Harnessing Green Bonds for Climate Justice and Urban Resilience

In this insightful discussion on the role of municipal green bonds in financing climate adaptation projects in urban environments, Héctor Herrera explores the critical need to address environmental racism and historical injustices in urban climate adaptation efforts.

By applying a climate justice framework that is intersectional, reparative, and transformative, green bonds can move beyond traditional finance tools to actively dismantle inequities while building resilient urban futures.

Building Equity into Climate Adaptation: Lessons from Cape Town and San Francisco

Drawing from case studies on water infrastructure projects in Cape Town, South Africa, and San Francisco, California, USA, Héctor will demonstrate how integrating considerations of climate vulnerability—particularly along racial and socioeconomic dimensions—can shape equitable and impactful climate adaptation strategies.

About Héctor Herrera

Héctor Herrera is a Colombian lawyer and researcher affiliated with the University of Antwerp's Institute of Development Policy (IOB). He holds a law degree from the University of the Andes in Colombia and a Master's in Public Policy from the National University of Colombia.

Currently, Herrera is pursuing a PhD at the University of Antwerp, focusing on the role of green city bonds in financing climate change adaptation and mitigation. His research involves a comparative, socially-informed analysis of how major cities utilize green city bonds to fund climate initiatives. He examines the legislative, contractual, and regulatory frameworks that enable cities to access these funds, as well as the implications for democratic participation, urban indebtedness, and governance structures.

Herrera's scholarly work centers on climate justice and climate finance. His publications include analyses of municipal green bonds in Mexico City's hydrosocial cycle and discussions on how climate finance can perpetuate racial injustices in urban settings.