International debate on Climate Finance and Governance: Engaging the Youth for Transparency, Accountability and Integrity

Focusing on effective climate finance and good governance of climate funds, young debaters stressed on democratizing the governance and administration of climate finance. Core governance principals included transparency, accountability and integrity at various levels ranging from policies and practices with regard to disbursement of committed funds, challenges in the process of disbursement and various stages of use of disbursed funds including project implementation. Following the Paris Agreement on climate change as well as national legal regime citizens including vulnerable community have a right and an obligation to be informed about and involved in how public money is utilized, the young debaters argued that for effective, efficient and equitable concrete mitigation and adaptation, gender-equitable citizen’s participation in decision-making should also be ensured in mobilization of public climate funding, as the International Debate on Climate Finance and Governance - Engaging the Youth for Transparency, Accountability and Integrity  concluded in 13 May 2018 at the Studio of Channel I at Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Organised under the climate finance governance programme of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB), young debaters from Nepal, Bhutan, Srilanka, Maldives, Indonesia, Cambodia and Bangladesh, the most climate vulnerable countries participated in the two-day debate competition. Eight teams participated from above countries and two teams from Bangladesh which are Institute of Business Administration (IBA) of University of Dhaka and North South University, teams from Sri Lanka and Cambodia qualified for final debate. Finally, North South University Team became the Champion and IBA Team as runner-up. The competition was conducted in the British parliamentary style where Debater Sadman Karim from North South University was awarded as the Best Debater of the competition.

In his speech of the Chief Guest, Barrister Anisul Islam Mahmud, Hon'ble Minister for Ministry of Environment and Forest said, ‘’industrially developed and rich countries who are liable for climate change are trying to provide compensation as loan instead of grants in countering climate change impact.” He added, “in climate finance and project implementation, accountability and integrity are also equally essential along with transparency. Considering limited resources, it is also crucial to develop climate adaptation projects in a trust-based manner including transparency, consideration of ground-realities, sufficient knowledge on relevant best practices and lessons, and importance of the subjects.”

TIB Executive Director Dr. Iftekharuzzaman said, “TIB believes that youth involvement in climate finance and adaptation activities will enhance overall excellence of the process. This competition is organized to understand youth observation and approach on these issues and inspire youth participation in the process. TIB continues its effort to establish democratic principles in the sector. Countries like Bangladesh, adversely hit with climate change implications has considerable right to get the required compensation for adaptation, mitigation, and cover the devastated losses and damages. We strongly demand that sufficient compensation will be provided by the liable countries for climate change to the climate-hit countries.”

In the final round, eminent media personality and former debater Dr. Abdun Nur Tushar attended as the Speaker. Barrister Anisul Islam Mahmud, Honorable Minister of Environment, Forests and Climate Change was present as the Chief Guest at the event, accompanied by TIB Executive Director Dr. Iftekharuzzaman and Adviser-Executive Management Professor Dr. Sumaiya Khair.

-END