IHE Delft introduces short course on Financing Water Investments
With respect to achieving SDG 6, the Sustainable Development Goal focused on water security and climate adaptation, accessing the capital required to expand the water agenda poses a significant challenge. In emerging markets and developing economies the finances required to meet the SDGs are 2-4 times higher than existing (predominantly public) flows. This is exacerbated by the fact that of current climate financing, less than a quarter is allocated to adaptation; and of this less than 5% is destined for developing economies.
Commercial finance will be necessary to fill this gap, but is in itself constrained by the high-risk profiles and small size of many water investments. Although access to finance may be difficult, blended finance, local capital markets and better use of intermediary financial institutions can facilitate expanding these capital flows. This will require additional knowledge and skills within water agencies to prepare ‘bankable’ proposals that can attract financial flows from the private sector.
Course
Our new 4-day course on Financing Water Investments provides vital understanding of the many facets of, and perspectives on, water financing. Led by experts with decades of experience across the water sector and the World Bank, the course reviews the criteria for ‘bankable’ projects, and introduces the basics of project finance.
The first edition of the course will be held in December 2020 at IHE Delft in the Netherlands.
Participants will learn how to identify which sources of financing can be used for water (infrastructure) projects, as well as how to explore how partial public finance, risk mitigation instruments and smarter regulation can remove barriers to private investment. The course focuses on applying knowledge gained over the four days to real-world examples, and ends with an opportunity to share knowledge share with a panel of experts.
The course is designed for professionals, managers and executives of government agencies or NGOs, who want to acquire a better understanding of the complex world of financing water infrastructure.
Participants typically see it as an opportunity to influence and inspire others to bridge the gap between the finance and water sectors to meet the water challenges in their countries.
Financing Water Investments is organized jointly with the Netherlands Water Partnership (NWP), a network of 181 internationally oriented Dutch organizations working in the water sector. Its members include private companies, NGOs, governmental organizations and knowledge institutes.