Takeaways on Strengthening Social Accountability in Climate Finance

Speakers: Anoukh de Soysa - Climate Governance Specialist at Transparency International, Hannah Sack - Green Accountability Platform - Community of Practice Manager at SouthSouthNorth, and Andrew Letting - Project Officer Natural Resources and Climate Governance at Transparency International Kenya.

What is social accountability and why does it matter in climate finance?

Social accountability is fundamentally about people, power, and accountability. It refers to the wide range of ways in which citizens, civil society, and communities can hold public officials and implementers of climate initiatives accountable for their promises, actions, and results. This can include tools such as public hearings, citizen report cards, and the use of right-to-information laws.

Crucially, social accountability does not replace formal oversight institutions like courts or audit agencies but it complements them. Especially in contexts where institutions are weak or captured, it creates a vital layer of accountability that supports better climate governance, transparency, and integrity.

In the climate finance landscape, social accountability helps ensure that financial flows, whether from global climate funds or national budgets, are effective, inclusive, and equitable. It empowers communities to ensure that funding is actually used to address local climate vulnerabilities, instead of being lost to inefficiencies or corruption.

What we Learned - Community engagement is fundamental

Speakers emphasized the importance of integrating civil society and grassroots voices in climate-related decision-making processes. Examples such as media advocacy in Senegal and grassroots mobilization in Bangladesh show that meaningful community engagement can lead to stronger policy outcomes and build public trust.

- Transparency tools are gaining ground

New tools and platforms are being developed to improve access to climate finance data. Examples include the Sustainable Finance Index in Mexico and WaterAid Bangladesh’s climate finance portal for the WASH sector. These efforts make critical data more accessible to communities and support more informed participation.

- Civil society can influence high-level decision-making

Andrew Letting and Anoukh de Soysa highlighted how civil society organizations are shaping national climate plans and budget processes. For example, in Senegal, CAJUST is influencing Just Transition conversations at a national level.

- The importance of coalitions and platforms in strengthening public accountability

The Green Accountability Platform is a strong example of how coalitions can support public accountability initiatives. As Hannah Sack explained, the platform brings together practitioners to share lessons, co-develop innovations, and build alliances. By fostering collaboration, it enables civil society actors to amplify their impact and push for systemic reforms.

- Equity and inclusion must be embedded in finance systems

Speakers underscored the importance of equity, gender inclusion, and local participation in climate finance. These are not just moral priorities but essential for effective and lasting climate solutions. For example, in Brazil and Cameroon, organizations are tracking budgets and advocating for gender-responsive finance.

Looking Ahead

The session highlighted a growing movement to re-center climate finance around people, transparency, and justice. Despite challenges such as shrinking civic space and weak institutional capacity, civil society continues to innovate and push for change. As countries prepare for COP29 and beyond, embedding social accountability in climate finance systems will be essential for just and lasting solutions.

We’d love to hear your stories! Have you or your organisation worked with social accountability in climate action - be it public consultations or community scorecards, social audits or participatory budgeting, or even using laws to demand public access to climate finance information?

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The recording of the presentations from the July 17th Climate Finance working group meeting is available here