Policies and strategies

As part of its mandate, the GCF Board approves specific operational policies and guidelines, including for programming, project cycle, administration, and financial management. The Board also approves strategies, which guide the overall direction of Fund operations. Together, these strategies and policies establish the framework for implementation of the GCF’s Governing Instrument.

Governing Instrument

The Governing Instrument for the Green Climate Fund was approved by the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) at its seventeenth session on 11 December 2011 in Durban, South Africa.

Strategic plan

The Board has adopted the GCF Strategic Plan, which sets out its long-term vision for the Fund, as well as its objectives, strategic priorities and operational priorities for the current programming period. The initial Strategic Plan was adopted in 2016 for the Initial Resource Mobilization period (2015-2019). The Strategic Plan was then updated in 2020 for the GCF first replenishment period (2020-2023).

Private sector strategy

The Board adopted at B.32 the Private Sector Strategy, which sets out the four pillars through which the GCF aims to catalyze private climate finance in a country-driven manner to meet developing countries’ needs and the objectives of the Updated Strategic Plan.

Guidance on adaptation

The Board welcomed at B.33 the Guidance on adaptation which speaks to the GCF’s vision, strategic approach, and scope for supporting adaptation programming, and how the GCF aims to deliver this through its range of modalities that support adaptation activities.

Policy map

GCF policy frameworks generally include a mix of top-level policies adopted by the Board to govern a specific subject matter, the related Board decisions which adopt the policies and may contain additional policy provisions, and other policy instruments (such as standards or guidelines) which further elaborate how policies should be operationalized. The main GCF policy frameworks, aligned with the Governing Instrument, are shown in the boxes below.

Clicking on the boxes will take you to the policies in each framework. Alternately, you can search across the entire suite of policies through the search function below.

Accreditation framework

12 policies

Administrative policies

14 policies

Business model and allocation framework

1 policy

Complementarity and coherence

1 policy

Country ownership

5 policies

Financial instruments

2 policies

Integrity policies

6 policies

Investment framework

6 policies

Observers

2 policies

Operations of the Board

6 policies

Project approval process

5 policies

Resource mobilisation

2 policies

Results, monitoring and evaluation

7 policies

Risk management framework

10 policies

Sustainability policies

6 policies

Terms of reference

15 policies

Search policies

Title	Theme	Date
Policy for contributions to the Green Climate Fund for the first replenishment Adopted by decision B.24/02 (f); applicable to GCF-1. Defines the resource mobilization approach for the first replenishment period including the sources of funds, types of contributions, conditions, commitment authority, and risk mitigation measures.	Resource mobilisation	14 Nov 2019
Gender action plan Adopted by decision B.24/12. The purpose of the gender action plan is to provide a time-bound framework within which to operationalize the gender policy.	Sustainability policies	14 Nov 2019
Policy on co-financing Adopted by decision B.24/14. Sets out key principles and approaches to determine and monitor public and private co-financing applicable to all GCF-funded activities.	Investment framework	14 Nov 2019
Re-accreditation process for Accredited Entities Adopted by decision B.24/13. Sets out the required standards, approach and process for the re-accreditation of AEs, including approach for upgrades in accreditation scope.	Accreditation framework	14 Nov 2019
Policy on prohibited practices Adopted by decision B.22/19. Establishes the specific conduct and activities which are prohibited, the obligations of Covered Individuals and Counterparties to uphold the highest standards of integrity, and the actions which the GCF may take when prohibited practices are alleged to have occurred in Fund-related Activities.	Integrity policies	08 Jul 2019
Policy on ethics and conflicts of interest for active observers of the Green Climate Fund Adopted by decision B.23/08 (a). Sets out the ethics and conflicts of interest policies for the active observers of the GCF.	Administrative policies, Observers	08 Jul 2019
Compliance risk policy (Component VIII) Adopted by decision B.23/14. The compliance risk policy provides a framework to deal with compliance risks.	Risk management framework	08 Jul 2019
Standards for the implementation of the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism policy Adopted by decision B.23/15 (a). These AML/CFT Standards set the minimum and mandatory benchmarks to prevent, detect, and investigate money laundering and financing of terrorism, and to control and manage related risk.	Integrity policies	08 Jul 2019
Investment criteria indicators Adopted by decision B.22/15 (a). Adopts for a pilot period of one year investment criteria indicators to guide stakeholders in project development and approval and enhance consistency and transparency.	Investment framework	28 Feb 2019
Policy on restructuring and cancellation Adopted by decision B.22/14. Sets out the mechanism for decision-making in respect of an approved funding proposal in situations of failure to fulfil conditions, extension of time, waiver of conditions, change to FPs.	Project approval process	28 Feb 2019

Policies & strategies