India Forum for Nature-based Solutions
Background
While there is evidence of the potential of urban Nature-based Solutions (NbS) to improve local resilience and provide a spectrum of co-benefits, implementing these solutions at scale involves multiple challenges, including insufficient financing. For Indian cities, barriers to investing in urban NbS include limited evidence of innovative finance models and cost-recovery approaches; a lack of data and standardized metrics to evaluate benefits; and limited technical capacity and financial assistance during the early stages of project preparation.
In recognition of these barriers, partners in the India Forum for NbS – Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), Climate Policy Initiative (CPI), and World Resources Institute (WRI) India collaborated on an 18-month study supported by ISEF, with the aim of identifying promising financing models that can support high-quality NbS in Indian cities. The partners previously completed a market study report, which was released at Mumbai Climate Week in February 2026. The report shares learnings from more than 30 innovative financing practices and provides structured guidance on leveraging the financial, policy, and regulatory landscape for urban NbS.
Read the report: Unlocking Finance for Nature-based Solutions in Indian Cities
Most recently, the partners undertook a case study assessment of nine projects in India that used financing instruments in innovative ways. Examples include a sovereign loan for the Integrated Stormwater Drainage project in Chennai and a volumetric water-benefit procurement contract for the Yamuna basin. The case studies were documented through secondary research and consultations with project-specific stakeholders. Insights from focus group discussions with project developers, practitioners, and financiers, covering challenges, enabling factors, and use cases for different financing instruments were incorporated into recommendations for financing urban NbS. These case studies, along with the findings and recommendations, have been consolidated into a report that will be released as part of the launch event.
Objectives
The launch event presents an opportunity to reflect on learnings with experts and practitioners, as well as discuss potential ways forward on financing quality NbS. A special session will be held on leveraging finance for urban NbS, following the launch of two knowledge products emerging from this project:
- Case studies report with a focus on nine India-specific innovative financing cases along with key findings and stakeholder-specific recommendations.
- Urban Nature-based Solutions Financing Dashboard as an open access living knowledge repository and tool for dissemination among wider audiences. It represents consolidated information on the urban NbS-related policy landscape, tools and resources, best practices, and case studies from India and beyond.
Partners will share key findings from case studies documented through secondary research and consultations with project case-specific stakeholders, as well as recommendations informed by discussions held with technical and financial experts. The open-access digital platform hosted on the India Forum for NbS will be demonstrated as a reference source for relevant information and resources on financing urban NbS, types of financing instruments and use cases.
