Green Budget Tagging Introductory Guidance Principles

Green budget tagging can be a useful tool in an overall approach to green budgeting. This introductory guidance was developed by the OECD under the Paris Collaborative on Green Budgeting in collaboration with institutional partners working under Helsinki Principle 4 of the Coalition of Finance Ministers for Climate Action (IADB, IMF, UNDP, World Bank) and draws lessons from existing country practices.

Green budget tagging can be a useful tool in an overall approach to green budgeting. This introductory guidance was developed by the OECD under the Paris Collaborative on Green Budgeting in collaboration with institutional partners working under Helsinki Principle 4 of the Coalition of Finance Ministers for Climate Action (IADB, IMF, UNDP, World Bank) and draws lessons from existing country practices. It was informed by a series of round-table events with countries implementing green budget tagging. The document aims to provide high-level guidance in relation to designing, implementing and improving green budget tagging.

Economic performance in 2022 has been positive, with robust real GDP growth, decreasing inflation, and a narrowing current account deficit. Still, challenges related to infrastructure, governance, vulnerability to economic shocks, and limited economic diversification constrain Mauritania’s economic development. While the political situation appears stable, security risks persist, especially in the Sahel region. Additionally, more frequent, and severe climate-related disasters create large adaptation needs, though opportunities for clean energy exist. The authorities are seeking support under the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF) to enhance resilience to climate shocks, bolster disaster risk management, and accelerate the transition to cleaner energy sources, while continuing the ECF/EFF arrangements.

Green budgeting is emerging at subnational levels as an important tool for regions and cities to use to align their expenditure and revenues with their green objectives, and enhance the transparency and accountability of their climate and environmental action. It is also a tool that subnational governments can use to prioritise low-carbon investments and identify funding gaps, as well as to mobilise additional sources of both private and public climate finance.

This How to Note develops the “green public financial management (PFM)” framework briefly outlined in an earlier Staff Climate Note (2021/002, published in August 2021). It illustrates, how climate change and environmental concerns can be mainstreamed into government’s institutional arrangements in place to facilitate the implementation of fiscal policies. It provides numerous country examples covering possible entry points for green PFM – phases in the budget cycle (strategic planning and fiscal framework, budget preparation, budget execution and accounting, control, and audit), legal framework or issues that cut across the budget cycle, such as fiscal transparency or coordination with State Owned Enterprises or with subnational governments. This How to Note also summarizes practical guidance for implementation of a green PFM strategy, underscoring the need for a tailored approach adapted to country specificities and for a strong stewardship role of the Ministry of Finance.

This edition of the OECD Sovereign Borrowing Outlook reviews the impact of the COVID-19 crisis for sovereign borrowing needs, funding conditions and funding strategies as well as outstanding debt for 2020 and 2021, and provides projections for 2022 for the OECD area.