The World Bank has approved a $200m concessional credit to support Uzbekistan in modernising its irrigation and drainage infrastructure and improving the quality of irrigation service delivery. The project aims to reduce water losses and increase the energy efficiency of irrigation systems across five regions of the country. The Government of Uzbekistan will provide $23.2m in co-financing.
Category: Finance
UK publishes its woodland natural capital accounts 2024
Natural capital accounts containing information on the extent, condition and ecosystem services for woodlands in the UK have been published by the UK’s Office for National Statistics. They show that the UK land area covered by woodlands increased from 7% in 1965 to 13% in 2023. The asset value of UK woodlands was an estimated £382bn in 2021. While timber and wood fuel is often seen as the main woodland asset, it accounted for just 3.9% or £14.bn.
Malawi: World Bank approves hydro power storage grant
The World Bank Board of Executive Directors has approved a $350m grant from the International Development Association to support Malawi’s Mpatamanga Hydropower Storage Project (MHSP), a large infrastructure operation aiming to transform the country’s energy landscape and its economic development trajectory.
What does the UK-EU Summit mean for energy and emissions?
The UK and the EU have agreed a substantial cooperation agreement in relation to trade and free movement. Included in the package are two energy and emissions trading arrangements.
Funding for flood defences is crucial, says the ABI
The Association of British Insurers (ABI) says that, between January and April this year, claims for weather-related damage to people’s homes and possessions in the UK topped £200m for the first time ever. Pay-outs surpassed the previous quarterly record from Q1 2022 by £67m.
LME looks into premium prices for sustainable metals
The London Metal Exchange (LME) is exploring the potential for premium prices for sustainable metals. It says that by making a sustainability price differential public, the value attached to sustainable metals will be transparent and could support the development of the market for sustainable metals.
How to halt and reverse nature loss – invest
It is estimated that the private sector requires $1.2tr worth of annual investment in direct and nature-adjacent projects to halt and reverse nature loss, says the World Economic Forum. However, the majority of financial institutions still find that data availability and quality are barriers to allocating capital to nature.
UK Gov strengthens carbon markets; helps leverage capital
The UK Government has launched plans to strengthen voluntary carbon and nature markets which can help leverage the finance needed to address climate action while diversifying revenue streams.
