Nature Positive Cities Efforts to Advance the Tranistion Barranquilla 2025

Governance Policy and regulations Financing Data and analyticsStakeholder engagementCapabilities Summary of enabling environment Barranquilla implements a collaborative environmental governance model through a strong network of public and private institutional actors to develop and implement nature-based solutions (NbS). The effective coordination between municipal entities, regional environmental authorities, organizations specialized in managing urban natural capital and strategic partnerships with the private sector positions the city favourably to attract and optimize external funding for environmental initiatives. The district administration has systematically integrated NbS into its territorial planning instruments and public policies, demonstrating a strong commitment to sustainable urban development. However, challenges remain, such as: –Limited access to sustainable financing due to the need to allocate resources concurrently to address both unmet basic needs and urgent social priorities –Lack of centralized processes for the approval of international climate-related loans –Gaps in specialized technical capacities for urban environmental management At the same time, regulatory constraints on land use planning remain, alongside long-term impacts of past urban growth that occurred without effective inter-institutional coordination. These issues compromise the protection of strategic ecosystems, are compounded by limited institutional technical capacity, and reflect low public awareness and engagement with the benefits generated by NbS initiatives. Despite these challenges, Barranquilla has a favourable environment in which to consolidate its green transition. The 2024–2027 Territorial Development Plan considers an investment of COP 1.65 trillion (Columbian pesos) (approximately $380 million) in green infrastructure and ecosystem-based strategies, positioning the city as a national benchmark in urban sustainability. The success of this strategy depends on three key actions: 1 Strengthening institutional capacity for the valuation and management of natural capital 2 Developing standardized frameworks for measuring environmental, social and economic impacts 3 Expanding access to green and hybrid financing instruments internationally These actions will allow Barranquilla to align with global sustainability commitments and open new opportunities for resilient, low-carbon urban development. Select the tabs to discover moreFIGURE 1 Snapshot of Barranquilla’s enabling environment Source: World Economic Forum. 123 Nature Positive: Cities’ Efforts to Advance the Transition – Barranquilla7