On 25 March, ClimateFiGS will host Benedict Libanda for an online session on how blended finance can help unlock private investment and accelerate climate action needed to meet the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C target.
Date: 25 March 2026
Time: 12:00-13:30
Location: Zoom – link will be sent out to registered particpants
Closing the Climate Finance GaP
Reaching the Paris Agreement’s goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C will require a dramatic increase in global climate investment. Despite growing commitments, the world still faces an estimated US$4.4–9.2 trillion annual climate finance gap. While private capital has the potential to help close this gap, investors often face barriers such as high perceived risks, regulatory uncertainty, and misaligned incentives. In this session, Benedict Libanda explores how blended finance—combining concessional public funding with private investment—can help overcome these challenges and mobilise greater capital for climate mitigation and adaptation.
Strategies to Mobilise Private Investment
Drawing on an integrative review of research from 2014–2024, the presentation examines how financial instruments such as guarantees, first-loss capital, and performance-based incentives can make climate projects more bankable. These mechanisms have been applied across sectors including renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, and urban resilience. The session will also highlight the structural barriers limiting blended finance at scale and present practical strategies that can help accelerate climate-resilient and low-carbon investment, particularly in developing countries.
About benedict libanda
Benedict Libanda is a Doctorate candidate in the Executive Doctorate of Business Administration (EDBA) program at École des Ponts Business School (2023-2026), where his research focuses on blended financing mechanisms and strategies to scale capital mobilisation for global climate change goals. His doctoral work examines how innovative financial structuring can unlock large-scale private investment to accelerate decarbonisation and climate resilience, particularly in emerging and developing economies.
With over 25 years of professional experience in climate finance and industrial decarbonisation, Benedict brings deep practitioner insight into his academic work. He has led and advised on complex climate funds, blended finance vehicles, and large-scale capital deployment strategies across Africa and internationally. His research bridges scholarship and practice, contributing to both theoretical advancement and actionable policy and investment solutions aligned with global net-zero and sustainable development objectives.