C40 Cities has announced a partnership with the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean, which will unlock finance to accelerate urban climate action across Latin America over the next five years.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the two parties at the International Economic Forum Latin America and the Caribbean 2026, which took place in Panama City at the end of January, with more than 30 local authorities from Latin American cities attending the announcement.
As C40 Cities noted in a statement, the partnership will ‘fast-track city-led adaptation projects and promotion of biodiversity’ in the regions cities, supporting local authorities in preparing, financing and delivering urban climate projects.
‘Strengthen urban resilience’
“As climate risks intensify, from extreme heat to mounting water challenges, partnerships like this are critical to strengthening urban resilience across Latin America and ensuring that climate action delivers real social and economic benefits for our citizens,” commented Federico Gutiérrez, mayor of the city of Medellín, Colombia (pictured), and C40 vice-chair for Latin America.
“Cities are already stepping up to confront the climate crisis and protect our communities, but unlocking greater access to climate finance is essential to turn ambition into action and deliver solutions that change people’s lives.”
Among the areas set to be prioritised are climate adaptation; promotion of biodiversity, clean and sustainable urban mobility; sustainable urban planning; and water and sanitation systems; while the partnership will also connect cities with access to climate finance.
The partnership will align with existing regional programmes, including CAF’s BiodiverCities Network and the Adapting BiodiverCities programme, running from 2026 to 2028 in partnership with the Adaptation Fund.
‘A daily reality’
“Climate impacts are a daily reality for millions of people in Latin American cities, from extreme heat to floods and water stress,” added Mark Watts, executive director, C40 Cities.
“This partnership with CAF will scale up investment for real, on-the-ground action, supporting adaptation, resilience and low-carbon development where it matters most. We know what needs to be done; the challenge now is financing and delivering it at speed. By working with cities to turn plans into bankable projects, we can unlock the finance needed to protect communities and accelerate climate action at scale.” Read more here.
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