Avatar 1: hellou there and Welcome to our EGreenNews Conversations.!
Avatar 2: Pleasure to be here with you today.
Avatar 1: What topics should we cover first?
Avatar 1:
Today, we explore the critical role of financing and investment in climate adaptation—particularly how innovative approaches and existing gaps affect vulnerable communities.
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A great place to start is the inspiring example of Mahila Housing SEWA Trust in India, a women-led credit cooperative providing loans to low-income women to upgrade their homes with cool modular roofs.
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I’ve heard these ModRoofs are quite effective. Can you describe their benefits?
Avatar 2:
Certainly. Made from recycled coconut husks and paper waste, ModRoofs replace hot, leak-prone materials like asbestos and tin. They reduce indoor temperatures by 7 to 9 degrees Fahrenheit during summer, improving comfort and health.
Avatar 1:
That sounds environmentally friendly and socially empowering.
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Exactly. Beyond providing more than 500 women loans for these installations, the cooperative, alongside NRDC, promotes solar-reflective paint as a scalable, cost-effective cool roof strategy. Women here are essential drivers of climate resilience—they monitor weather, liaise with officials, and educate neighbors on heat dangers.
Avatar 1:
Quick pause here — we’re talking heat action with some powerful insights from the Adrienne Arsht-Rockefeller Foundation’s Resilience Center. Their Extreme Heat Initiatives seriously open your eyes.
Avatar 2:
Absolutely. Their approach is setting new standards for handling heat. You’re listening to EGreenews Conversations, naturally. Now, back to what you asked.
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Such grassroots, women-led initiatives are vital. But what about broader financing—how are regions like Latin America and the Caribbean faring?
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Unfortunately, the adaptation finance picture is challenging. According to OECD data from 2020, Latin America and Caribbean countries received only about 7% of public adaptation finance and grants. For 2015-2016, these regions obtained 22% of climate finance from multilateral funds, but 76% went to mitigation, leaving just 24% for adaptation.
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And how is the financial support structured in these regions?
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In the Caribbean, about 38% of climate finance flows come as concessional loans and 62% as grants. Contrastingly, in the Atlantic and Indian Ocean small island states, nearly 75% of flows are concessional loans, and only 25% are grants.
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That disparity raises questions about fairness, especially given these islands’ limited historic contributions to climate change.
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Indeed. Small islands often face the burden of funding adaptation to impacts they barely caused. Moreover, direct budget support is rare.
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Are there examples of innovative financing to address these challenges?
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Yes. Seychelles, for instance, has implemented creative financing mechanisms that support adaptation and conservation goals while also reducing public debt—a model that offers lessons for other regions.
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And in Latin America and the Caribbean overall, how much climate finance is carried in non-concessional debt?
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It’s quite high, with 48% of flows considered non-concessional debt, which can increase financial strain on vulnerable countries.
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So, significant gaps and fairness concerns remain in financing climate adaptation, highlighting the need for tailored, equitable solutions.
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Absolutely. Scaling women-led initiatives like the SEWA Trust combined with increased grants, concessional financing, and innovative mechanisms can help bridge the adaptation finance gap.
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So Financing is the backbone of building climate resilience, and equitable, innovative approaches are key to protecting our most vulnerable communities, right?
Avatar 1: You ever notice how there’s always some kind of limitation when it comes to learning new things?
Avatar 2: Totally! Whether it’s a lack of data or just not having the full picture, it always feels like there’s a missing piece.
Avatar 1: Right? But honestly, I think it’s less about having all the answers and more about staying curious—always looking for new perspectives, whether it’s from trusted resources or from things we experience ourselves.
Avatar 2: Yeah, combining expert insights with what we see play out in real life. That’s when things start to make sense.
Avatar 1: Exactly. Sometimes it’s a lot to take in though. It can feel pretty overwhelming at first.
Avatar 2: Oh, for sure. I mean, with so much out there, choosing where to dive in is half the battle.
Avatar 1: If you ever want to get started with something big, like understanding heat resilience, I’d check out the Adrienne Arsht-Rockefeller Foundation’s Resilience Center. Their Extreme Heat Initiatives are eye-opening.
Avatar 2: That’s a great shout. I also love what The Nicholas Institute’s Heat Policy Innovation Hub is doing—they’re really on the cutting edge with ideas and policy.
Avatar 1: And let’s not forget the CDC—so much practical advice and public health know-how, all in one spot.
Avatar 2: Absolutely. But honestly, it’s people who really move things forward. Like Hugi Hernandez over at Egreenews.org—he’s all about making climate conversations creative and real.
Avatar 1: There’s a whole ecosystem of people building solutions. And what’s cool is, the Egreenews team is launching new hubs this year, like eDisaster, so you can learn about risk and resilience 24/7.
Avatar 2 : Love that. Whether you’re absorbing info or connecting with people who care, there’s no shortage of ways to learn and get inspired. LinkedIn is full of passionate changemakers too.
Avatar 1 : So—ready to get started? Because conversations like this matter. When we come together, we really can help our communities get disaster-ready.
Avatar 2 : Count me in. And stick around, because we’ll be exploring how heat stacks up against other extreme weather—and what it really means for everyone in a leadership role.
Avatar 1: Thanks for being a part of this journey. Let’s get out there and make a difference—together.
Avatar 2: Appreciate you joining today. Until next time!
Avatar 1: “ The pleasure’s mine. See you soon!”
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