Preparing the public and financial sector for a just climate transition: capacity building and call to action

  

Implementing partner: Centro Regional de Finanzas Sostenibles de la Universidad de los Andes 

Implementation period: January 2021 - March 2025

Sector: Green finance
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
This project supported a just and climate-resilient transition in the coal-dependent regions of Cesar and La Guajira, Colombia. To address the growing risks associated with climate change and the decline of extractive industries, it strengthened the capacity of both financial institutions and the public sector. Through tailored training and technical support, the project buildt understanding of climate-related risks—especially transition risks linked to policy, market, and technological changes—and guided institutions in the formulation of investment projects that respond to these challenges. 
 
A key component was the creation of a Just Transition Network, which connects public institutions, private sector actors, academia, and civil society. This network fosters collaboration and knowledge-sharing and is working on a roadmap for a just energy transition in Cesar and La Guajira—two departments where the coal sector has historically shaped economic development, but which now face the urgent need to diversify and reduce emissions while ensuring social inclusion and decent work. 
 
The project also contributed directly to economic diversification by supporting priority value chains in Cesar—including coffee, cocoa, and cashew. It did so through capacity-building workshops for producers and other actors in the supply chain, and by developing a commercial strategy to position these products competitively in national and international markets.
 

Altogether, the project supported local actors move from diagnosis to action, aligning development planning, financial investment, and private initiatives with the broader goals of climate resilience, territorial inclusion, and low-carbon growth.


"The project has brought together over 90 public, private and academic stakeholders to generate new knowledge and build capacity regarding climate change, its risks, and opportunities. The consortium CFS-Uniandes, WTW and 2DII is committed with the climate agenda to continue preparing Colombia for a just and inclusive climate transition through research, training and stakeholder articulation."

Clemente del Valle, Director, Centro Regional de Finanzas Sostenibles, Universidad de los Andes

 

Project photos LATAM-26-Uniandes 993 - project  

 

 

 

 Main results

 ——

  • The project trained 340 people, including board members, from 46 organisations (DNP, Ministry of Energy and Mines, Ministry of Finance, Banco de la República, banks, pension funds, insurance companies) on climate and transition risks.

  • The project developed tools and knowledge products to strengthen understanding of climate and transition risks while supporting Colombia’s just energy transition in the mining corridor of Cesar and La Guajira. Key initiatives include research articles such as Macroeconomic and Social Impacts of the Transition in Key Regions of Colombia and the creation of a guide for project prioritization and formulation—both demonstrating the project's commitment to building capacity and expanding knowledge among relevant stakeholders.

  • A public-private-civil society network to promote a just climate transition in Cesar (24 institutions) was created and strengthened as part of the project. Some of the members are the Governor’s office of Cesar, Agencia de Desarrollo Rural, Universidad Nacional, AREANDINA, Humboldt Institute, Agrosavia, guilds such as Asomarcar, Integramar, Fedegan, CUEES, Camacol, Fenalco, and others Programa de Desarrollo y Paz del Cesar (PDPC), CREER and GiZ.
 ——

 
 
  • 164 people, including producers from agriculture organisations, representatives from public entities, research centres, academia and federations, were trained on project formulation, access to markets, traceability and quality standards, regenerative agriculture and finance literacy.

  • A commercial strategy for cocoa, coffee and cashew was developed to access markets that prioritize sustainable value offerings. 

  • The basis for a regional JET Roadmap with recommendations for a just and inclusive transition plans in the region that involves de private, public, and civil society was presented.  

About UK PACT

UK PACT (Partnering for Accelerated Climate Transitions) is a unique capacity-building programme. Jointly governed and funded by the UK Government’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) through the UK's International Climate Finance, it works in partnership with countries with high emissions reduction potential to support them to implement and increase their ambitions for tackling climate change.

 

EXPLORE

Quick Links

ukpact-navy-logo

© Copyright 2025     UK PACT Privacy Notice  Cookie Policy