Policies & strategies
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.
Accreditation stategy
The Board adopted at B.34 the Accreditation Strategy, which clarifies the GCF operating model and guides the evolution of the GCF network of AEs in order to deliver on the GCF’s mandate, objectives and programming directions.
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.
Search policies
| Title | Theme | Date |
|---|---|---|
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Guidelines for enhanced country ownership and country drivenness Adopted by decision B.17/21. Sets out guidelines for enhanced country ownership and country drivenness, covering guiding principles, role of country programmes and structured dialogues, role of country ownership in the Fund's operating modalities, and evaluation. |
Country ownership | 06 Jul 2017 |
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Operational framework for complementarity and coherence Adopted by decision B.17/04. Establishes a framework for strengthening complementarity and enhance coherence with the operations and processes of other climate finance institutions. |
Complementarity and coherence | 06 Jul 2017 |
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Updated project and programme cycle Adopted by decision B.17/09. Sets out the updated project and programme cycle; it outlines the key stages, individual steps, relevant actors, as well as the various responsibilities and tasks involved in the project and programme cycle; it also sets out the requirements the entities must meet prior to submitting its funding proposal to the Board. |
Project approval process | 06 Jul 2017 |
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Revised risk register (Component I) Adopted by decision B.17/11 (a) (i). Adopts the risk register which provides a comprehensive list of non-overlapping risk types that concern the GCF. |
Risk management framework | 06 Jul 2017 |
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Risk appetite statement (Component II) Adopted by decision B.17/11 (a) (ii). Provides a statement of the levels of risk that the GCF is willing to take. |
Risk management framework | 06 Jul 2017 |
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Policy on ethics and conflicts of interest for Board-appointed officials Adopted by decision B.13/27 (a). Sets out the ethics and conflicts of interest policies for the Board-appointed officials. |
Administrative policies | 30 Jun 2016 |
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Rules of procedure Adopted by decisions B.01-13/01 and B.12/36. Sets out the rules of procedure in the conduct of business of the Board of the Green Climate Fund. |
Operations of the Board | 10 Mar 2016 |
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Initial strategic plan for the GCF Adopted by decision B.12/20. The strategic plan sets out the Board’s strategic vision for GCF, as well as core operational priorities. |
10 Mar 2016 | |
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Information disclosure policy Adopted by decision B.12/35 (a). Sets out the policy regarding the information that the Fund makes available to the public either as a routine matter or upon request. |
Administrative policies | 10 Mar 2016 |
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Additional policy guidance for the purpose of Accreditation Master Agreements Adopted by decision B.12/31. Provides additional guidance on liability, due diligence, confidentiality, grievance mechanism, time frame for funding approval. |
Accreditation framework | 10 Mar 2016 |