How Six Countries are Mobilizing Finance for NDC-Aligned Projects
As countries implement their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), the need to develop strong project pipelines and connect them with the right investors is becoming more urgent.
The climate finance landscape remains complex and fragmented, posing challenges for countries and project developers as they work to identify the right partners to advance a range of projects. In this context, leveraging a broad network and providing clear, complete technical, financial and procedural information — aligned with funder requirements — is essential to fast-track NDC implementation. Standardized project documentation that meets expectations helps move strong ideas from concept to implementation. Without it, promising projects risk stalling.
To help close this gap, the NDC Partnership launched the “Project Status Checklist,” a tool that helps governments and project developers present projects in a structured way to attract support and financing from a broad network of investors. By guiding users through project information requirements, the Project Checklist improves project quality, strengthens institutional processes and builds national capacity to advance investment-ready, NDC-aligned projects.
Launched in May 2024 in Bogotá, Colombia, and piloted in six countries — Colombia, Laos, Maldives, Morocco, Nigeria and Uganda — the Project Checklist provides a framework for countries to organize project pipelines. The tool enables countries to develop stronger, more strategic portfolios of climate projects ready for development support, enabling more effective engagement with potential funders and partners.
As the pilot program enters its final phase, participating countries have demonstrated strong government leadership and active stakeholder participation. This engagement has helped countries identify, refine and prepare climate projects that align with national priorities and global climate goals.
Design and Early Results of the Project Status Checklist Pilot
In each country, the pilot focused on in-depth consultations with national governments, ministries of finance, development banks, project preparation units and public and private project developers. These efforts ensure the Project Checklist aligns with national investment priorities and supports ongoing mobilization efforts. Lessons from the pilot will inform a broader rollout to other countries.
Each country is advancing through the pilot program with tailored support and guidance from the NDC Partnership. Most have now convened their second in-country workshops, building momentum across ministries and sectors. Notable achievements to date include:
500+ stakeholders engaged
Six in-country workshops in Colombia, Morocco, Maldives, Laos, Nigeria and Uganda engaged over 500 stakeholders in discussions around climate finance, investment criteria and project structuring.
More than 150 project submissions
Participants from the public and private sector submitted more than 150 projects.
10 technical webinars
Ten technical webinars offered deep dives into how to complete the Project Checklist and engage potential investors.
420 investor meetings
High-profile matchmaking events in Colombia, Uganda and Nigeria featured close to 125 projects and more than 420 meetings between project proponents and investors, generating over 110 expressions of interest. More events are set for Morocco and Laos in May 2025.
Strengthening NDC Alignment and Implementation
Across countries, the pilot has created a structure to increase the visibility of the projects and connect project proponents with investors, creating a pathway for financing of the projects or their further development towards financing. Equally important, the pilot has already strengthened government capacity and institutional frameworks in pilot countries. Through close collaboration with ministries and national climate finance entities, pilot countries are embedding the Project Checklist into national systems and initiatives — building a more resilient and self-sustaining climate finance ecosystem.
“Morocco’s commitment to revising its NDC presents an opportunity to enhance climate ambition and accelerate action,” says Mohammed Baraoui, Director of Climate and Biodiversity at the Moroccan Ministry of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development. “The Project Checklist is an essential tool in this process, fostering an environment where priority climate projects can attract investment and financing. By integrating the Checklist into our NDC approach, we are strengthening the bridge between project developers and financial institutions, ensuring impactful climate solutions receive the support they need.”
Each pilot country is using the Project Checklist in a way that reflects its national context and priorities:
- Colombia’s National Planning Department (DNP) is using the Project Checklist as part of its “Climate Finance Broker Facility,” a national platform that links high-potential climate projects with investors.
- Morocco is implementing the Project Checklist as part of its NDC 3.0 process under the Ministry of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, with support from GIZ and United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Promising projects are under consideration for financing through the Mohammed VI Fund for Investment, a state-backed fund assisting infrastructure projects through public-private partnerships and equity support.
- The National Council on Climate Change (NCCC) of Nigeria is using the Project Checklist to identify and advance priority projects in sectors like industrial decarbonization and climate-resilient agriculture.
- The Climate Finance Unit within the Ugandan Ministry of Finance is applying the Project Checklist to enhance its national pipeline of bankable projects.
- Laos is integrating the Project Checklist into national climate planning in collaboration with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and the Lao Chamber of Commerce to strengthen private sector engagement.
Participants listen to the panel discussion in Vientiane, Laos, during the Project Checklist kick-off workshop in September 2024. Photo by CrossBoundary.
“Colombia’s Climate Finance Broker Facility, with support from the NDC Partnership through the Project Checklist, is transforming how climate projects access funding,” says Carolina Díaz Giraldo, DNP Director of Environment and Sustainable Development. “By streamlining project preparation and increasing visibility, we are making it easier for investors to identify viable opportunities, strengthening Colombia’s financial ecosystem and ensuring resources flow to the projects that need them most.”
The pilot program has also enhanced collaboration across development banks, donor agencies and private investors. Institutional and Associate Members of the NDC Partnership — such as European Investment Bank (EIB), International Finance Corporation (IFC), IDB Invest, African Development Bank (AfDB), GIZ, UNEP, UK Climate Finance Accelerator (CFA), the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) and World Wildlife Fund (WWF) — are providing technical input and strategic support.
Investor panels featuring leading climate and finance organizations, including Climate Fund Managers, Atlas Renewable Energy (Actis), Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP), Infracredit, Pearl Capital Partners, aBi Finance and BiD Capital Partners, have facilitated direct engagement between capital seekers and financiers, boosting the visibility and credibility of participating projects.
“The Project Checklist is a crucial tool for identifying and securing financing for Nigeria’s NDC-aligned projects, from industrial decarbonization to climate-resilient agriculture,” says Dr. Nkiruka Maduekwe, Director-General and CEO of the Nigerian National Council on Climate Change (NCCC). “By bridging the gap between public, private and donor funding, it strengthens our ability to mobilize resources and advance climate action toward our 2030 goals.”
Carolina Díaz, Director of Environment and Sustainable Development at the Departamento Nacional de Planeación (DNP), speaks during a panel discussion in Bogotá, Colombia, at the Project Checklist kick-off workshop in August 2024. Photo by CrossBoundary.
Outlook and Next Steps
The pilot phase of the Project Checklist is generating insights into how countries and project proponents can improve project quality and access to climate finance. As countries institutionalize the Project Checklist within national processes, it is demonstrating that it can be a scalable, flexible tool for advancing NDC implementation.
With strong government engagement and a growing pipeline of investment-ready projects, the next phase will focus on scaling successful approaches, institutionalizing the tool and embedding it into national climate finance strategies. As the pilot evolves, it will continue generating insights to inform broader efforts to unlock climate finance.
Visit the NDC Partnership climate finance page for more resources and information.