Supporting greenhouse gas mitigation in developing cities: a synthesis of financial instruments

One of the major concerns with the post-2012 global climate regime is to reach consensus on how to finance actions needed in fast-growing developing economies for significant greenhouses gases emissions mitigation. International financial and technology transfer are bound to bridge the gap under well-designed institutional framework to facilitate the transition to low(er) carbon development trajectories in developing countries. So far, cities, which contribute nearly 80% of global emissions, have not yet been recognised as a legitimate entity to implement different greenhouse gas mitigation policies and measures with relevant technical and financial abilities. Here we discuss the scope and scale of different climate-relevant financial mechanisms and describe their comparative advantages and weakness in financing climate resilient urban infrastructures (buildings and transport in particular). We show the limitations of current instruments available in scaling up necessary financial flows into developing cities to achieve the long term climate stabilisation targets. Lastly, the paper examines the feasibility of factoring the sector-wise and Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMA) mechanisms into local authorities’ long-term mitigation strategy by raising necessary funds to facilitate shifting the business as usual trajectories in developing cities in the next decades.