Integrity-readiness is key to safeguarding development funds. Climate finance in particular must flow where it is intended and most needed. We must ensure climate adaptation programmes in the water and sanitation sectors are not derailed by corruption.
The water sector already receives the most funds for climate adaptation purposes and climate finance continues to increase. Since resources are allocated through relatively untested funding sources, existing and new corruption risks must be addressed to ensure funds deliver on their promises and build climate resilience in the sector.
Effective, strategic partnerships focused on building integrity and increasing Transparency, Accountability, Participation, and Anti-Corruption are crucial to making the water and sanitation sectors integrity-ready for climate finance. They are also crucial to limiting maldaptation, which heightens expected climate-related risks instead of lowering them, or creates new sets of risks.
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Climate Change Finance and the Water Sector
Water integrity as an opportunity
Global climate change finance flows are expected to increase over the next few years in response to climate change. As these funds will be channeled through relatively untested funding sources, existing corruption risks in climate change finance need to be better understood. Our policy brief provides an overview of challenges and opportunities concerning corruption in the water sector in the context of climate finance, and addresses policy makers and practitioners from both sectors. This document, drafted by GIZ and WIN, is based on a literature review and interviews with experts from international and civil society organizations and implementing entities. It seeks to promote greater responsibility and accountability in climate finance.
The importance of water integrity for climate adaptation
An exchange of ideas between the Head of the Independent Integrity Unit at the Green Climate Fund (GCF), Mr. Ibrahim Pam, and WIN’s Executive Director, Barbara Schreiner, on how damaging the lack of integrity in the water sector can be and what to do about it.
Enhancing integrity to avoid maladaptation
Corruption and integrity failures may heighten the risk of maladaptation, or adaptation processes that have consequences not in line with stated objectives.
This brief discusses maladaptation and links to corruption. It also lays the framework for a better approach to ensure integrity in climate adaptation financing and project development and implementation.
More Resources
- The Peer-to-Peer Learning Alliance (P2P LA) on Climate Finance Integrity is a network in which national and regional institutions accredited to the GCF support each otherto adopt and effectively implement robust integrity and anti-corruption policies and stakeholder engagement through peer learning. WIN is a member. Here is their latest report.
- How are climate change, gender, migration, and integrity all connected. Find out in the episode of the Gender and Climate podcast with our WIN Gender and Social Inclusion specialist, Rebecca Sands.