National climate funds: a new dataset on national financing vehicles for climate change

The Paris Agreement’s nationally driven structure puts the spotlight on financing strategies at the national level. The role of national funding vehicles in mobilizing climate finance, however, has not received extensive attention. This paper remedies this gap by introducing a novel dataset of national climate funds established in developing countries. The database creates an inventory of national financing vehicles and tracks their major attributes, including scope, legal form, and the host, among others. We show that 39 countries have established national climate funds. These funds seek to access and mobilize finance from various sources, domestic and international. Most of these funds have broad mandates to tackle climate change, while a smaller share has a more targeted, sectoral focus. Funding sources vary from taxes to international aid. The funds offer a limited range of financial instruments, primarily awarding grants. The funds also differ in how integrated they are with overarching climate plans and strategies. We also find that most developing countries use existing budget lines to target finance towards climate change objectives. Only five countries track public expenditure on the basis of dedicated budget codes. This paper contributes to the literature by providing an empirical basis to pursue questions regarding the role and effectiveness of national climate funds. For policymakers, the limited range of instruments at the disposal of many of these national climate funds also suggests a need to ensure that the national climate funds have the design features they need to support the implementation of national policy goals. <b>Key policy insights</b>Systematic data on public climate finance are scarce. Most governments do not use climate change codes to track their expenditures related to climate change. Policymakers should adopt practices that will help instil transparency in public expenditure on climate change.Policymakers have to revisit the design features of national climate funds such as legal form and areas of operation as the wider operating context changes.Funds accredited with multilateral climate funds are underutilized by fund contributors. The Green Climate Fund’s direct access modality offers one major avenue to foster synergies between national climate funds and multilateral climate funds.Policymakers have the opportunity to harvest lessons from existing funds and calibrate climate policies accordingly, especially as countries contemplate setting revenue-generating carbon prices. Systematic data on public climate finance are scarce. Most governments do not use climate change codes to track their expenditures related to climate change. Policymakers should adopt practices that will help instil transparency in public expenditure on climate change. Policymakers have to revisit the design features of national climate funds such as legal form and areas of operation as the wider operating context changes. Funds accredited with multilateral climate funds are underutilized by fund contributors. The Green Climate Fund’s direct access modality offers one major avenue to foster synergies between national climate funds and multilateral climate funds. Policymakers have the opportunity to harvest lessons from existing funds and calibrate climate policies accordingly, especially as countries contemplate setting revenue-generating carbon prices.《巴黎协定》的国家自主驱动框架将焦点置于国家层面的融资策略。然而，国家融资工具在调动气候融资方面的作用尚未得到学界的广泛关注。本论文通过构建一套面向发展中国家设立的国家气候基金（national climate funds）新型数据集，弥补了这一研究空白。该数据库收录了各类国家融资工具，并追踪其核心属性，包括覆盖范围、法律形式、所属主体等。研究显示，已有39个国家设立了国家气候基金。此类基金旨在从国内外各类渠道获取并调动资金，其中多数拥有应对气候变化的宽泛职能，仅较小比例的基金具备更具针对性的部门化聚焦方向。资金来源涵盖税收至国际援助等多元渠道，基金所采用的金融工具种类有限，且以拨款为主要形式。此外，这些基金在与整体气候规划及战略的整合程度上亦存在差异。研究同时发现，多数发展中国家会依托现有预算科目为气候变化目标调配资金，仅有5个国家通过专属预算代码追踪公共气候支出。本论文为相关学术研究提供了实证基础，助力学界探讨国家气候基金的作用与效能相关议题。对于政策制定者而言，多数国家气候基金可用工具范围有限的现状，也提示需确保此类基金具备支撑国家政策目标落地所需的设计特征。 <b>关键政策洞察</b> 公共气候融资的系统性数据较为匮乏。多数政府未采用气候变化专属代码来追踪其与气候变化相关的支出。政策制定者应采取相关举措，以提升公共气候支出的透明度。随着整体运营环境的变化，政策制定者需重新审视国家气候基金的设计特征，如法律形式与运营领域。获得多边气候基金（multilateral climate funds）认证的基金，其出资方尚未充分加以利用。绿色气候基金（Green Climate Fund）的直接准入模式为推动国家气候基金与多边气候基金之间的协同增效提供了重要路径。政策制定者可从现有基金中汲取经验，并据此调整气候政策，尤其是在各国考虑设立可产生收益的碳定价机制之际。公共气候融资的系统性数据较为匮乏。多数政府未采用气候变化专属代码来追踪其与气候变化相关的支出。政策制定者应采取相关举措，以提升公共气候支出的透明度。随着整体运营环境的变化，政策制定者需重新审视国家气候基金的设计特征，如法律形式与运营领域。获得多边气候基金（multilateral climate funds）认证的基金，其出资方尚未充分加以利用。绿色气候基金（Green Climate Fund）的直接准入模式为推动国家气候基金与多边气候基金之间的协同增效提供了重要路径。政策制定者可从现有基金中汲取经验，并据此调整气候政策，尤其是在各国考虑设立可产生收益的碳定价机制之际。