Climate adaptation is a governance challenge that transcends political boundaries and institutional mandates. Effective climate action requires capable institutions, adaptive leaders, and coordinated governance at the transnational, national, and subnational levels.

The Institute for Climate Governance (ICG) of the Asian School of Governance strengthens the governance systems needed to enable climate-adaptive and regenerative development across Asia, Africa, and the Global South. We work with governments, universities, development partners, businesses, and civil society to build the leadership, institutions, and collaborative ecosystems that translate climate commitments into measurable action.

Our Objectives

The Institute pursues four strategic objectives:

1. Develop Climate Governance Leaders

Equip leaders across government, academia, civil society, and the private sector with the adaptive leadership capabilities and governance competencies needed to lead climate transitions.

2. Strengthen Climate Governance Institutions

Support the creation and strengthening of climate governance institutions—including ministry-level Climate Bureaus, national climate coordination mechanisms, and subnational climate offices—that integrate climate action into core government functions.

3. Advance Knowledge, Innovation, and Implementation

Generate applied research, policy tools, and Climate Action Labs that help governments design, test, and scale innovative governance solutions.

4. Build Collaborative Climate Governance Ecosystems

Strengthen partnerships among governments, universities, international organizations, communities, and the private sector to accelerate coordinated climate action across governance levels.

Where We Work

Transnational Governance

We support regional cooperation, cross-border climate initiatives, university networks, climate diplomacy, and South–South collaboration that strengthen collective responses to shared climate challenges.

National Governance

We partner with national governments to strengthen climate policy, institutional capacity, inter-ministerial coordination, climate finance, and implementation systems. Through the Climate BureauX Initiative, we help ministries establish dedicated Climate Bureaus or climate units that embed climate governance within sectoral mandates such as energy, agriculture, health, finance, transport, education, infrastructure, and public administration.

Subnational Governance

We work with provinces, states, regions, cities, municipalities, and local communities to strengthen climate planning, institutional capacity, multi-level governance, and community-driven implementation. Through Climate Action Labs, local governments collaborate with universities, businesses, and communities to co-create climate-adaptive and regenerative solutions tailored to local contexts.

Our Approach

The Institute combines Adaptive Leadership, Bridging Leadership, Problem-Driven Iterative Adaptation (PDIA), systems thinking, co-creation, AI-enabled governance, and implementation science to help governments move from policy commitments to sustained institutional transformation.

Partner With Us

Whether you are a national ministry seeking to establish a Climate Bureau, a regional organization strengthening cross-border cooperation, a local government advancing climate action, or a university launching a Climate Action Lab, the Institute for Climate Governance provides the leadership development, institutional support, and collaborative platforms needed to build climate-adaptive and regenerative governance systems that deliver lasting impact.