Catalysing Climate Action in Asia: Unlocking the Power of Philanthropic-Public-Private Partnerships

The report argues that philanthropic-public-private partnerships (PPPPs) are essential for scaling climate action in Asia, a region where temperatures are rising twice as fast as the global average. It identifies critical barriers, including a lack of structured data, a shortage of 'green talent', and a deficiency in 'bankable' projects. The document proposes a PPPP model where philanthropy acts as a risk-tolerant 'accelerator' to catalyze public and private investment. Through various case studies in countries like India, China, and the Philippines, it highlights success criteria such as aligning systems thinking, adopting innovative financing, and focusing on people-centric capacity building.

• Asia-Pacific countries face severe economic risks from climate change, with potential GDP losses of 35% by 2050, which could reverse three decades of progress in poverty reduction and food security.
• Philanthropic funding for climate change in Asia is disproportionately low compared to other regions; between 2017 and 2021, only 12% of global foundation giving to prevent climate change was directed toward Asia, while 30% went to the US and Canada.
• A primary barrier to climate investment in Asia is the lack of 'bankable' or 'shovel-ready' projects, driven by insufficient data and a lack of technical understanding of implementable solutions.
• There is a critical shortage of 'green talent' in the region, exacerbated by the high technical skills required for research and accounting and the ability of the private sector to offer more competitive salaries.
• Philanthropy can serve as a catalytic 'ignitor' in PPPPs by taking on initial financial risks (such as first-loss capital) to make projects commercially viable for private investors and credible for the public sector.
• Successful PPPPs are characterized by four key criteria: aligning systems thinking strategy and values, building win-win-win collaborations at scale, adopting innovative financing, and supporting people-centric capacity building.
• Case studies demonstrate the PPPP model's efficacy in diverse areas: from reducing chemical fertilizer use in Cambodia's Mekong Delta to identifying 1,300 pollution hotspots in Cangzhou, China, using hyperlocal monitoring tools.
• In the Philippines, philanthropic funding from the Tara Climate Foundation was used to conduct a feasibility study for offshore wind projects, identifying 19 potential sites to unlock private sector investment.

APA

World Economic Forum (2023). Catalysing Climate Action in Asia: Unlocking the Power of Philanthropic-Public-Private Partnerships. https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Catalysing_Climate_Action_in_Asia_2023.pdf

Chicago

World Economic Forum. Catalysing Climate Action in Asia: Unlocking the Power of Philanthropic-Public-Private Partnerships. 2023. https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Catalysing_Climate_Action_in_Asia_2023.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Economic Forum |title=Catalysing Climate Action in Asia: Unlocking the Power of Philanthropic-Public-Private Partnerships |date=November 2023 |url=https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Catalysing_Climate_Action_in_Asia_2023.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldeconomicforum2023catalysing, author = {{World Economic Forum}}, title = {{Catalysing Climate Action in Asia: Unlocking the Power of Philanthropic-Public-Private Partnerships}}, institution = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2023}, month = nov, url = {https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Catalysing_Climate_Action_in_Asia_2023.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }