On March 6, the Natural Infrastructure Finance Laboratory (NatLab) released a report on developing private markets for green infrastructure. The report, Creating Clean Water Cash Flows, focuses on attracting private investment in green infrastructure on public and private land. Strategies discussed include project aggregation; offsite mitigation and credit trading programs; subsidies; public–private partnerships; and transformation of vacant lands. Find an overview of the chapters in this Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) blog.

While the report centers on Philadelphia’s program, its broader focus on cost-effective green infrastructure retrofits and leveraging private capital is applicable nationwide.

NatLab is a consortium of NRDC, the Nature Conservancy, and EKO Asset Management Partners. According to an NRDC press release, cities across the U.S. are making significant investments in green infrastructure, including

  • Philadelphia, $1.67 billion, covering a period of 25 years;
  • New York City, $1.6 billion, covering a period of 20 years;
  • Los Angeles, approximately $200 million in the next 2 years;
  • Kansas City, Mo., $78 million;
  • Portland, Ore., $68 million from 2008 to 2013;
  • Detroit, $50 million, covering a period of 20 years;
  • Cleveland, $42 million; and
  • Seattle, $24 million to $30 million from 2012 to 2018.

 Also, check out the companion report, Greening Vacant Lots: Planning and Implementation Strategies.