KfW Circular Economy and Waste Infrastructure Financing

Enriched International · Found: 2026-03-11 11:10

KfW Development Bank financing for circular economy and waste management infrastructure in developing nations, supporting large-scale waste collection, sorting, and recycling systems.

Source: https://kfw-entwicklungsbank.de/About-us/News/News-Details_852608.html

Funding Details

Funder

KfW Development Bank (with AFD, EIB, ADB and other European/Asian development banks)

Funding Goal

Mobilize €3 billion between 2026 and 2030 to protect the world's oceans and reduce marine plastic waste through sustainable waste management, wastewater management, and circular economy infrastructure in developing nations.

Funding Amount

€3 billion total across all partner banks, 2026–2030 (up to 3.000.000.000 €)

Deadline

2030-12-31 (Fixed)

How to Apply

No public application process for COI 2.0 is described. The program operates through bilateral and multilateral development bank agreements with partner governments. Interested governments or implementing agencies would engage directly with KfW Development Bank or partner MDBs (AFD, EIB, ADB) through their country offices.

Target Region

Global — with strong focus on Asia (Indonesia, Sri Lanka, China), Africa (South Africa, Togo, Senegal, Egypt, Benin, Morocco), and Latin America (Ecuador)

Contact

KfW Development Bank — Phone: +49 69 74 31-42 60 — Email: info@kfw-entwicklungsbank.de — Contact page: https://www.kfw-entwicklungsbank.de/International-financing/KfW-Entwicklungsbank/Service/Kontakt/

Last Checked

2026-03-11 16:28

Application Checklist

Eligibility

• Applicant must be a sovereign government or public entity in an eligible developing country — not an NGO or private organization
• NGOs may engage only as sub-contractors or implementing partners within approved country programs, not as direct beneficiaries

Project Scope

• Projects must address plastic waste reduction, wastewater management, or circular economy infrastructure at a large/national scale
• Project regions prioritized: Asia (especially Indonesia, Sri Lanka), Africa (Sub-Saharan and North Africa), and Latin America

Required Documents

• Engagement must occur through a KfW, AFD, EIB, or ADB country office or bilateral channel — no public application portal

Constraints

• Funding mechanism is sovereign loans or blended finance — not grants or direct transfers to NGOs
• Program timeline runs 2026–2030; projects must align with this window

Summary

The Clean Oceans Initiative 2.0 (COI 2.0) is the continuation of a joint program founded in 2018 by KfW Development Bank, the French development bank AFD, and the European Investment Bank (EIB). The original initiative successfully mobilized €4.2 billion to protect oceans and reduce marine plastic waste — surpassing its revised €4 billion target seven months ahead of schedule. Building on that success, COI 2.0 was launched at the 3rd UN Ocean Conference in Nice in June 2025, now expanded to include the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and other European and Asian development banks. Between 2026 and 2030, COI 2.0 will make €3 billion available worldwide for ocean protection and marine plastic waste reduction. Priority areas include sustainable waste management systems, wastewater treatment infrastructure, and circular economy development in major marine-litter-producing countries. The initiative specifically targets regions where plastic pollution is greatest, with a strong emphasis on Asia — including an Indonesia program aiming to cut plastic entering adjacent oceans by around 70% — as well as Africa and other developing regions. The program operates through a multilateral development bank (MDB) financing model: funding is channeled through KfW and partner MDBs to governments and large-scale public infrastructure programs in recipient countries. Past COI projects included wastewater management in Sri Lanka, China, Egypt, and South Africa; waste management improvements in Togo and Senegal; and flood/coastal protection in Benin, Morocco, and Ecuador. As a development bank initiative, COI 2.0 is not a direct grant program for NGOs or civil society organizations. Financing is disbursed through sovereign loans and blended finance arrangements to national governments and their implementing agencies. NGOs can potentially engage as implementing partners or technical advisors within specific country programs, but cannot apply directly for COI 2.0 funding.

Historical Context

COI was founded in 2018 by KfW, AFD, and EIB with an initial target of €2 billion (2018–2023). In February 2022, the target was doubled to €4 billion by end of 2025. By May 2025, €4.2 billion had been mobilized — seven months ahead of schedule. COI 2.0 was officially launched at the 3rd UN Ocean Conference in Nice on or around June 10, 2025.

Why it was added

GIZ/bilateral waste capacity building

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