SEO Riders
– Africa’s Nature Seen as $1.4 Trillion Economic Asset, Not Burden
– New “Green Opportunity Index” Unveiled to Guide Nature-Based Investments
– Funding Stack: Grants, Carbon Credits, and Soft Loans Key to Ecosystem Restoration
At the Second Africa Climate Summit (ACS2) in Addis Ababa, the African Green Economy and Sustainability Initiative (AGESI), represented by Dr. Eugene Itua (Executive Director of AGESI and CEO of Natural Eco Capital), made a bold appeal for leaders to view nature as Africa’s greatest economic opportunity—valued at USD 1.4 trillion annually rather than a liability. Speaking at a side event titled “Developing the Finance Stack for Restoring African Ecosystems,” Dr. Itua emphasized that securing this potential will require innovative financial mechanisms: a hybrid finance stack combining grants, concessional loans, and market instruments like biodiversity and carbon credits. He argued that what’s needed is not more rhetoric, but a more sophisticated architecture to mobilize investment in natural capital.
A highlight of AGESI’s presentation was the launch of its Green Opportunity Index (GOI)**—a data-driven tool designed to help governments and investors identify and prioritize the most promising nature-based economic opportunities across Africa. The tool aims to connect investment flows with real restoration and conservation projects, ensuring they are bankable and scalable. The session was moderated by FSD Africa and featured prominent conservation and finance experts from organisations like The Nature Conservancy, Conservation International, UNDP, and others—signalling broad interest in translating ecological value into economic development frameworks.