Cities to receive support from C40 Cities Finance Facility (CFF) for bold and inclusive urban climate action
Projects will provide green transport, cut greenhouse gas emissions and introduce nature-based solutions to strengthen climate resilience in four major cities.
Announcement made at C40 World Mayors Summit in Rio de Janeiro, where CFF marks its tenth anniversary
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (4 November 2025) - Four new cities have been chosen to receive support from the C40 Cities Finance Facility (CFF) to turn their ambitious climate plans into tangible, finance-ready infrastructure projects.
Implemented jointly by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH and C40 since 2015, the CFF is an award-winning project preparation facility helping cities develop inclusive urban infrastructure projects and link them to climate finance. The first group of new partner cities for CFF’s fourth phase was announced at the 2025 C40 World Mayors Summit as:
Nature-based urban regeneration in São Paulo, Brazil
São Paulo will launch the Jardim Orion II urban regeneration project along the banks of the strategically vital Billings Reservoir. This initiative directly tackles severe social challenges and water insecurity within a high-risk flood zone. For the first time, the project will incorporate nature-based solutions, using green spaces and natural water systems, into São Paulo's long-standing Watershed Protection Programme. This significant shift away from traditional concrete infrastructure will strengthen the city's climate resilience, boost public health and create new green jobs.
Solar-powered e-buses in Rabat, Morocco
Rabat will roll out 30 new e-buses along a new north-south express line connecting Salé, Rabat, and Témara, and install rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) at up to three bus depots. This transformative project will combine electric mobility and renewable energy within a single framework, setting a precedent for integrated infrastructure delivery across Morocco. It also offers the chance to test innovative governance and contractual models for transit operators, providing valuable lessons for other urban contexts in Morocco and the wider MENA region.
Clean ferries in Cartagena, Colombia
Cartagena is creating a reliable, low-emission passenger ferry network to connect its industrial, residential, commercial, and tourism centres with communities, including the island of Tierra Bomba. This project replaces old diesel-powered boats with 10 new, clean ferries and 10 new or improved docks, complete with charging stations. Fully integrated with the existing Transcaribe bus system, this network will dramatically cut commute times, improve travel safety, and significantly expand fair access to jobs, healthcare and education for underserved island and coastal residents. As the first project of its kind in Colombia, it offers a replicable model for other cities located on coasts and rivers.
With the support of Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), CFF will now collaborate with these cities to prepare and implement these projects to improve the lives of residents with large-scale, measurable impact.
Launched in 2015 at COP21 in Paris by Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes, CFF has become a leading project preparation facility partnering with cities in the Global South to enable transformative climate action. By putting cities’ best interests first, CFF is helping cities prepare and implement urban infrastructure projects that address the impacts and injustices of climate breakdown and that make a real difference to people’s lives.
From Mumbai to Medellín, Durban to Dakar, CFF has partnered with more than 30 cities across the Global South, supporting 38 transformative projects in key climate action areas: nature-based solutions, renewable energy and buildings, sustainable mobility and waste management. By 2030, CFF will have leveraged over €1 billion in capital investment.
Through its support for inclusive and resilient climate infrastructure, CFF is a vital mechanism for helping cities and Mayors unlock the investment needed to meet their climate goals, contributing to the achievement of the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC).
Mayor of Belo Horizonte Álvaro Damião said: “The C40 Cities Finance Facility will provide vital support to our work to tackle flooding and extreme heat in Belo Horizonte
“Through green and blue infrastructure interventions in the Capao and Piratininga basins, the city will protect vulnerable residents and strengthen resilience to climate change.”
Mayor of Cartagena, Dumek Turbay said: “Today, Cartagena takes a historic step forward. With this new public maritime transport system, we will connect our islands and coastal communities with the industrial, commercial, and tourist heart of the city,”
“For the first time in Colombia, our residents will have an aquatic service designed for them - one that will make it easier to reach jobs, healthcare, and education.
"We dreamed it together, we heard it from our communities, and today we make it a reality: a sustainable transport system that unites, connects, and improves the lives of all Cartageneros.”
“With the support of the C40 Cities Finance Facility, we continue building a greener, fairer, and more human Cartagena where every journey across the water is also a step toward the future we all deserve.”
Mayor of Rabat, Fatiha el Moudni said: "This pivotal project is a key step in implementing our strategic vision for sustainable urban mobility. It is not merely about renewing our bus fleet, but rather a foundational investment designed to enhance the quality of life for all citizens across Greater Rabat."
“The new fleet of 30 electric buses will represent a significant upgrade to the transportation services available to our residents. It will provide a more reliable, quieter, and cleaner service, while also streamlining travel within the Rabat-Salé-Kénitra conurbation. This initiative directly addresses the need for high-quality public services to support our growing population,” stated Fatiha El Moudni, the Mayor of Rabat.
“By combining electric mobility with on-site solar photovoltaic energy generation at our depots, we are building a pioneering model in Morocco for truly integrated, zero-emission infrastructure.”
Co-Director of the C40 Cities Finance Facility, Ingrid Simon said: "The C40 Cities Finance Facility is delighted to announce its four new partner cities - Belo Horizonte, Cartagena, São Paulo and Rabat - whose fantastic projects will build communities' resilience to extreme heat and flooding, connect people to employment and services, and create cleaner, healthier environments.
“Thanks to the support of the German and British governments, we're proud to continue to assist cities in developing real projects that make a real difference to people’s lives."
