By Fatima Kpaka
Bo, May 25, 2026: Sierra Leone’s Parliament has stepped up efforts to integrate climate priorities into national spending, with lawmakers receiving training on green budgeting during a one‑day workshop held at Galliness Paradise Hotel in Bo.
Organized by the Parliamentary Committee on Environment and Climate Change, in collaboration with the Parliamentarians for Climate Finance Project and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the session aimed to strengthen Parliament’s role in aligning public financial management with climate resilience and sustainable development goals.
Climate Finance Project Across Africa
Moderating the event, Honourable Rebecca Yei Sam explained that the Parliamentarians for Climate Finance Project is being implemented in 15 African countries with support from the Green Climate Fund (GCF). She said the initiative is designed to boost both public and private green investments by equipping legislators with tools to scrutinize climate expenditure, promote investor dialogue, and develop actionable parliamentary interventions.
Parliament’s Role in Climate Governance
Honourable Mariama Munia Zombo, Chair of the Parliamentary Steering Committee for Climate Finance, stressed that Sierra Leone faces severe environmental threats including flooding, coastal erosion, landslides, prolonged dry seasons, and rising temperatures.
“We are not here by accident or for relaxation, but to reflect on the environmental threats that continue to make us vulnerable as a nation,” she said, urging Parliament to ensure that Sierra Leone’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) are reflected in budgets, legislation, and oversight.
She announced that a national dialogue on climate finance will be held on May 29, 2026, as part of ongoing project activities.
Keynote Address: Climate at the Centre of Budgets
Delivering the keynote, Honourable Mathew Nyuma, Leader of Government Business, warned that climate considerations must no longer be treated as secondary in national planning.
“Climate considerations must become central, not peripheral, to our national planning and budgets,” he stated.
Nyuma emphasized that Parliament’s constitutional responsibility in green budgeting lies in legislation, oversight, and representation, urging MPs to apply a “climate lens” when interrogating national budgets. He linked climate‑responsive budgeting to Sierra Leone’s broader development agenda, including food security, energy transition, and environmental protection.
UNIDO and EPA Perspectives
UNIDO’s Aminata Dumbuya outlined the project’s five pillars: capacity building, green investment dialogue, strategic parliamentary frameworks, stakeholder engagement, and virtual roundtables. She disclosed that Sierra Leone’s climate financing target stands at $2.9 billion, with ongoing work on a green investment pipeline covering energy, transport, waste management, and agriculture.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) presented a technical overview, stressing the need to align budget allocations with climate adaptation, mitigation, and resilience priorities.
Expert Insights and Parliamentary Commitments
Dr. Emmanuel Marfo, former Ghanaian MP, urged Sierra Leone to access GCF readiness funds for parliamentary strengthening, warning against executive dominance in climate policy processes.
Parliamentary officials including Director Songa and Budget Director Jimmy called for stronger committee monitoring frameworks, simplified budget tools, and Auditor‑General involvement across the budget cycle.
Opposition Whip Abdul Karim Kamara highlighted environmental degradation risks, while Honourable Saa Emerson Lamina proposed innovative financing mechanisms such as sovereign wealth and natural resource‑based climate funds.
The workshop underscored Parliament’s growing role in climate governance, with MPs pledging to mainstream climate priorities into legislation, oversight, and constituency engagement. As Honourable Nyuma concluded, effective climate response will require collaboration between Parliament, government ministries, civil society, and the private sector to build a coherent national framework.