Read the Report: Ministries of Finance and Nationally Determined Contributions - Stepping Up for Climate Action

The Coalition of Finance Ministers for Climate Action is a group of fifty-two finance ministers engaged in efforts to address climate change through economic and financial policies according to the Helsinki Principles. Peer learning and knowledge exchange plays a strong part in the Coalition’s success.

As part of the core mandate of Ministries of Finance (MOFs), which is the design and implementation of sound macro-economic policies and public finances, the economic and social impacts of climate change are becoming increasingly relevant for the wellbeing of our societies. This report ("Report") is a first step in the Coalition’s work to support its Member Countries to design their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) by strengthening the Finance Ministries’ involvement in the preparatory process. This work is closely related to the Helsinki Principle 1 on aligning policies and practices with the Paris Agreement commitments and Principle 2 on sharing experience and expertise in order to provide mutual encouragement and promote a collective understanding of policies and practices for climate action.

Countries are expected to update or communicate their NDC targets by the end of 2020 (as per the UNFCCC Decision 1/CP.21 paragraph 23 and paragraph 24).

In this context, the economic policy tools of climate change are also being developed. In line with this, the involvement of Finance Ministries in the NDC process is still evolving in most countries. This report approaches the topic through experiences from Member Countries, drawing from practical challenges and ways to overcome them.

The report ("Report") will provide a useful overview to the Coalition members and Institutional Partners working on NDC updates. It will also provide the basis for future work priorities of the Coalition in all areas of the Helsinki Principles as well as promote horizontal efforts nationally and globally.

Strategic relevance and mandate

The Helsinki Principles set out the strategic objectives for the Coalition. They state that Finance Ministers are in a unique position to help accelerate a just transition to a low-carbon and climate-resilient economy through their economic policy tools. Finance Ministers have a common purpose and can benefit from sharing experiences and facilitating the adoption of best practices and policies for low-carbon and climate-resilient growth.

The Principles also acknowledge that such policies and actions will support global collective action on climate change under the Paris Agreement.

The Helsinki Principle 6 sets out the strategic basis of the Coalition’s objectives for engaging actively in the domestic preparation and implementation of NDCs submitted under the Paris Agreement. Helsinki Principle 2 states that the Coalition’s members share experience and expertise with each other in order to provide mutual encouragement and promote the collective understanding of policies and practices for climate action.
The Santiago Action Plan agreed upon by Finance Ministers on 9 December 2019 sets out specific actions on preparation and implementation of the NDCs under Helsinki Principle 6. It underlines that the efforts under Principle 6 build on the work programs of all other Helsinki Principles and aim to help members improve their ability to evaluate the macro-fiscal impacts of NDCs and long-term climate strategies and provide effective guidance to the NDC development process.

Key actions include:

• Identifying a list of economic-fiscal guidelines and requirements that Finance Ministries could issue to sector ministries and agencies for the NDC development process in the future, as well as increasing the
• awareness of tools, resources, and support available to assess the macro-fiscal impacts of NDC and Long-Term Strategy implementation.
• Providing opportunities for peer exchange informed by related institutions on good practices and instruments that members can use to support other ministries in the NDC implementation and validation process.
• Facilitating access to networks for information, resource sharing, and visibility of success stories.

Execution

This report draws together the experience of a selection of the Coalition’s member countries updating and implementing the NDCs as part of their climate strategies. It has been prepared based on the Coalition’s Action Plan and benefited from feedback of the Coalition members and the Institutional Partners in the Sherpa meetings. The preparation of the work has been led by Jamaica and Uganda and supported by Institutional Partners the NDC Partnership Support Unit and the World Bank. The report is a joint effort of the Working Group 6 of the Coalition of Finance Ministers in close cooperation with the four country members Chile, Colombia, Ireland, and Philippines.

With these efforts and contributions, progress towards the objectives of the Helsinki Principles and Santiago Action Plan is taking place through this report.

The report describes the involvement of Finance Ministries in the NDC work and draws general lessons on the review of approaches, experiences, challenges, policy instruments utilized, as well as the management of the practical process of preparing the NDCs.

This report is a working document. Opinions or points of view expressed in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Coalition or its members. The main findings of the report will be presented to Finance Ministers. The report serves as a contribution to further policy considerations and planning in the Coalition’s work.

The primary audience for this report is policy makers at the Ministries of Finance and Economy that are typically responsible for cross-sector economic coordination, public finance, and fiscal policy, all of which are needed in formulating and implementing NDCs and longer-term strategies. In the on-going work of the Coalition, this report is intended as a background paper on ministerial level discussions. The report should benefit other ministries and institutions involved in the NDC work, and especially those in lead roles at the national and international levels.

Pekka Morén                    Lorena Palomo

Co-Chairs of Sherpas, Coalition of Finance Ministers for Climate Action

WASHINGTON, April 13, 2019 — Today, at the Spring Meetings of the World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund, Finance Ministers from more than twenty countries launched a new coalition aimed at driving stronger collective action on climate change and its impacts. The newly formed Coalition of Finance Ministers for Climate Action endorsed a set of six common principles, known as the “Helsinki Principles,” that promote national climate action, especially through fiscal policy and the use of public finance.

The Helsinki Principles – so-called as they were conceived by a group of Governments represented at a meeting led by Finland and Chile in Helsinki in February – are designed to support Finance Ministers to share best practices and experiences on macro, fiscal, and public financial management policies for low-carbon and climate-resilient growth.

The Coalition will help countries mobilize and align the finance needed to implement their national climate action plans; establish best practices such as climate budgeting and strategies for, green investment and procurement; and factor climate risks and vulnerabilities into members’ economic planning.

“Finance ministries have a crucial role to play in accelerating the global shift to a low-carbon, climate-resilient growth model,” said World Bank CEO, Kristalina Georgieva. “This Coalition demonstrates new levels of ambition from decision makers in the fiscal policy arena and provides an important platform for Finance Ministers to share best practice on the jobs and growth benefits of the new climate economy.”

"Climate change is a real threat nowadays but we can turn it into an opportunity,” said Felipe Larraín Bascuñán, Minister of Finance, Chile. “Beyond traditional tools like carbon pricing or the phasing out of fossil fuels we can stimulate and signal the private sector to invest in innovative solutions, incorporate this risk and externalities into the investment decision making process. Economic growth is essential but reducing emissions is also essential. We need more ambition and concrete commitments that translate into action.”

"The Coalition will be successful, if it helps us plan concrete, effective policy measures to address the climate crisis nationally, regionally and globally,” said Petteri Orpo, Minister of Finance, Finland. “The Coalition must rely on analytical work and sharing of experiences to achieve solutions that work in practice."

“I fully support the new Coalition of finance ministers for climate action. The role that finance can and must play in the transition to a low carbon economy is often underestimated,” said Bruno Le Maire, Minister of Finance, France. “Many countries have already developed interesting initiatives at a national or regional level such as green bonds in France or the Emissions Trading System in the EU. Sharing experiences can only be useful. U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres gave President Macron a mandate to accelerate climate finance in the run-up to the Climate Summit in September. In this perspective, we are calling for collectively and urgently step up our actions to meet the Paris Agreement commitment.”

The World Bank will serve as secretariat for the Coalition and will partner with various institutions to provide strategic and technical support to governments, including the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), UNFCCC Secretariat, UN Development Programme (UNDP), other UN agencies and the NDC Partnership.

Notes for Editors:

The countries that have endorsed the principles are: Austria, Chile, Costa Rica, Cote d’Ivoire, Denmark, Ecuador, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Kenya, Luxembourg, Marshall Islands, Mexico, Netherlands, Nigeria, Philippines, Spain, Sweden, Uganda, and the United Kingdom. Since the formal announcement the following countries have also signed on: Colombia, Fiji, Guatemala and Norway. 

Present for the first time at a COP, Finance Ministers launch plan of action

Madrid, December 9, 2019 – Today, at the UN Climate Change Conference, COP25 in Madrid, the Coalition of Finance Ministers for Climate Action launched the Santiago Action Plan that aims to accelerate their countries’ transition to low-carbon and climate-resilient economies.

The Coalition, co-led by Finland and Chile, comprises 51 countries covering 30 percent of global GDP.

It was launched in April 2019 with members endorsing six principles – known as the “Helsinki Principles” – that promote national climate action, especially through carbon pricing, macro-fiscal policy, public budgeting, and financial sector initiatives.

The countries that have endorsed the Helsinki Principles and the Santiago Action Plan are: Argentina, Austria, Bangladesh, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Cyprus, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Finland, Fiji, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Kenya, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Mexico, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Paraguay, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Tonga, Uganda, the United Kingdom and Uruguay.

The Santiago Action Plan details how progress will be made on each of the Helsinki Principles. Under the Plan and keeping in mind individual national contexts, Finance Ministers have agreed to work toward actions that include:

• Sharing knowledge related to the design of new and more effective carbon pricing initiatives, while recognizing the need for comprehensive approaches to supporting people and communities as these are implemented.
• Building expertise and capacities in Finance Ministries and strengthening competencies for integrating climate into economic policy making.
• Examining the fiscal costs of climate adaptation and supporting global efforts on transparency and the disclosure of climate-related financial risks, including by identifying the climate risks to financial stability and ways to manage them.
• Supporting ambitious Nationally Determined Contributions.

Recognizing that climate-smart development must account for immediate needs – such as better jobs, improved social protection programs, and strong institutions and policies that sustain livelihoods – the Santiago Action Plan places strong emphasis on ensuring a just transition, putting people and communities at the center of national decarbonization strategies.

“People are the ones who suffer the pernicious effects of the temperature increase. Also, people are the ones who are suffering the transition to a low-emission economy when this transition is not fair,” said Ignacio Briones, Minister of Finance, Chile. “We should never forget that when we talk about people and citizens it is not only related to the current generation but also about our children and grandchildren.”

“The time to come together as a global community and accelerate the transition to a low carbon and climate-resilient future is now. As Finance Ministers, we stand ready to do our part,” said Mika Lintilä, Minister of Finance, Finland. “Through the Coalition and with this Santiago Action Plan, we can support the design of policies to help address climate change and deliver sustainable growth.”

“At the World Bank we see increasing recognition around the world that action on climate change is good for communities, business and growth,” said Axel van Trotsenburg, Managing Director, Operations, World Bank. “Finance Ministers have the policy levers to push public and private finance towards low-carbon, climate-resilient growth, and networks like this Coalition have an important role in sharing experience and ideas that work.”

“The Fund has been working on climate change which is one of the greatest existential challenges of our time,” said Tao Zhang, Deputy Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund. “We look forward to working with the Coalition of Finance Ministers for Climate Action to galvanize climate efforts at this pivotal moment.”

-- ENDS --

Contacts:

Juan Araya (jaraya@hacienda.gov.cl, + 56 9 6229 9940)

Ministry of Finance, Chile

Pekka Moren (pekka.moren@vm.fi, +358 40 761 9387)

Ministry of Finance, Finland

Notes to Editors:

The World Bank serves as Secretariat for the Coalition.

KEY DOCUMENTS

Overview of the Santiago Action Plan NEW

Joint Ministerial Statement by the Coalition  of Finance Ministers for Climate Action NEW

Agenda - Launch of the Santiago Action Plan