EIB Group extends pioneering online tool to accelerate access to green finance globally

This article is published in association with European Investment Bank.

• EIB Group Green Checker extends beyond the EU, supporting green investment.
• Helps assess environmental impact, estimate climate benefits, and align with EU and EIB standards.
• Free and open to banks to increase their green portfolio and SMEs, and public bodies to access green finance.

Promoters of sustainable investment around the world can now access a powerful new digital tool to identify projects eligible for green financing. The European Investment Bank (EIB) Group has expanded its Green Checker to countries outside the European Union, making it easier for public and private sector partners to design, evaluate, and secure funding for climate and environmental sustainability projects.

The upgraded tool is tailored to regional markets, with simplified data inputs and flexible parameters to reflect local conditions. It is now available in several countries across North Africa, the Middle-East, the Western Balkans, the Caucasus and the Eastern Neighbourhood.

The global launch of the Green Checker took place today during the 30^th United Nations climate conference – COP30 – in Belém, Brazil, as part of the Bank’s broader contribution to accelerating green finance under the EU Global Gateway Investment Agenda.

 “The Green Checker is a transformative tool,” said EIB Vice-President Ambroise Fayolle. “It helps companies assess whether their projects meet climate and environmental criteria and determine their eligibility for EIB financing through our partner banks. We are now broadening its scope to include countries beyond Europe, accelerating climate investments globally. The Green Checker is an instrument to simplify the assessment of climate projects, in particular for SMEs.”

The Green Checker guides users through a clear, step-by-step process to assess a project’s environmental performance and determine its alignment with EIB green financing criteria. It generates tailored reports that estimate climate benefits—such as projected energy savings and emissions reductions—and confirms consistency with the EU Taxonomy and EIB climate standards.

While primarily designed for financial intermediaries—such as commercial banks, leasing firms, and national promotional institutions—the Green Checker is free and publicly accessible. This means small and medium-sized enterprises, small public bodies, and individual clients can also use the tool to assess their projects and access green finance opportunities.

In addition to the Green Checker, EIB Advisory is developing other free, web-based tools to support banks and businesses—such as the Decarbonisation Guide which the EIB has supported through advisory services in North Macedonia and Morocco. These resources, combined with tailored technical assistance through credit lines and programmes like the Greening Financial Systems Technical Assistance Programme, are helping economies adapt to climate risks, adopt sustainable strategies, and invest in projects that reduce environmental impact and build resilience.

Global Gateway 

Global Gateway is the EU’s positive offer to reduce the worldwide investment disparity and boost smart, clean and secure connections in digital, energy and transport sectors, and to strengthen health, education and research systems. 

The Global Gateway strategy embodies a Team Europe approach that brings together the European Union, EU Member States, and European development finance institutions. Together, we aim to mobilise up to €300 billion in public and private investments from 2021 to 2027, creating essential links rather than dependencies, and closing the global investment gap. 

EIB Group at COP30

An overview of EIB Group activities at the UN climate conference, known as COP30, is available on the organisation’s website. The EIB Group shares a pavilion with the group of multilateral development banks. The full agenda is available here.

EIB Group Climate Bank Roadmap Phase Two

The EIB Group is pressing ahead with phase two of its pioneering Climate Bank Roadmap, staying the course as anchor financier of the green industrial revolution, energy security and shared prosperity. Building on the great success of our Climate Bank Roadmap since its launch in 2020, the second phase of the roadmap sets out the EIB Group’s priorities through to the end of this decade, supporting Europe’s competitiveness, security, technological leadership, doubling adaptation finance while simplifying its procedures to accelerate green investment.

Background information

The European Investment Bank (ElB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union, owned by its Member States. The EIB finances investments in eight core priorities that support EU policy objectives: climate action and the environment, digitalisation and technological innovation, security and defence, cohesion, agriculture and the bioeconomy, social infrastructure, a stronger Europe in a more peaceful and prosperous world and Europe’s capital markets union.   

The EIB Group, which also includes the European Investment Fund (EIF), signed nearly €89 billion in new financing for over 900 high-impact projects in 2024, boosting Europe’s competitiveness and security.    

Approximately half of the EIB’s financing within the EU targets cohesion regions, where per-capita income is below the EU average, while almost 60% of annual EIB Group investments support climate action and environmental sustainability. 

High-quality, up-to-date photos of the organisation’s headquarters for media use are available here.  

About EIB Global

EIB Global is the EIB Group’s specialised arm dedicated to increasing the impact of international partnerships and development finance.  EIB Global is designed to foster strong, focused partnership within Team Europe, alongside fellow development finance institutions, and civil society. EIB Global brings the Group closer to local people, companies and institutions through our offices across the world.