Concept Note & Agenda Financing the Sustainable Development Agenda: “2nd National Workshop on Innovative Climate Finance Mechanisms for the Financial Institutions in Sri Lanka” 7-8 November 2017, Centre for Banking Studies, Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte, Sri Lanka Background Through a three-year regional project, ESCAP is providing technical and advisory services to national financial institutions in five beneficiaries’ countries – Fiji, Indonesia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the Philippines – to support the development of innovative climate finance tools for extending national investments in in low-carbon climate resilient development. As part of the project, each beneficiary country developed a national scoping study to map out the landscape of their own national climate finance architecture and financial institutions, to identify on-going climate finance initiatives and existing initiatives for low-carbon investments, and priority strategic areas for interventions. The national scoping study serves to assess the needs of Central and Development Banks for technical assistance to develop relevant policies/plans to stimulate low carbon development and to identify the key project “champions” at the national level. Needs Assessment During the Regional Seminar Based on the outcome report of the Regional Seminar on Innovative Climate Financing held in Bangkok in 19-20 June 2017, several priorities for institutional coordination strengthening and capacity building were identified. The Sri Lankan team highlighted the need to strengthen the capacity of financial institutions in the promotion and implementation of low-carbon investments policies and, policy coherence among its 52 governmental ministries and 425 statutory institutions. The need for establishment of an “Inter-Agency Coordination” mechanism between the proposed Sustainable Development Council, the proposed Climate Change Commission, Central Bank, and with the Ministry of Sustainable Development and Wildlife, the Ministry of Mahaweli Development and Environment, the Ministry of Finance, and the Ministry of National Planning and Economic Affairs was highlighted. Coordination between the different agencies was noted as essential to improve communications and to thus fosters better understanding of the significance importance of climate finance for low carbon climate resilient development. Additional important needs that emerged during the regional seminar from the Sri Lankan side were the necessity to raise general awareness and technical training seminars for promotions, and to develop specific financing instruments and training courses/modules on green banking/climate finance to provide Bank’s staff climate finance-related learning platforms. Sri Lanka Scoping Study The Sri Lankan scoping study conducted by the Centre for Environment and Development (CED) reveals that the country is at an inception stage regarding climate financing and needs greater clarity towards financing the sectors of the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) in accordance with the Paris Agreement. Even though there is no clear record on climate financing based projects, it is evident that a wide range of activities with climate co- benefits have been financed. With growing understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the financial and business sectors appear to show greater interest in innovative financing for sustainable development projects with climate co-benefits. Therefore, the Sri Lankan scoping study has also embarked on conducting a preliminary mapping of interlinkages between the NDCs and SDGs. Scope and Objectives of the workshop The 2nd National Workshop on Innovative Climate Financing Mechanisms for Financial Institutions in Sri Lanka has as its general goal to extend an enabling policy environment that promotes private investments in climate change mitigation and adaptation projects. It is organized to: • To present and discuss the findings of the Sri Lankan national scoping study and examples of best practices in the development and implementation of a financial mechanisms aimed to create enabling environment for investments fostering low‐carbon climate resilient development; • To discuss the identified needs for capacity development of the banking sector • To provide technical overview of climate proof investments and opportunities of climate finance for central and development banks to promote green and low carbon climate resilient development (related banking tools, instruments and policies, as well as monitoring and evaluation practices); • To collaborate for the development of a national sustainable financing roadmap in support of the national SDG roadmap, and related regulatory tools and mechanisms. • To establish a national network of climate finance champions Target Groups This national workshop will bring together senior representatives of the banking sector (Central Bank and major development banks, as well as commercial banks) and banking associations, national experts engaged in the implementation of the NDCs and the SDGs, policy makers and climate champions for low-carbon climate resilient development and innovative climate finance tools. For more Information, contact: Mr. Uchita de Zoysa, National Team Leader - Innovative Climate Finance Mechanisms for Financial Institutions in Sri Lanka, 253/10 Stanley Thilakaratne Mawatha, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka. Tel: 2768459, Mobile: 0777372206 , e-mail: [email protected] Ms. Aneta Nikolova, Environment Affairs Officer, Environment and Development Policy Section, Environment and Development Division, UN ESAP; e-mail: [email protected] Day 1: 07th November 2017 National Climate Financing Scoping Study & the Way Forward” 08:30–09:00 Registration 09:00-09.15 Group photo 09:15-10.30 Session 1: Opening Session on Financing the SD Agenda • Welcome Address by Mr. Curt Garrigan, Chief, Sustainable Development, Urban Development Section, Environment and Development Division, UN-ESCAP, Bangkok, Thailand (10 Min) • Keynote Presentation on “The Sustainable Development Agenda & Climate Financing in Sri Lanka” by Uchita de Zoysa, Sustainable Development Advisor, Ministry of Sustainable Development and Wildlife (20 min) • Address by Chief Guest Hon. Eran Wickramaratne, State Minister of Finance (15 Min) • Presentation on “The Potential of International Climate Finance for Green Banking: Introduction to the International Climate Finance and enabling International Climate Finance Flows” by Mr. Bjoern Dransfeld, Founding Partner, the greenwerk, Hamburg, Germany [10 Min] • Presentation on “The Readiness of the Banking Sector on Climate Financing in Sri Lanka” by Mr Lakshman Silva, Chief Executive Officer Chief Executive Officer, DFCC Bank PLC and Board Member of the Association of Development Financing Institutions in Asia and the Pacific (ADFIAP) (10 min) • Presentation on “Networking the Banks for Sustainable Financing” by Mr. Ravi de Silva, Secretary General of the Sri Lanka Banks Association [10 min] 10:30-11.00 Coffee break 11.00-11.15 Self-Introductions 11.15-12.45 Session 2: Findings of the Scoping Study and Financing the NDCs & SDGs in Sri Lanka Presentation of the findings of the Sri Lanka National Scoping Study on Climate Financing by the CED Team (20 Min) • Presentation of the findings of the Scoping Studies on Climate Financing in the Philippines, Indonesia & Pakistan by Ms. Natalie Harms, UNESCAP and Team (10 Min) • Panel discussion (30) o Mr. Vidura Ralapanawa (General Manager Environmental Sustainability, MAS Intimates) o DR. Manthrithilake Herath (Head Sri Lanka Development Initiative, International Water Management Institute) o MR. Uditha Palihakkara (Chairman, The Finance Commission) o Dr. S. Amalanathan (Additional Secretary-Ministry of Disaster Management) o Mr. Navam Indrajith Niles (Project Manager-Janathakshan) • Discussion [30 Min] 12:45-13:30 Lunch Break 13:30-15.30 Group work on Innovative Climate Financing in Sri Lanka • What are the opportunities and obstacles for climate financing? • What are the capacity development needs of the financial sector for climate financing? • How to improve the regulatory framework to support climate financing? • What are the best practices/initiatives for climate financing by the Banks? • What are the key recommendations to improve climate financing? 15:30-16:00 Tea Break 16:00-17:00 Presentations from Groups & Discussion / End of Day-1 Day 2: 08th November 2017 “Capacity Building for Innovative Climate Financing” 08:30-09:00 Registration 9:00-09:30 Overview of the Day by ESCAP & CED 09:30-11.00 Session 3: Planning the National Climate Financing Roadmap and Strategies for Collaboration • Keynote Presentation on the “National Sustainable Banking Roadmap” by Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe, Deputy Governor [20 min] • Presentation on the “Sustainable Banking Network & Support to Sri Lanka by Ms. Amena Arif, Country Manager for Sri Lanka and Maldives, IFC [15 min] • Presentation on the “Sustainable Banking Initiative” by Mrs. Tara Wikramanayake, Coordinator, SLBA -Sri Lanka Sustainable Banking Initiative [10 min] • Panel of Respondents (15 min) o Mr. Adheesha Perera (Sustainability Manager, Nations Trust Bank Plc) o Mr. Dileepa Samarasinghe (Manager – Int. Relations & Sustainability Dep.- Pan Asia Banking Corporation Plc) o Mr. Senaka Jayasinghe (Assistant Vice President, Sustainability, DFCC Bank Plc) o Mr. Sandrine Gomez (Sustainability Manager, Seylan Bank Plc) o Mr. Hemantha Seneviratne (Assistant Manager Sustainable Business, Hatton National Bank Plc) • Discussion (30 min) 11:00-11:30 Tea