The energy and land use sectors are responsible for the majority of greenhouse gas emissions in many Latin American countries. It is estimated that approximately 40% of GHG emissions are from the agriculture, forestry and other land use sectors. Emissions from the energy sector vary substantially from country to country, yet the region’s reliance on fossil fuels and growing energy needs imply that without the adoption of clean energy technologies, the sector will continue to contribute to increasing GHG emissions in the region. Investments in renewable and energy efficient technologies, along with sustainable land use practices have been identified as effective investments for climate change mitigation, yet their adoption is limited due to the lack of finance from local financial institutions (LFIs). 

The core objective of the Programme is to reduce GHG emissions in Latin America by 10.7 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (MtCO₂eq) in emissions, through locally financed and developed climate change projects for MSMEs in the renewable energy, energy efficiency and land use sectors. The Programme will provide LFIs with access to a green finance credit line. It will also implement four grant-funded sub-components with a focus on education, awareness raising and technical support. This includes matchmaking between LFIs, technology service providers, and solution providers (e.g., MSMEs and farmers), performance-based payments for solution providers, technical support and capacity building, and monitoring and reporting.