Green-Blue Connect Initiative

The OPEC Fund for International Development is committing US$3 billion through 2030 to its new Green-Blue Connect initiative. This platform will finance climate adaptation and mitigation, linking the resilience of water systems with the decarbonization of energy systems. Water is to adaptation what energy is to mitigation and Green-Blue Connect brings both together. Energy drives the fight against emissions, while water is at the core of resilience.

Climate change is a dual crisis: it threatens lives, livelihoods and ecosystems through both carbon emissions and water stress.

Green-Blue Connect will link climate finance with integrated solutions across land and sea, from resilient infrastructure and flood management to sanitation, water for agriculture and energy and sustainable urban development. It will foster resilience, biodiversity and economic opportunity from small island states to landlocked nations.

Water lies at the heart of the climate crisis. Many of the most immediate climate threats are water-related and adaptation must ensure communities have reliable access to safe water and sanitation even as they face catastrophic floods and droughts.

From rising sea levels to record-breaking heatwaves, climate change is a clear and present danger — impacting lives, livelihoods and ecosystems worldwide. Yet, most global climate finance is still focused on mitigation efforts like renewables and energy efficiency, while climate adaptation, especially in developing nations, struggles to find the necessary support.

That’s why the OPEC Fund for International Development is taking action: Green-Blue Connect is our new strategic US$3 billion platform designed to build on that nexus of green and blue, mitigation and adaptation. By mobilizing resources, knowledge and partnerships, we aim to develop and implement transformative solutions.

Green-Blue Connect highlights how investments in climate adaptation and mitigation finance
by multilateral development banks can bring long-term benefits, such as bridging critical funding shortfalls in developing nations, building country-level capacities for adaptation, expanding access to essential services like safe water and sanitation and integrating climate resilience into development planning.

Green-Blue Connect aims to:

Prioritize nexus finance via a dedicated program for high-impact, high-need adaptation measures.
Finance projects that address climate-related water risks, while investing in climate-resilient infrastructure, ecosystems and livelihoods.
Leverage hybrid and nature-based solutions to deliver inclusive, sustainable and cost-effective climate resilience.
Support innovative pilots, startups and technology-driven solutions, including early warning systems and blue financial instruments.
Empower developing countries to plan, finance and implement locally-owned solutions, building institutional capacity and enabling access to global climate finance.
Establish the OPEC Fund as a leader in green-blue finance, building on its track record in water, energy, sanitation, disaster risk reduction and resilient infrastructure.