Climate Governance Integrity Programme

Billions of dollars are invested annually in climate finance to tackle the crisis, funding renewable energy, infrastructure, and climate adaptation efforts. However, there’s a risk that these funds may be lost to corruption or mismanagement, undermining their potential impact.

To safeguard the integrity of these climate initiatives, it is crucial to protect them from undue influence and prevent powerful actors from derailing or distorting climate action for their own gain. Ensuring that climate defenders can operate without fear of retaliation and holding those responsible for corruption accountable are key steps in maintaining the integrity of these efforts and preventing actors from acting with impunity.

Through the Climate Governance Integrity Programme, Transparency International (TI) works to ensure that climate finance is managed with transparency, integrity, and accountability, so it reaches the most vulnerable communities, helping them adapt to the climate crisis. Countries that rely on this support deserve it, and any misuse of these funds is simply unacceptable.

The scale of the climate crisis is immense, and the need for investment has never been more urgent.

The large financial resources needed to combat climate change create significant opportunities for corruption, particularly in vulnerable countries. The complex climate funding landscape makes it hard to track financial flows and hold decision-makers accountable.

While many governments are open to engaging with civil society, concrete actions remain limited. Transparency International leads efforts in climate governance, strengthening civil society’s ability to demand accountability and drive awareness for lasting reform.

However, more must be done to bridge the gap between environmental and governance sectors, as opportunities for victims of corruption to seek justice are still scarce.

For over a decade, Transparency International's Climate Governance Integrity Programme has been committed to protecting climate finance from abuse, mismanagement, and waste.

The programme demands transparency, accountability, and integrity at all levels to ensure climate investments are used effectively and reduce corruption risks. This builds trust in fund allocation, increasing climate finance for low-income countries to enhance resilience and support the clean energy transition. TI strengthens and engages civil society and local communities to identify and address corruption risks.

Operating globally through TI chapters in Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe, and Latin America, the programme has piloted anti-corruption measures through education, monitoring, and advocacy to safeguard climate investments.