National Policy Makers

The Green Climate Fund (GCF) is the newest actor in the multilateral climate finance architecture and became fully operational in 2015, approving USD 168 million for its first eight projects just weeks before COP 21. The GCF is an operating entity of the Financial Mechanism of the UNFCCC. A legally independent institution hosted by South Korea, it has its own secretariat and the World Bank as its interim trustee but functions under the guidance of, and is accountable to, the UNFCCC COP. The 24 GCF Board members, with equal representation of developed and developing countries, and support from the secretariat have been working to operationalise the fund since their first meeting in August 2012. This year the GCF further developed essential policies and frameworks to receive, manage, programme and disburse finance as well as measure and account for its results and impacts. It also accredited its first 20 implementing entities. The initial resource mobilisation effort that began in June 2014, raised USD 10.2 billion from 37 contributing countries (including eight developing countries). In 2015, USD 5.8 billion of pledged finance was formalised through contribution agreements. Heading into COP 21 in Paris, this Climate Finance Fundamental provides a snapshot of the operationalisation and functions of the Fund. The Fund’s role in a post-2020 climate regime as the major finance channel under the Convention as well as the scale of its resourcing remain to be clarified and confirmed in Paris. Past editions of this Climate Finance Fundamental detail the design and operationalisation phases of the Fund.

The objective of this user’s guide is to assist accredited entities to develop a concept note (CN) to be submitted to the Green Climate Fund ("Fund").

As a voluntary step, accredited entities may use the concept note to present a summary of a proposed project/programme to the Fund in order to receive feedback and recommendations from the Secretariat on whether the concept is broadly aligned with the Fund’s objectives. The recommendation will clarify whether the concept is endorsed, not endorsed with a possibility of resubmission, or rejected.

The Green Climate Fund (GCF) is a new global fund created to support the efforts of developing countries to respond to the challenge of climate change. GCF helps developing countries limit or reduce their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and adapt to climate change. It seeks to promote a paradigm shift to low-emission and climate-resilient development, taking into account the needs of nations that are particularly vulnerable to climate change impacts.

International Climate Finance Funds require certain safeguards.

In carrying out its mandate of promoting a paradigm shift towards low-emission and climate-resilient development pathways in the context of sustainable development, GCF will effectively and equitably manage environmental and social risks and impacts, and improve outcomes of all GCF-financed activities.

International Climate Finance Funds require certain safeguards. For accessing the Green Climate Fund (GCF) Gender Assessments and Action Plans need to be developed, because impacts of climate change affect women and men differently. Women are the hardest hit by dramatic shifts in climatic conditions. Women’s mortality from climate-related disasters is higher than that of men. Compared to men, domestic burdens (e.g. collection of firewood and water) of women increase substantially with various manifestations of climate change.

International Climate Finance Funds require certain safeguards. As an example, the Green Climate Fund (GCF) has a Indigenous Peoples Policy that reflects the importance of fully and effectively engaging with indigenous peoples in the design, development and implementation of the strategies and activities to be financed by GCF, while respecting their rights.

The Green Climate Fund is moving quickly to build a large and transformative project portfolio, with many projects already being implemented with the objective to adapt and/or mitigate to climate change.

However, there is a need to simplify and streamline the approval of certain small scale projects, particularly from direct access entities. In response, the GCF’s Board has approved a new approach: the Simplified Approval Process Pilot Scheme (SAP), which is now operating.

The Board approved the first SAP project in February 2018 – an initiative by the Namibian direct access entity Environmental Investment Fund (EIF) to improve the ecosystem management practices of farmers.

This brochure presents the 'Promotion of Science and Technology for Agricultural Development (PSTAD) in the SADC region' project, which has been implemented by CCARDESA.

The project was supported by the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA), and implemented sub-regional organisations (SROs) and National Agricultural Research Systems (NARS) in 34 African countries with funding from the African Development Bank. In the SADC sub region, PSTAD was being implemented in Angola, Malawi, Madagascar, Mozambique, Lesotho and Zambia.

The goal of the PSTAD project was to increase agricultural production and contribute to the achievement of food security and poverty reduction in Africa. Its main objective was to build the African agricultural research knowledge management capacity and support the dissemination and adoption of new and proven agricultural technologies.

CCARDESA's Climate Change Adaptation Strategy: Evidence from CCARPASA Project.

This brief outlines the challenge of adapting to climate change, identifies recent engagement and practices, and proposes future regional and country-level responses, with a focus on the constraints and conditions of smallholder farmers in the region, and the natural resources base upon which agriculture depends. This CCARDESA Climate Change Adaptation Strategy eventually becomes an integral part of CCARDESA's Medium Term Operational Plan (MTOP) and longterm overall strategy to deliver its mandate in an effective manner.

Implementation of the CCARDESA Mid Term Operational Plan (MTOP) is expected to have a positive impact on the environment by supporting the development and dissemination of agricultural technologies that promote sustainable use of land and water. The MTOP will also contribute towards reducing the vulnerability of poor rural households to climate shocks by promoting the adoption of climate smart agricultural practices. There is no doubt that CCARDESA’s footprint could be significant if no measures were put in place to guide the social and environmental responsibility of the work conducted in the sub-region.