoni. The initiative will link 12 territories in Brazil and five other Latin American countries, culminating in a major mobilisation in Belém during COP30. Paloma stressed the need to rethink access to funding, noting that less than 1% of global climate finance is allocated to youth, and highlighted the creative and innovative potential of younger generations — too often constrained by rigid rules imposed by donors.
Impacts on the private sector — Climate change is already affecting the private sector in multiple ways. According to Tiago Gomes of Fama re.capital, climate risks directly affect productivity, credit and the stability of economic chains. In his panel, he emphasised that this is not a peripheral issue but a structural one, which must be embedded in the rationale of financial returns and risk management. “This integration is being driven both by demanding markets and by capital holders, including pension funds and institutional investors, who already consider environmental variables in their decision-making,” Gomes observed.
These risks are also transforming businesses themselves, as more and more companies seek solutions to reduce the impact of climate change on their operating environments. Ana Lavaquial, co-founder of Donut Economics Brasil, argued that companies now have the opportunity to rethink their structures and objectives profoundly, aligning purpose, networks, governance, ownership and finance with resources directed towards climate action. For her, it is about moving away from a degenerative and divisive model towards regenerative and distributive practices — ones capable of prospering economically while contributing to a fairer, safer world.
In addition to the panels, the meeting also featured roundtables focused on formulating recommendations and joint commitments to expand access to finance, strengthen community-led solutions, and integrate climate risks and opportunities into investment strategies. “The meeting is an opportunity to bring together private investors, public funds and philanthropy — to unlock projects and ensure financing reaches where it is most needed,” as Gabriel Ribenboim of Impact Bank put it.
As evening fell, with a pleasant view over the Paranoá Lake, in the presence of rheas, herons and other species that inhabit the neighbouring Palácio do Jaburu, participants had a moment to refine strategies and reflect on the day’s discussions.
More than just an exchange of experiences, the 8th IKI Meeting proved to be a space for dialogue between environmental, social and economic agendas, signalling that to arrive at COP30 with concrete results, we must invest not only in big ideas, but also in the people, organisations and territories at the frontline of climate action.
