During a recent meeting on October 3, Minister Bruno Dantas, president of the Brazilian Federal Court of Accounts (TCU); Aloizio Mercadante, president of the National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES); and Claudio Providas, Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Brazil, gathered in Rio de Janeiro. This event marked the final stage of practical training for the ClimateScanner tool, a significant initiative designed to assist Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs) in evaluating climate policies. Counting with the involvement of 141 countries, ClimateScanner has become the largest project to date under the auspices of the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI), showcasing a global commitment to enhancing climate policy assessment.

During his presentation, Minister Bruno Dantas emphasized the importance of partnerships with organizations such as the United Nations (UN), the World Bank, and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). He also outlined the project's trajectory, which began at the INTOSAI Congress, INCOSAI, in 2022, and included practical workshops in Mexico, Prague, Fiji, Morocco, India, and South Africa. It was also presented at COP28, held in the United Arab Emirates, and at the UN headquarters. 

The objective was to present the initial outcomes of the climate audits in November at COP29 in Azerbaijan, anticipating that by then, 50 countries would have made advancements in the process.  The aim was for all SAIs to be integrated by COP30, scheduled for next year in Brazil.

“This moment marked a milestone and represented not only the conclusion of a phase of technical training. The 17 countries present here, through their SAIs, were part of a global effort involving 141 nations committed to monitoring and improving public policies aimed at addressing the greatest challenge of our time: climate change,” highlighted the minister. Dantas also reinforced that the goal of ClimateScanner was not only to audit climate targets but also to assess the effectiveness of public policies.

SUPPORT

Aloizio Mercadante, president of BNDES, emphasized that the bank provided financial and technical support for the project, underscoring the tool's relevance for nations facing severe climate crises. According to him, TCU made history by leading an initiative that especially benefited the most vulnerable countries and populations. Claudio Providas, the UNDP Representative in Brazil, stressed that ClimateScanner was a global effort supporting the development of environmental public policies. The collaboration between BNDES, TCU, and international institutions set a standard for implementing concrete actions to tackle climate change.

PARTICIPATION

ClimateScanner Last Call concluded on October 4 with the participation of 17 countries: Albania, Belarus, China, the Dominican Republic, Ethiopia, the Federated States of Micronesia, Latvia, Lithuania, Pakistan, Palestine, Russia, Saint Martin, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, and Zambia.

Brazil as chair of INTOSAI, consolidated itself as a key player in climate initiatives, amplifying the global voice of SAIs and reaffirming its commitment to tackle climate change. 

ABOUT CLIMATESCANNER

ClimateScanner was an initiative led by the INTOSAI leadership, held by the TCU, in partnership with the Working Group on Environmental Auditing (WGEA). Its primary goal was to develop a methodology that allowed SAIs to quickly assess national government actions related to the climate crisis, focusing on three pillars: governance, finance, and public policies. The initiative’s results were expected to be presented at COP29, to be held in November in Azerbaijan.

ClimateScanner received support from the National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES), the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the World Bank, the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA), and UNDP.