Proper representation crucial for a just energy transition: KPMG

WHEN John McCalla-Leacy was in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, in November last year for the United Nations Climate Change Conference, or more widely known as COP27, he attended a top-level meeting to discuss how blended finance could be used to scale up the level of capital flows into climate projects in the global south, particularly the African continent.

Among the several finance leaders attending the meeting, one of them remarked how no one at the table was from the continent of Africa, recalled McCalla-Leacy, head of global ESG (environmental, social and governance) at KPMG, in an interview with The Business Times.

That incident served as a stark example of the need for proper representation for developing countries in climate change discussions for McCalla-Leacy. Engaging multiple stakeholders in a meaningful way and being inclusive is critical to ensure a just energy transition, he noted.