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.

Accreditation framework

12 policies

Administrative policies

15 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
Mitigation and adaptation performance measurement frameworks Adopted by decision B.08/07; applicable to all projects up to B.31. Sets out the performance measurement framework to measure the results of the Fund and to serve as the basis for results-based payments.	Results, monitoring and evaluation	17 Oct 2014
Performance measurement framework for REDD+ results based payments Adopted by decision B.08/08 (a). Specifies indicators, reporting responsibilities and frequencies applicable to projects/programmes funded under the REDD-plus results-based payments pilot.	Results, monitoring and evaluation	17 Oct 2014
Initial best-practice options for country coordination and multi-stakeholder engagement Adopted by decision B.08/10 (d). Sets out best practice options for country coordination and multi-stakeholder engagement.	Country ownership	17 Oct 2014
Initial best-practice guidelines for the selection and establishment of national designated authorities and focal points Adopted by decision B.08/10 (c). Sets out best practice guidelines for the establishment of NDAs/focal points.	Country ownership	17 Oct 2014
Administrative guidelines on human resources Adopted by decision B.08/17. Sets out the administrative guidelines on human resources.	Administrative policies	17 Oct 2014
Fast-track accreditation programme Adopted by decision B.08/03. Establishes the fast-track accreditation process to expedite the accreditation of certain institutions accredited by other relevant funds and defines the related assessment process, including gap analysis.	Accreditation framework	17 Oct 2014
Contents of the application documents for submissions of applications for accreditation to the GCF Adopted by decision B.08/06. Defines the information an applicant entity is required to complete.	Accreditation framework	17 Oct 2014
Interim environmental and social safeguards of the Fund (Performance standards of the International Finance Corporation) Adopted by decision B.07/02 (c). Adopts the interim environmental and social safeguards to identify, measure, and mitigate environmental and social risks based on IFC standards; will remain in effect until the Fund develops its own standards.	Sustainability policies	21 May 2014
Initial fiduciary principles and standards of the Fund Adopted by decision B.07/02. Sets out the initial basic fiduciary standards for administrative and financial capacities.	Accreditation framework, Administrative policies	21 May 2014
Initial guiding framework for the Fund’s accreditation process Adopted by decision B.07/02. Sets out the initial framework of the accreditation process as well as initial fiduciary principles and standards, interim performance standards, and establishes the Accrediation Panel and Accreditation Committee.	Accreditation framework	21 May 2014

Policies & strategies