ICAN hosts national conference on ESG, climate reporting and sustainable finance

KATHMANDU: The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nepal (ICAN), in collaboration with the World Bank Nepal Office, hosted the National Conference on ESG, Climate Reporting and Sustainable Finance in Kathmandu on Friday.

Addressing the event, ICAN President CA Anand Raj Sharma Wagle emphasised the need for Nepal to move beyond awareness and develop the institutional systems, professional competencies, and infrastructure required for credible sustainability and climate reporting.

The conference gathered over 130 professionals from government agencies, banking, and corporate sectors to build national capacity and coordination across climate-related disclosure, carbon accounting, and sustainable finance.

During the opening session on IPSASB SRS 1 and Nepal’s roadmap for public-sector climate reporting, representatives from ICAN, ASB Nepal, the Financial Comptroller General Office, the Office of the Auditor General, and the World Bank discussed how Nepal can progressively integrate climate-related information into its existing public financial management, budgeting, and reporting systems. The discussion highlighted that credible climate reporting can strengthen transparency, accountability, and access to climate finance.

The programme featured four technical sessions covering Public-Sector Climate Reporting and IPSASB SRS 1; NFRS S1 and S2 and implementation readiness; Carbon Projects, Carbon Credits and Blended Finance; and the Role of Professional Accountants in Carbon Accounting and Governance Reporting for Sustainable Value Creation. Technical presentations were delivered by CA Narendra Bhattarai, CA Bidur Luitel, international climate and carbon-market expert Dr Divaldo Rezende, and CA Prabin Kumar Jha.

A final session, moderated by ICAN Council Member CA Hari Kumar Silwal, brought together ICAN Vice President CA Hem Kumar Kafle alongside representatives from the accounting, banking, corporate, and energy sectors to review the expanding role of professional accountants in sustainability reporting, carbon accounting, climate-finance advisory, and assurance.

Through the conference, ICAN reaffirmed its commitment to provide institutional and professional leadership in Nepal’s sustainability reporting ecosystem, working in collaboration with government institutions, regulators, standard setters, financial institutions, development partners, and the private sector.

The institute stated it will continue to promote capacity development, policy dialogue, and professional readiness in ESG reporting, NFRS S1 and S2, public-sector climate reporting, carbon accounting, sustainable finance, and sustainability assurance, working to support the accounting profession as a key partner in Nepal’s transition towards a more transparent, resilient, and sustainable economy.