Project Preparation 2.0: From Bottlenecks to Breaking Ground

Emerging markets and developing economies need trillions of dollars in climate investment, yet too many climate and clean energy projects never reach financing. Projects stall because the support needed to move from concept to implementation is often fragmented, difficult to navigate, and disconnected from financing pathways.

Project Preparation 2.0: From Bottlenecks to Breaking Ground examines the climate-aligned project preparation ecosystem and identifies the systemic barriers that prevent projects from becoming investment-ready. Drawing on interviews with project preparation facilities, climate funds, development finance institutions, governments, and ecosystem enablers, the report explores why projects stall and what can be done to improve conversion from ideas to financed investments.

The report proposes five practical reform areas: strengthening country-led project preparation capacity, creating clearer entry points and shared standards, diversifying preparation funding models, improving support for underserved segments, and strengthening governance, accountability, and learning across the ecosystem.

Rather than calling for more institutions, the report argues for a more coherent project preparation system — one that is easier to navigate, better connected to finance, more inclusive, and capable of turning climate ambition into investment-ready pipelines at scale.

This policy brief was developed by RMI and the NDC Partnership Support Unit as a contribution to the Taskforce on Access to Climate Finance. The findings, analysis, and recommendations expressed in this brief are not necessarily reflective of those of the wider NDC Partnership.

We would like to thank the following for their contributions to this brief:

Contributors: Amanda McKee, Joaquim Leite, Eszter Mogyorosy, Jen Bogle (NDC Partnership Support Unit)

Reviewers and expert advisors: John Michael LaSalle (Cities Climate Finance Leadership Alliance); Chavi Meattle (Climate Policy Initiative); Ujala Qadir (consultant); Anibal Gomez Contreras, Maxwell Hyman, Daniel Gunton, Denali Hussin, Ije Ikoku Okeke (RMI)