This symposium aims to generate new ideas, research, and knowledge on the connection between the climate action and integrity agendas. It seeks to study and reflect on why and how to manage integrity risks throughout climate funding and investment cycles across the private and public sectors. Further, the symposium aims to strengthen dialogue and collaboration between knowledge-producing actors and decision-makers to support a creative, efficient, and coordinated evolution of integrity and anti-corruption policies in climate finance and action. The discussions will also address how, and to what extent, anti-corruption responses can lean toward creating an anti-corruption ecosystem at the supranational level. The distinctive feature of “supranational” mechanisms is that they can act against integrity risks in contexts where a government is unable or unwilling to actively counter corruption. In other words, their effectiveness does not depend on the immediate actions or inactions of a specific state.

The symposium is being led by the World Bank, and co-organised by the World Bank Group Office of Suspension and Debarment, the World Bank Sanctions Board, Transparency International, and the IIU. Partners for this event include the LSE Grantham Research Institute, Norges Bank Investment Management, USAID, and the Columbia University Sabin Center for Climate Change Law. Read more on the World Bank website.

 

Agenda

DAY 1 – Thursday, May 9

9:00 am – 9:30 am | Registration & Coffee/Tea

9:30 am – 11 am | Opening session: Register here for livestream access to this session

• Welcoming remarks: Dr. Alexandra Manea, OSD, World Bank & Symposium Organizing Committee
• Keynote address: Rachel Kyte, Dean Emerita, The Fletcher School, Tufts University; Professor of Practice in Climate Policy, Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford; former WBG Vice President & Special Envoy for Climate Change
• Opening remarks:
  • Veerle Heyvaert, Associate Dean of Law School, London School of Economics
  • Jamieson Smith, Chief Suspension and Debarment Officer, World Bank
  • Michael Burger, Executive Director, Sabin Center for Climate Change Law, Columbia University
  • Tim Smith, Lead Investment Stewardship Manager – Climate Change, Norges Bank Investment Management
  • Gillian Caldwell, Chief Climate Officer and Deputy Assistant Administrator, USAID [virtual remarks]
  • Ketakandriana Rafitoson, Vice-Chair, Transparency International [virtual remarks]

11:00 am – 11:20 am | Break

11:20 am – 1 pm | Session 1. Linkages between integrity and climate risks: Register here for livestream access to this session

• Chair: Dr. Matthew Stephenson, Professor of Law, Harvard University Law School
• Tiffanie Chan, Policy Analyst, Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment – The Corruption and integrity risks in climate solutions: an emerging global challenge
• Brice Böhmer, Climate and Environment Lead, Transparency International – The Climate and Corruption Atlas
• Dr. Michael Nest, Climate governance in a fast-changing world: evolving patterns and contestation around finance
• Dr. Dieter Zinnbauer, Research Fellow, Copenhagen Business School – Doing integrity: fast – how to reconcile the measured pace of accountability with the speed imperative of the energy transition
• Anna Koens, Impact Manager, Journalismfund Europe – Earth Investigations Programme – The climate crisis and corruption: a narrative that leads to action

1:00 pm – 2:30 pm | Lunch – LSE Senior Staff Dining Room (LSE Old Building 4th floor)

2:30 pm – 4 pm | Session 2. The role of multinational frameworks in addressing integrity risks in climate matters

• Chair: Felipe Rocha dos Santos. Counsel, SBS, World Bank
• Dr. Stephen Minas, Associate Professor, Peking University School of Transnational Law – The Contribution of the UNFCCC COP to a supranational anti-corruption ecosystem
• Corinna Gilfillan, Senior Analyst, UNCAC Coalition – Promoting linkages between corruption, organized crime, and climate fora
• Sasha Caldera, Campaign Manager, Publish What You Pay Canada – Supranational use of world-class beneficial ownership registries
• Dr. Juanita Olaya, Chair of the UNCAC Coalition’s Working Group on Victims of Corruption – Recovering the losses caused by corruption

4:00 pm – 4:30 pm | Break

4: 40 pm – 6 pm | Session 3. How international financial institutions can mitigate integrity risks in climate finance

• Chair: Chris Basiurski, Deputy Head at UK’s Government Joint Anti-Corruption Units, Chair of the OECD Working Group on Bribery
• Alan Bacarese, Director of Investigations, Strategy, and Operations, Integrity Vice Presidency, World Bank – Combating corruption and integrity risks in World Bank Group’s climate solutions
• Albert Lihalakha, Deputy Head, Independent Integrity Unit, Green Climate Fund
• Sârra-Tilila Bounfour, Founder, STB Integrity – Bridging the gap: integrity and accountability for climate finance
• Huawei Zhang, Senior Compliance Officer, New Development Bank – Integrity due diligence framework on climate financing: proposed actions for multilateral development banks

6:30 pm | Dinner (all participants) at Caravan Covent Garden Restaurant (sponsored by DLA Piper)

 

DAY 2 – Friday, May 10

9:00 am – 10:45 am | Session 4. Integrity risks in carbon offset markets

• Chair: Cristine Geers, Senior Innovation Advisor, USAID
• Andreas Gunst, Partner, DLA Piper – What is the carbon market and how does it work?
• Dr. Brian Cooksey, Centre for Strategic Litigation – Integrity risks in carbon finance in Sub-Saharan Africa: is the voluntary carbon market salvageable?
• Vera Cherepanova, CEO, Studio Etica – Balancing act: integrity and innovation in voluntary carbon markets
• Markus Pohlmann, Senior Counsel, Legal Vice Presidency (Environment & International Law), World Bank – Carbon offset market integrity requires strong legal and regulatory frameworks
• Lorna Ritchie, Director for Public Affairs, Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market

10:45 am – 11:15 am | Break

11:15 am – 12:45 pm | Session 5. The perspective of the private sector in addressing integrity risks in climate solutions

• Chair: Dr. Carmen Nuzzo, Executive Director – Transition Pathway Initiative Center, LSE
• Matthew Genasci, Senior Investment Stewardship Manager, Norges Bank Invest Management
• Karina Litvack, Non-Executive Director Terna SpA; Co-Founder, Climate Governance Initiative
• Alex Cooper, Associate, Hausfeld
• Katherine Wilkins, PhD Fellow, Hertie School of Governance – Harnessing business inclusion across borders to promote integrity

12:45 pm – 2 pm Lunch | LSE Senior Staff Dining Room (LSE Old Building 4th floor)

2:00 pm – 3:30 pm | Session 6. Social accountability in climate solutions

• Chair: Besinati Mpepo, Co-director, Social Development Direct
• Kulsum Ahmed, Advisor, Partnership for Transparency – The role of CSOs to ensure integrity in climate finance
• Michael Jarvis, Executive Director, Trust, Accountability, and Inclusion (TAI) Collaborative – Civil society oversight and social accountability in climate finance and action
• Nyasha Mpahlo, Executive Director, Green Governance Zimbabwe – Civil society in climate finance and action
• Ann-Sofie Jespersen, Senior Social Development Specialist, Global Partnership for Social Accountability, World Bank

3:30 pm – 3:45 pm | Break

3:45 pm – 5:00 pm | Closing session: brainstorming & next steps