Rio Summit highlights lawmakers’ role in scaling green investment

In the lead-up to COP30, the Rio Parliamentary Green Investment Summit will bring legislators from 35 countries together with investors, governments and international organisations. Co-hosted by Climate Parliament and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, with support from the Green Climate Fund, the Climate Compatible Growth programme, the Climate Emergency Collaboration Group and others. The summit brings political leadership together with finance to build a low-carbon future. 

At COP29, 58 countries backed the Green Energy Zones and Corridors Pledge. During the Istanbul Green Zones Investment Dialogue in November 2024, legislators from 32 nations signed a pledge of their own, supporting the movement. Rio is the next step. 

The discussion will start close to home with Community Green Energy Zones. These are co-designed with local communities and often run off grid to bring renewable systems such as rooftop solar, battery storage and clean cooking into daily life. They support micro and small businesses, strengthen local services and cut energy costs for households. The immediate benefits are noticeable through lower bills, new jobs and stronger local economies. When multiplied across constituencies, these projects become practical proof that the energy transition works on the ground. 

What makes these projects powerful is their potential to scale. Standardised contracts and blended finance models make them easier to replicate across constituencies most in need. By reducing risks around construction, operations and financing, they can attract private finance. Constituency-level results also give parliamentarians a mandate to push for wider adoption. 

Scaled up and linked, these same zones become building blocks for larger Green Energy Zones and Corridors, designed to draw in lower-cost capital, de-risk private investment and support green industrial growth. What begins as a solar panel on a roof can become part of the infrastructure that supports national and regional energy systems. 

For parliamentarians, this summit is a two-fold opportunity, to champion visible projects in their constituencies and to shape the policies that connect them to global finance. By bridging the line between local action and international systems, legislators can turn ambition into results, with households powered, industries decarbonised and economies strengthened.