ADB and the Climate Law and Governance Initiative Convene Experts to Innovate Solutions for Climate Law and Governance Challenges
The Climate Law and Governance Initiative collaborated with key representatives of leading organizations, including ADB, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), World Bank Group, and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), to organize Climate Law and Governance Day (CLGD )held on 15 November 2024. CLGD featured a series of online side events aimed at fostering innovation and sharing best practices in climate law and governance while building capacity among participants to advance legal and institutional reforms that support states in meeting their Paris Agreement commitments.
Mobilizing Climate Finance
One of the key side events was the “Mobilising Climate Finance through Legal and Policy Solutions” plenary session, co-organized by ADB and EBRD. Co-moderated by ADB Principal Counsel Christina Pak and featuring a keynote address by ADB General Counsel Thomas M. Clark, the session explored strategies for mobilizing climate finance through legal and policy frameworks, showcasing successful approaches and stimulating insightful discussions.
Climate Law and Governance Specialization
Following Climate Law and Governance Day, the “Climate Law and Governance Specialisation Course” took place at ADA University in Baku and online on 17 November 2024. This course offered attendees a comprehensive understanding of the Paris Agreement, including its history, mechanisms, and legal basis. Participants engaged in brainstorming sessions to develop measures for enhancing countries' compliance with the Agreement. General Counsel Thomas M. Clark delivered the opening remarks while Principal Counsel Christina Pak lectured on “Climate Law & Governance on Finance, Compliance & Transparency.”
Strengthening Collaboration
These events aimed to reinforce collaboration among climate law and governance stakeholders, including policymakers, legal experts, and judicial practitioners. The hybrid format of the events facilitated wider participation by reducing barriers and enabling greater stakeholder involvement.
ADB's collaboration with CLGI and its support for COP29 are spearheaded by its Law and Policy Reform Program (LPR). LPR leads ADB's initiatives to strengthen environmental laws and policies, supporting the implementation of the Paris Agreement and other COP-driven efforts to address the triple planetary crisis.