Spatializing Climate Risk Education in African Green Public Finance for Sustainable Public Sector Capacity Building, Climate Resilience, and Adaptive Governance

Abstract

Purpose

This study addresses the critical research gap at the intersection of spatial literacy, climate education, and public financial management within emerging African economies.

Methodology

This study employs a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) methodology that strictly adheres to PRISMA protocols. Peer-reviewed literature spanning geography education, green finance, and adaptive governance was systematically screened, evaluated, and synthesized.

Findings

The synthesis reveals significant structural fragmentation within institutional PFM frameworks, widespread non-integration of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) into climate curricula, and weak Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) accountability mechanisms, collectively hindering public-sector capacity building and institutional transformation. Furthermore, existing green public finance instruments remain largely non-evident or inadequately operationalized, leading to a persistent misalignment between climate resilience investments and actual territorial vulnerabilities.

Conclusion & Practical Implications

To bridge these gaps, public-sector capacity plans must institutionalize GIS-embedded climate-risk orientations. Policymakers should formulate spatially responsive green finance policies and establish intra-sectoral public-private management mechanisms grounded in place-based climate accountability.  By synthesizing spatial literacy with green public financial management, this research provides a novel conceptual linkage that directly advances institutional efficiency, accelerates digital transformation, and fosters inclusive governance and sustainability across emerging African economies.