Private-sector leaders have called for greater investment in sustainable development at the International Business Forum that opened the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development in Seville. The FFD4 Business Steering Committee, led by the International Chamber of Commerce and the Global Investors for Sustainable Development Alliance, has outlined proposals to expand impact investment vehicles, strengthen public-private partnerships, harmonise sustainability standards, reassess financial legislation and improve access to finance for underserved markets. The business leaders say blended finance is the most promising tool for financing development, but a report by global network Convergence Blended Finance says blended finance deals last year amounted to just $18.3bn, very far from the estimated $5trn to 8trn needed annually up to 2030 to achieve the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals.

The Inter-American Development Bank and the World Bank have launched a platform intended to attract private capital for sustainable development across the Amazon region. Through Amazonia Bond Issuance Guidelines, the initiative aims to encourage financing of projects aimed at protecting biodiversity, reducing deforestation and supporting local economies. The IDB intends to issue up to $1bn in Amazonia bonds, with all transactions recorded on a public transparency platform.

The Green Climate Fund, a UN-backed body supporting climate action in developing countries, has authorised $1.225bn for 17 projects, its largest allocation at a single meeting. The initiatives, which include first-time funding for Mauritania, Saint Lucia and Papua New Guinea, focus on adaptation and mitigation in vulnerable regions, including least developed countries and small island states. The fund's portfolio now comprises 314 projects in 133 developing countries.

The Global Impact Investing Network has launched the Climate Solutions Investing Framework to help asset owners align portfolios with global decarbonisation goals. Unveiled during last month's London Climate Action Week, the framework offers guidance on identifying investments that contribute to keeping global warming below 2°C while delivering financial returns. It focuses on climate mitigation and introduces evaluation criteria covering climate thesis, quantification, prioritisation and management of uncertainty in order to distinguish effective climate solutions from broader sustainability approaches.

UBS Optimus Foundation and impact investment manager Bridges Outcomes Partnerships have raised $100m for the final close of the SDG Outcomes Fund, including an $18 million anchor commitment from the European Investment Bank through funding from the European Commission via the ACP Trust Fund. The fund will invest in outcome-based blended finance projects in health, education, women's economic empowerment and the environment in low- and middle-income countries.

The IFRS Foundation, which sets international accounting standards, has published 17 jurisdictional profiles and 16 summary snapshots that detail the progress of various countries towards establishing a global baseline for sustainability disclosures. According to the Financial Centres for Sustainability, an industry network, the initiative is intended to complement the Sustainability Disclosure and Management Hubs initiative led by the United Nations Development Programme. The IFRS Foundation says collaboration with key industry organisations should encourage alignment with international best practice and promote more informed dialogue among market participants.

The European Commission is proposing that carbon credits purchased abroad count towards the EU's 2040 climate targets. The initial goal was to reduce carbon emissions by 90% from their level in 1990, but member states including the Czech Republic, Italy and Poland called for greater flexibility on the grounds of cost. The Commission has now agreed that up to 3% of the required emission reductions could come from high-quality international credits traded on UN-backed carbon credit markets, to be phased in from 2036. If its proposal is agreed, the Commission will draw up legal requirements on the origin and quality of eligible carbon credits.

The United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative, regional regulator group Asean Capital Markets Forum and non-profit organisation Sustainable Finance Institute Asia have established a partnership to encourage development of adaptation finance in South-East Asia. The collaboration will focus on developing a regional adaptation guide covering mitigation co-benefit and adaptation for resilience to enhance the usability of the Asean Taxonomy for Sustainable Finance. According to the organisations, the initiative aims to identify key adaptation activities, strengthen resilience against climate and natural disasters and highlight benefits of mitigation. According to UNEP's latest Adaptation Gap Report, developing countries need between $215bn and $387 billion annually up to 2030 to meet climate adaptation needs, but currently only around $21.3bn is available a year.