Every year, billions of dollars are being loaned and granted from developed to developing countries to help them ‘green’ their economies and cope with increasing climate impacts. But the amounts claimed by contributing countries as climate adaptation finance are disputed by recipient countries, academics and activists.

A number of reports in past years have tried to put a number on international climate finance flows, but have decried the lack of solid data and transparency in international climate adaptation funding.

Transparency in the reporting of climate finance, and mutual accountability in its delivery, are crucial for building and maintaining trust among nations if the international community is to reach an agreement that will solve the existential problem of climate change. Moreover, it can markedly improve planning and effectiveness of efforts to help the world’s poorest adapt to the impacts of climate change that are already being experienced and which are set to worsen.

This report shares findings from three major pieces of original empirical research into the transparency and consistency of climate adaptation reporting, and sets out a series of recommendations that seek to encourage the UN, contributor nations and recipients to improve their systems of tracking and reporting climate adaptation finance.