Namibia looking to unlock US$250 million in concessional climate finance

Namibia's participation in the Climate Investment Funds (CIF) Industry Decarbonisation Programme (IDP) could provide the country with access to up to US$250 million in concessional climate finance to support low-carbon industrial development and its broader green industrialisation agenda.

The funding would be unlocked through Namibia's Sectoral Transformation Investment Plan (s-TIP), which is being developed under the CIF Industry Decarbonisation Programme.

Speaking at a CIF IDP s-TIP stakeholder engagement session in Lüderitz on 8 June, //Kharas governor Dawid Gertze said the programme would help Namibia move from ambition to implementation. "It will allow Namibia to build a green industrial model that is nationally aligned and regionally grounded. The CIF IDP s-TIP process is crucial for Namibia's emerging green industrial future because it provides an opportunity to move from ambition to structured implementation by helping the country identify, prioritise and prepare investable green industrial projects that can reduce industrial emissions while growing the economy. "It also supports sectoral analysis, feasibility studies, regulatory reviews and project pipeline development," Gertze told delegates.

Gertze emphasised that Namibia's green industrialisation agenda is no longer merely a policy discussion in Windhoek or a topic debated at international summits. "It is a practical regional and local issue involving livelihoods, infrastructure, jobs, skills development, environmental stewardship, community trust and how development is shaped together with the people who live where this transformation will take place," he said.

Gertze added that the region possesses many of the attributes sought by the future global economy. "This region has land availability, world-class solar and wind resources, a strategic coastline, proximity to key port infrastructure and the potential to anchor new industrial corridors. The //Kharas region, therefore, occupies a special place in Namibia's emerging green industrial future. "It is expected to host the country's largest green hydrogen project, Hyphen Hydrogen Energy, and is increasingly being recognised as a strategic hub not only for green hydrogen but also for a broader renewable energy and low-carbon industrial ecosystem," he said.

The governor urged Namibians not to view green hydrogen as a narrowly focused energy project but rather as a platform for industrial transformation. "It forms part of a broader national effort to build domestic productive capacity, diversify the economy, create jobs and position Namibia within the low-carbon industries of the future. "NDP6 calls for a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach to development. It identifies wealth creation, improved equality and employment generation as central national goals. It also places strong emphasis on economic diversification, natural resource beneficiation, youth empowerment, manufacturing growth, infrastructure development and the creation of 30,000 green jobs by 2030," he said.

Gertze explained that Namibia's green industrialisation agenda extends far beyond a single flagship project. "It is about the ecosystem surrounding it. It encompasses engineering services, logistics, transport, fabrication, accommodation, maintenance, utilities, water, port services, environmental services, digital systems, safety, supply chains and local enterprise development. "It is about enabling SMEs in Lüderitz, Aus and across the region to participate in emerging value chains. It is about ensuring that communities see opportunities, not merely announcements," he said.

Gertze also commended the government and its development partners for investing in skills development and workforce preparation for the emerging sector. "I am pleased that 90 students from the //Kharas and Hardap regions are currently enrolled at vocational training centres. It is expected that, upon completion of their studies, they will be able to participate in the emerging green industrial and renewable energy economy. "We must continue building local skills, technical readiness and practical pathways into employment so that this new industry is not viewed from a distance by our youth but entered with confidence and competence," he said.

The governor further emphasised the importance of stakeholder engagement for communities in the //Kharas Region. "The purpose of stakeholder engagement is not merely to endorse a process. It is to shape it. Communities must put forward their priorities regarding local participation, youth employment, land use, environmental safeguards, business opportunities, infrastructure needs and social investment. "In this way, development becomes more legitimate, sustainable and beneficial," he said. "We do not want development to arrive in the region as a finished idea, with communities informed only at the end. We want development that listens, consults and respects both national ambitions and local realities; development that protects the environment, respects cultural heritage, creates opportunities for local people and leaves lasting value in the region," Gertze added.

The governor also encouraged communities to support Namibia's green industrialisation agenda and to speak openly about how they would like development to proceed.

"Your views, concerns and expectations matter," he said. Gertze further urged project developers, state-owned enterprises and local authorities to continue engaging communities in good faith. "Transparency and responsiveness will be essential if the sector is to build trust and social legitimacy," he said.