Climate Risk, Resilience, and Synergies in Green Infrastructure Investment for Developing Economies

Abstract:

Developing economies face escalating climate risks—including extreme weather events and sea-level rise—while grappling with the need to expand infrastructure to support economic growth. Green infrastructure, which combines climate adaptation, mitigation, and sustainable development goals, offers a pathway to address these dual challenges. This paper examines the synergies between climate risk reduction, resilience building, and green infrastructure investment in three developing economies: India, Ghana, and Brazil. It identifies key barriers to scaling green infrastructure, including financing gaps, institutional fragmentation, and limited technical capacity, and analyzes policy mechanisms to overcome these obstacles. Case studies of urban greening projects, renewable energy integration, and nature-based flood management reveal that successful initiatives leverage multi-stakeholder partnerships, innovative financing, and adaptive governance. The findings highlight the need for context-specific policy frameworks that align green infrastructure with local development priorities while accessing international climate finance.