Urban Water Catalyst Initiative
Mobilising private capital for resilient services in cities – how the Catalyst Initiative is making urban water utilities fit-for-finance!
Water ressources, drinking water supply and wastewater management are under severe pressure worldwide as a result of climate change, pollution, ageing infrastructure and the need for expansion. In cities, municipal water suppliers are primarily responsible for this. However, they are usually unable to secure a reliable supply for a rapidly growing urban demand. As a result, there is a massive supply shortfall (SDG 6).
Lack of sufficient equity capital, lack of efficient operation and a knowledge gap concerning climate risks affecting their business and increasingly impacting utilities agglomerates in an estimated funding gap of US$ 140 billion per year.
The Catalyst Initiative helps to close these gaps. The Urban Water Catalyst Initiative (UWCI) is a global initiative with initial funding from Germany, the Netherlands and the Stone Family Foundation, that addresses this challenge by mobilising private local capital.
The session will showcase the initiative’s approach to financing and how it can effectively drive climate resilience for water and sanitation services in urban areas, as an integral component of a commercial business model.
