The Department of Finance (DOF), in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and with support from the Government of Canada, has launched the Accelerating Green and Climate Finance in the Philippines: Nature-based Solutions (AGCF-NbS) initiative to help enterprises scale up sustainable, inclusive business operations.
Co-chaired by the DOF, NatureNest is a 6-month accelerator program under the AGCF initiative, co-implemented by Villgro Philippines. It aims to identify and support 10 high-potential nature-based enterprises in the country that deliver direct, measurable environmental benefits while driving sustainable and inclusive economic growth.
These enterprises will be supported through tailored capacity-building, targeted coaching, and specialized technical assistance to help them scale rapidly.
Private sector capital will also be harnessed to scale the impact of Nature-based Enterprises by connecting mission-aligned investors and unlocking funding opportunities for growth.
“NatureNest is a vehicle of transformation, serving as an avenue to enhance the capacity of enterprises in developing and implementing NbS projects allowing participants to transform innovative ideas into scalable projects that will create jobs, restore and protect ecosystems, and shield vulnerable communities from the risks of climate change,” the DOF Climate Finance Policy Group said in a message of support delivered during the program launch on May 5, 2025.
With an approved AGCF funding of USD 4.5 million, the project will support the establishment of a climate finance lab; climate data platforms for research in Nature-Based Solutions finance; the design and incorporation of gender-responsive and green and climate-related policies in lending programs; and the establishment of a system to report Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) impacts of green and climate investments made by the private sector and financing institutions.
“The NatureNest allows us to tap into the potential of NbS as cost-effective and sustainable means to build climate resilient communities and incentivize private sector investment,” the DOF said.
The DOF announced that the program is included in its list of pioneer projects for the implementation of the Interagency Task Force on Sustainable Finance’s (ITSF) dedicated facility for capacity building, policy support, and market development—the ITSF Center of Excellence.
The event also featured a series of talks from representatives from government agencies, impact investors, and civil society organizations who shared insights on the critical role of nature-based enterprises in addressing climate-related challenges.
The program’s launching was attended by UNDP Deputy Resident Representative Edwine Carrie; Embassy of Canada to the Philippines Head of Cooperation and Counsellor (Development) John Lok; Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Undersecretary Analiza Teh; DENR Biodiversity Management Bureau Assistant Director Mariglo Rosaida Laririt; Villgro Philippines Co-founder and CEO Priya Thachadi; and guests from the government, civil society organizations, and private sector enterprises.
