ESG, Green Public Financial Management and Climate Finance

Dates:

• 25 - 29 November 2024 - London (£2,650)
• 9 - 13 June 2025 - London (£2,850)
• 13 - 17 October 2025 - London (£2,850)

Course Outline

Public financial managers are now facing an increasingly urgent issue - the need to devise strategic transition plans to meet their ESG and Sustainable Development Goals. This must include an appreciation of the broader transformation needed to help their organisation transition towards its own Net Zero, ESG and Nationally Defined Contributions (NDC) goals.

This course will help participants examine and adopt green public financial management (PFM) strategies and practices. In the context of current and emerging ESG risks and opportunities, delegates will critically assess their PFM policies, financing strategy and capital investment framework. They will also explore issues of ethics and integrity and how to mitigate against ‘greenwashing’ and corruption risks.

This highly practical training will equip public financial managers with the necessary understanding, skills and tools to confidently address these complex issues and help their organisation to deliver on its environmental and social impact goals.

Course Objectives: 

On completion, you will be able to:

• Identify key ESG and climate change risks and opportunities facing your organisation
• Adapt public finance policy and strategy in response to ESG risks, opportunities and obligations
• Assess, plan and budget for capital and investments in the context of your country’s NDCs
• Appreciate the range of financing options available for sustainable investment
• Outline key ESG issues for finance staff, procurement staff, auditors and pensions investors
• Understand and meet ESG and climate-related disclosure, reporting and accounting requirements

Key Topics

• The local and global drivers for Green PFM and ESG
• Capital budgeting, planning and sustainable procurement
• ESG and sustainability in programme / project appraisal
• Environmental, climate and social impact assessments
• ESG investment strategies and opportunities
• Climate and sustainable finance, ESG bonds and financial instruments
• Pensions scheme investor perspectives and ESG screening / investing
• Transparency, greenwashing, ethics and corruption risks
• Sustainability and integrated ESG reporting under the international frameworks

This is week two of the Public Financial Management, ESG and Green Finance Toolkit.