Promoting Nature based Solutions for resilient, low carbon and biodiverse territorial development (SolNatura)

Colombia is heavily impacted by climate change and extreme weather events. Transformative action is needed for sustainable development. The project SolNatura aims at creating local capacities and experiences by promoting implementation of NDC related Nature-based Solutions (NbS). A project facility will support, for instance, local projects of forest conservation and reforestation, water saving and harvesting schemes or restoration of critical ecosystems in 3 departments (Huila, Santander and Córdoba). The project not only applies a broad participatory approach engaging local stakeholders in the project implementation and knowledge sharing; it also develops innovative financial instruments for scaling-up these NbS, improves regional framework conditions for territorial development models, strengthens national M&E/MRV systems and documents evidence for national policy advice.

Project data

Countries
Colombia
IKI funding
17,474,036.21 €
Included preparation phase
124,036.21 €
Duration
08/2022 till 07/2028
Status
open
Implementing organisation
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH
Political Partner
  • Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development (MinAmbiente) - Colombia
Implementing Partner
  • Fondo Acción
  • The Nature Conservancy (TNC) - International
Online
Skip to Project data

State of implementation/results

  • Following the launch of the three Nature-based Solutions (NbS) Innovation and Research clusters in the departments of Córdoba, Santander and Huila, the work plan and Technical Secretariat were established. The Project (SolNatura) announced a call to co-finance up to six NbS research and innovation initiatives with implementation set for early 2025. NbS portfolios, comprising 20 NbS to enhance the territorial development model have been developed.
  • Fondo Acción is supporting the creation of 5 financial instruments for NbS. 11 entities have been selected for their development (8 financial institutions, 2 special financial entities, and 1 economic organization). In collaboration with Universidad EAFIT, a capacity-development program is being developed. Progress has been made with the local NGO Asprocig in Córdoba and the Alquería (dairy industry) in Santander on identifying economic flows, NbS measures, cost estimates, and advancing the review of operational and credit manuals for a pilot fund.
  • SolNatura+, a financing facility for NbS implementation, was successfully launched at COP16. Validated as an Impact Private Equity Fund, this financial instrument mobilises resources from diverse funding sources and leverages a blended finance mechanism to create synergies between private capital and non-reimbursable cooperation resources. With a vision of 30 years, SolNatura+ is driving solutions that enhance biodiversity conservation, mitigate climate change, and strengthen the resilience of people and ecosystems. As a major step towards project implementation, SolNatura has launched a call for proposals in October 2024. This call will remain open until March 2025 to co-finance 24 NbS- projects in the departments of Córdoba, Huila and Santander via SolNatura+.
  • Key coordination efforts have integrated NbS into local governance through the Interinstitutional Climate Change Roundtable (Córdoba), the Departmental Climate Change Council (Huila), and the Santander Forest Roundtable. These initiatives have shaped a territorial vision for NbS implementation, aligned with regional plans, and developed a Strengthening Plan to enhance NbS processes and capacities. Local efforts are now linked to national NbS initiatives (NbS Guide, National NbS Strategy, and National NbS Network).
  • In September 2024, three monitoring workshops facilitated technical dialogues on strengthening national climate and biodiversity monitoring systems, identifying challenges, opportunities and interinstitutional agreements for structural and technological improvements. The workshop was jointly organized by the projects SolNatura and IKI Interface. The results served the MinAmbiente as input for Colombia's first Biennial Transparency Report.
  • Actors in Córdoba, Huila and Santander have enhanced their expertise in NbS, climate finance, and social and environmental safeguards through learning initiatives implemented by SolNatura. Key activities include the Academy on Inclusive Climate Action Finance (FICAA) and workshops on social and environmental safeguards and conflict sensitivity analysis. In November 2024, SolNatura launched a training program for 60 participants in collaboration with Universidad del Rosario. This course provided practical tools to transform ideas into concrete NbS projects with a focus on project planning and management.

Latest Update:
04/2025

Further links

Project relations

Legend:

  • Current Project
  • Previous project
  • Follow-up project
  • Topic
  • Country selection

The link has been copied to the clipboard