When a well-meaning Adaptation project goes awry, what can we do? What safeguards do we have in place? Join a distinguished panel of thought leaders as they reflect on the issue of Maladaptation from the standpoint of integrity and climate finance. Listen as they identify different anti-corruption strategies and integrity measures that can be incorporated in adaptation projects to avoid the maladaptation trap.

Keynote address
Yannick Glemarec, Executive Director, Green Climate Fund

Featured speakers
Ibrahim Pam, Head of the Independent Integrity Unit, GCF
Brice Böhmer, Climate and Environmental Lead, Transparency International
Maria-José Poddey, Head of Climate Policy Support Programme, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ)
Barbara Schreiner – Executive Director, Water Integrity Network (WIN)
Rennie Valladares, Head of the Office of Integrity and Compliance, Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI)
Coleen Vogel, Professor, University of Witwatersrand

Moderator
Jyotsna Puri, Associate Vice-President, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)

Introduction

Adaptation projects to address climate change is an immense undertaking, and investment is critical. However, a serious cause for concern is corruption and integrity failures; including maladaptation in project selection, design and implementation. Integrity failure is only one aspect undermining the effectiveness of climate funds. Poorly designed projects also have a sinister side: maladaptation, which directly affects populations, and with potentially immense impacts. Maladaptation stems from adaptation actions that backfire, increase vulnerability rather than decrease it, and undermine the intended objective. Unfortunately, many areas needing climate finance are at high risk of corruption and integrity failures, and often impact the most vulnerable the hardest, leading to maladaptation. The challenge of improving integrity and institutionalizing anti-corruption measures, thus limiting maladaptation, is not insurmountable. This session highlights the importance of integrity measures to avoid the maladaptation trap.