CONCEPT NOTE & DRAFT PROGRAMME

ASIA NEEDS-BASED FINANCE (NBF) INVESTMENT FORUM

SEOUL, REPUBLIC OF KOREA
28-29 NOVEMBER 2024
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Background:
The Needs-based Finance (NBF) initiative, launched by the UNFCCC secretariat in response
to a COP mandate in 2017 and reiterated in 2021, aims to assist developing countries in
identifying and assessing their climate finance needs with the objective to facilitate access
to and mobilize climate finance for priority mitigation and adaptation projects. The UNFCCC
Secretariat implements this initiative through a regional approach leveraging existing
regional frameworks and institutional bodies, in order to support countries with common
climate finance needs and priorities.
Since its inception, the NBF initiative has made significant progress through collaborative
efforts with country representatives and strategic partnerships with regional partners. One
of the key achievements is the development of comprehensive technical assessments on
climate finance for Asian regions, including LDC Asia and Southeast Asia. These assessments
elucidate the dynamics of climate finance flows within the regions, serving as a foundational
blueprint for optimizing resource allocation and maximizing impact.
Building on this foundation, the project has formulated regional climate finance strategies
tailored to the unique needs and challenges of each Asian region. This holistic strategy
encompasses policy frameworks, capacity-building initiatives, and innovative financing
mechanisms aimed at bolstering resilience and adaptation efforts at the grassroots level.
Dedicated training workshops have also been conducted to equip stakeholders with the
knowledge and skills necessary for effective climate finance governance and
implementation.
Through the initiative, country representatives have also conceptualized targeted
interventions based on regional priorities identified during the training workshops. These
project concepts, covering themes such as climate-resilient infrastructure, nature-based
solutions, transport, agriculture, energy, food systems, and water security, reflect a
paradigm shift towards needs-based financing. Several rounds of consultation with country
representatives and potential implementing agencies have matured these concepts, aligning
them with the specific challenges and opportunities of the regions.
The culmination of the NBF initiative is in facilitating countries in mobilizing the necessary
financing for their climate ambitions. To achieve this, the initiative will establish platform
where governments can showcase their priority climate change projects, originated from

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the NBF initiative and connect with relevant investors and partners. This effort is embodied
in the NBF Investment Forums, which aims to bridge the gap between project ideas and the
financial resources needed to bring them to fruition.

Objective:
The primary objective of this forum is to facilitate direct engagement between government
representatives from LDC Asia and ASEAN with implementing agencies and potential
investors. The event aims to showcase a pipeline of climate change projects originated from
the NBF initiative from both regions, fostering partnerships and investment opportunities
that accelerate climate action and sustainable development in the region.

Expected Outcomes:
a. Enhanced Partnerships: Strengthened collaboration between government
representatives, implementing agencies, and investors.
b. Project Financing: Identification and preliminary agreement on funding for key
climate change projects.
c. Capacity Building: Improved understanding of project proposal development and
investment strategies among participants.
d. Knowledge Exchange: Sharing of best practices and innovative solutions for climate
change mitigation and adaptation.

Organizers:
• United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
• Ministry of Economy and Finance, Republic of Korea

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 Daily Programme

DAY 1 – THURSDAY, 28 NOVEMBER 2024

Time Session Description Speakers/Interventions

9:30 – 10:00 ARRIVAL & PARTICIPANT REGISTRATIONS
1. Jisung Moon, Director General, Ministry of Economy and Finance, South
Korea
2. Lead country representative of NBF Southeast Asia (ASEAN): Albert
Magalang, Chief of Climate Change Service, Department of Environment
and Natural Resource, Philippines (Online)
Opening Remarks from Host Country, Lead Countries
3. Lead country representative NBF LDC Asia: Namgyel Dorjee, Chief
10:00 – 10:25 from NBF Initiatives, and Forum Organizer
Program Officer, Ministry of Finance, Bhutan
4. Dong Soo Kang, Executive Director, Korea Development Institute - Global
Knowledge Exchange and Development Center
5. Sophie De Coninck, Director, Means of Implementation Division, UNFCCC
(Online)

10:25 – 10:40 GROUP PHOTO SESSION & COFFEE BREAK

Session 1:
Introduction to the Forum and NBF Initiatives in
Southeast Asia & LDC Asia

10:40 – 10:50 This session will provide an overview and objectives of Grant Kirkman, Team Lead, Climate Finance, UNFCCC
the forum and the also providing information on
progress to date of the NBF initiatives in Southeast Asia
and LDC Asia.

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 Facilitator: German Velasquez, NBF Advisor, UNFCCC

Country Speakers:
• Zaiem Halbi, Head of Climate Change Office (Prime Minister’s Office),
Brunei Climate Change Office, Brunei (Online)
• Namgyel Dorjee, Chief Program Officer, Ministry of Finance, Bhutan

Speakers from UNFCCC: David Kaluba & Cecilia Guiao, NBF Project
Session 2
Consultants, UNFCCC
Regional Climate Needs and Priorities in Southeast
Asia & LDC Asia and Project Ideas Pitch
Pipeline Projects Presentation
ASEAN
In this session, entities who have agreed to take up the
- Coastal and Marine Ecosystems (IUCN)
project ideas will do a project pitch for further
10:50 - 12:30 o Anshuman Saikia, Regional Portfolio Manager, Asia and
validation by the countries and potential interested
Oceania
donors/collaborators.
- Climate Resilient Water Governance & Climate Resilient
Infrastructure (GGGI)
The session will start with a recap on statement of
o Michael Bak, Senior Analyst, Adaptation & Resilience
needs by countries, followed by a presentation of the
o Marion Trebalage, Associate
prioritization exercise, and project idea pitches.
LDC Asia
- Ecosystems-based Adaptation focusing on Mangroves (GGGI)
o Charlotte Camille Turk, Regional Technical Lead, Green
Investment Services
- Agriculture (FAO - Hybrid)
o Illias Animon, Forestry Expert, FAO (Online)
- E-Mobility (UNEP - Online)
o Yeonju Jeong, Regional Lead for Asia Pacific, Sustainable
Mobility Unit (Online)
12:30 – 13:30 LUNCH BREAK & NETWORKING SESSION

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 Session 3 Facilitator: German Velasquez, NBF Advisor, UNFCCC
Parallel Breakout Groups
Two breakout groups for the session by regions: LDC Asia and Southeast
In this session countries, entities, and potential funders Asia.
are expected to dive deeply into the specifics of each
13:30 – 15:30 proposed project, fostering detailed discussions among Breakout group moderators:
countries, potential investors, and development ASEAN: Cecilia Guiao, NBF Project Consultant for ASEAN, UNFCCC
partners. This session aims to refine project proposals LDC Asia: David Kaluba, NBF Project Consultant for LDC Asia, UNFCCC
by clarifying scopes, aligning expectations, initiating
partnerships and funding configurations.

15:30 – 16:00 COFFEE BREAK & NETWORKING SESSION

Moderator: Astrid Rahardjo, Regional Climate Finance Expert for Asia &
Pacific, UNFCCC

Session 4 Representatives from regional partners, and implementing entities

Partners and Funders Presentations (a) Public Sector:
- Edwin Seah, NbS Partnership Lead, Southeast Asia Climate and
The session aims to provide a platform for regional Nature-based Solutions (SCeNe) Coalition
partners, donors, funds, and accredited/implementing - Koji Fukuda, Chief Advisor, JICA NDC Implementation Support (SPI-
entities from public and private sectors to present their NDC)
16:00 – 17:45
offerings including funding opportunities, project - Philipp-Georg Hahn, Project Developer, GIZ
support services, and strategic alignment with the - Anupa Rimal Lamichhane, Lead Regional Environment and Climate
priority regional needs that have been discussed in the Specialist for Asia Pacific Region, IFAD
previous session. The objective is to ensure that project - Sungsoo Jung, Director General, Korea Eximbank (KEXIM)
proponents are aware of the various avenues for
support and collaboration. Private Sector:
- Eugina Kim, Senior Manager, Korea Development Bank
- Alexander Chan, Head of ESG, Asia Pacific, Invesco

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 Global Voluntary Carbon Mechanism (15 minutes)
This session will introduce the Global Voluntary Carbon
Mechanism by the Ministry of Economy and Finance
(MOEF) of the Republic of Korea, collaborating with the
UNFCCC secretariat to develop a Global Voluntary Tae Hoon Kim, Director of Green Climate Policy Division, Ministry of
17:45 – 18:00
Carbon Mechanism (GVCM). This mechanism aims to Economy and Finance, South Korea
create a robust, internationally recognized carbon
market model aligned with Article 6 of the Paris
Agreement.

18:00~ RECEPTION DINNER AND NETWORKING DINNER BY GOVERNMENT OF SOUTH KOREA

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 DAY 2 – FRIDAY, 29 NOVEMBER 2024

Time Session Description Speakers/Interventions

Moderator: Grant Kirkman, Team Lead, Climate Finance, UNFCCC
Session 5
Partners and Funders Presentations (b)
Representatives from climate funds, regional partners, and
implementing entities:
The session aims to provide a platform for regional
partners, donors, funds, and accredited/implementing
- Rawleston Moore, Senior Climate Change Specialist, Global
entities from public and private sectors to present their
Environment Facility
10:30 – 12:00 offerings including funding opportunities, project
- Young Hee Lee, Governance Specialist and Justice Surugu, Climate
support services, and strategic alignment with the
Change Specialist, Adaptation Fund
priority regional needs that have been discussed in the
- Samantha Rabine, Regional Officer and Georges Ernest Sander,
previous session. The objective is to ensure that project
Climate Investment Specialist, Green Climate Fund
proponents are aware of the various avenues for
- Esmyra Parado Javier, Senior Climate Change Specialist (Climate
support and collaboration.
Finance), Asian Development Bank

12:00 – 13:00 LUNCH BREAK

Session 6 Facilitator: German Velasquez, NBF Advisor, UNFCCC
Parallel Breakout Groups (continued)
Two breakout groups for the session by regions: LDC Asia and Southeast
In this session countries, entities, and potential funders Asia.
are expected to dive deeply into the specifics of each
13:00 – 15:00
proposed project, fostering detailed discussions among Breakout group moderators:
countries, potential investors, and development
partners. This session aims to refine project proposals ASEAN: Cecilia Guiao, NBF Project Consultant for ASEAN, UNFCCC
by clarifying scopes, aligning expectations, initiating LDC Asia: David Kaluba, NBF Project Consultant for LDC Asia, UNFCCC
partnerships and funding configurations.

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15:00 – 15:30 COFFEE BREAK & NETWORKING SESSION
Session 7 Facilitator: German Velasquez, NBF Advisor, UNFCCC
Plenary Session: Feedback, initial commitments, and
next steps Country representatives

In this session, countries and partners synthesize the Representatives from the funds, regional partners, and implementing
discussions and outcomes from the individual breakout entities.
groups and to provide a platform for announcing initial
commitments from partners. This session aims to
15:30 – 17:00
consolidate the progress made during the breakout
discussions, allowing for a collective understanding of
the potential and readiness of each project. It also
serves as an opportunity for partners and investors to
announce preliminary commitments or expressions of
interest, setting a pathway towards formal agreements
and project implementation.

Closing Remark 1. UNFCCC Representative

2. Lead country representative of NBF Southeast Asia: Zaiem Halbi,
This session serves to conclude the forum on a note of Head of Climate Change Office, Brunei (Online)
accomplishment and optimism. The session is designed 3. Lead country representative NBF LDC Asia: Namgyel Dorjee, Chief
to reaffirm the commitments made during the forum, Program Officer, Ministry of Finance, Bhutan
17:00-17:30
summarize the key outcomes, highlight the 4. Tae Hoon Kim, Director of Green Climate Policy Division, Ministry of
collaborative spirit fostered throughout the event, and Economy and Finance, South Korea
articulate a clear vision for the future steps to be taken
post-forum.