According to the 2025 Global Snapshot report published by the environmental disclosure platform CDP and the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy (GCoM), the world's cities are seeking record levels of financing for climate projects. For the first time, this year they aim to surpass the historic threshold of US$100 billion dollars to reach 105 billion — equivalent to €90.1 billion — a notable increase compared to the €73.865 billion requested in 2024.
The increase is quantitative, as shown by the figures, but also qualitative, reflected in the demand for green infrastructure and nature-based solutions, which has quadrupled since 2020, demonstrating a willingness to invest in more sustainable approaches.
For example, Porto, the second largest city in Portugal, has launched an initiative to electrify at least 43% of its bus fleet by 2027. Another ambitious project is being carried out in Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone, a small country in West Africa that aspires to become the city of trees #Freetown TheTreetown. How? By planting 1.2 million trees in the city, which would rise to a total of 5 million by 2030 and up to 20 million by 2050, with the aim of increasing plant coverage and providing protection against floods.
Other noteworthy initiatives are taking place in Singapore, known as the "garden city" of Southeast Asia; Shenzhen in China, where green spaces account for 45% of the cityscape; or Copenhagen, a pioneer in zero-carbon projects, and London, which stands out for its large-scale climate resilience strategy. In the same vein, Stockholm also stands out among the Nordic countries for its Hammarby Sjöstad eco-district, as does Oslo, which has been recognized as the European Green Capital on several occasions for its comprehensive approach to sustainability and its efficient commitment to public transport, significantly reducing emissions
The complexity of climate financing
Despite the boom in demand, the reality of financing is complex. The report indicates that 87% of projects are actively seeking funding. However, almost half of them (49%) have yet to secure the necessary financing, although many of the initiatives analyzed in the report are in the initial or conceptual stages.
This gap is deeper in emerging economies, where 40% of projects require full financing, compared to 22% in advanced economies. However, developed economies account for the majority of the investment demand, reaching 83% of the total. Two examples are the United States (44%) and the United Kingdom (23%), where investment demand is highly concentrated.
Finally, the report also highlights the importance of ensuring that funding is maintained until the measures are completed. The CDP study Protected Places reveals significant contrasts: while in Japan (75%) and China (86%) the majority of climate measures are fully implemented, in India only 5% of the planned actions are in operation.
As a final recommendation, the CDP and GCoM propose integrating investment needs into the climate strategy of each state's political agenda, promoting financial instruments to attract private investment, and increasing project disclosure to build investor confidence.
Cities have laid out their plans to move forward in terms of climate adaptation, transformation, and resilience. For GCoM, access to financing has become a global priority, as established at the recent COP30 in Belén, Brazil.