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ASEAN Parliaments Seek to Strengthen Oversight on Sustainable and Climate Finance
December 3, 2024
A participant engages in a session on sustainable finance, part of the ASEAN training program.
Phnom Penh – Parliamentary staff from across ASEAN gathered this week in Phnom Penh for an intensive training program aimed at enhancing their capacity to scrutinize sustainable and climate finance and support effective implementation of national climate goals. The event, organized by the UNDP’s Climate Finance Network (CFN), in collaboration with the Parliamentary Centre of Asia (PCAsia), reflects a growing regional commitment to addressing the critical challenges of climate finance governance.
The training is part of an ambitious initiative to equip parliamentary staff with the tools and knowledge needed to provide effective oversight of sustainable development finance and climate budgets, ensuring that public and private funding aligns with national priorities under the Paris Agreement and each country’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
Practical Training for Real-World Challenges
The week-long program welcomed 16 participants from 4 Asean countries – Cambodia, Indonesia, Philippines and Thailand- who represented budget and climate committees. Sessions focused on sustainable development and climate budget analysis, budget tagging, and public expenditure reviews, with a strong emphasis on practical, hands-on exercises.
“This training is vital for strengthening the role of parliaments in addressing the climate finance gap,” said Shakeel Ahmad, Deputy Resident Representative, UNDP Cambodia. “By providing the right tools, we enable them to align climate spending with their nations’ sustainability goals and enhance accountability.”
Participants collaborated to identify thematic budget briefs, receiving expert guidance and feedback. These thematic briefs will serve as a foundation for future parliamentary oversight and discussions, directly impacting national sustainable and climate finance strategies.
Participants discuss climate budget analysis during the ASEAN parliamentary training in Phnom Penh.
The Road Ahead
The training represents a critical first step in a broader multi-year collaboration between UNDP and PCAsia to enhance parliamentary capacity on climate finance. Upcoming activities include:
• Finalizing Climate Budget Briefs: Participants will refine their drafts and share findings with their respective parliaments in the coming months. This will be followed by a dissemination workshop.
• Parliamentary Dialogue: ASEAN, South Asia, and Pacific parliamentarians will convene to explore ways to strengthen oversight and governance of climate finance .
Building a Sustainable Future
As ASEAN strives to meet its carbon neutrality goals by 2050, parliaments' role in ensuring effective climate finance allocation and oversight has never been more critical. This training represents a significant step forward, empowering parliamentary staff to champion transparency and accountability in their respective countries.
The initiative, led by UNDP’s CFN in partnership with PC Asia, benefits the participating nations and contributes to a broader regional effort to tackle climate change through stronger governance and collaboration.
