B.08/11: Revised programme of work on readiness and preparatory support

The Board, having reviewed document GCF/B.08/10 Revised Programme of Work on Readiness and Preparatory Support, and in alignment with decisions B.05/14 and B.06/06:

  1. Reaffirms that Fund-related readiness and preparatory support is a strategic priority for the Fund to enhance country ownership and access during the early stages of its operationalization, and may help countries to meet the Fund’s objectives;
  2. Takes note of the overview of national designated authority (NDA) or focal point designations and requests for readiness support presented in Annex XV;
  3. Recalls that, in accordance with decision B.06/11, the Secretariat shall report in detail twice a year on activities undertaken by the readiness and preparatory support programme, and the progress of committing and disbursing available funds;

Allocation

  1. Recalls decision B.05/14 paragraph (d) (iii);
  2. Decides that all developing countries will have access to readiness support and that the Fund will aim for a floor of 50% of the readiness support allocation to particularly vulnerable countries, including small island developing States, least developed countries and African States;
  3. Also decides that readiness commitments to individual developing member countries will be capped at US$ 1 million per calendar year;
  4. Affirms that readiness requests will be assessed to ensure complementarity with existing readiness activities, if any;
  5. Decides that this interim readiness funding allocation system will be reviewed in 2016, taking into consideration the bi-annual reporting referred to in paragraph (c);

Objectives and activities

  1. Decides that the core objectives of the readiness programme shall be consistent with the Governing Instrument and prior Board and Conference of the Parties (COP) decisions. Readiness funding will be used to support the indicative activities listed in Annex XVI, and in accordance with decision B.08/10, and will include:
    1. Supporting the NDA or focal point in accordance with decision B.08/10, to engage with regional, national and sub-national government, civil society and private sector stakeholders with regard to the priorities of the Fund, taking a gender sensitive approach;
    2. Developing strategic frameworks for national engagement with the Fund (including country programmes, in accordance with decision B.08/10 and decision B.07/03 (initial proposal approval process), building on existing strategies and plans, including low-emission development strategies, Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions, National Adaptation Plans, and National Adaptation Programmes of Action. Annex XVII provides initial general guidelines for the preparation of country programmes;
    3. Enabling regional, national and sub-national institutions to meet the accreditation standards of the Fund, including for the fast-track accreditation process in coordination with the NDA or focal point; and
    4. Supporting the development of initial pipelines of programme and project proposals, including the identification of appropriate financial instruments, that are aligned with the objectives and initial investment framework of the Fund and that will support a paradigm shift to low-emission and climate-resilient development;
  2. Decides that progress in meeting these objectives will be subject to an independent evaluation after two years to assess lessons learned;
  3. Also decides that the Fund can provide up to US$ 300,000 of direct support to help establish an NDA or focal point and meet the costs of delivering on the Fund’s requirements for activities in accordance with Annex XVIII on the basis of needs and actual demand;
  4. Further decides that the Fund, in coordination with and with the approval of the relevant NDA(s) or focal point(s), will:
    1. Deploy readiness funding to potential sub-national, national or regional implementing entities (IEs) and intermediaries who wish to be accredited to the Fund, consistent with the fit-for-purpose accreditation approach of the Fund; and
    2. Prepare sub-national, national, and regional IEs and intermediaries to apply for accreditation;
  5. Decides that the Fund, in close coordination with the relevant NDA(s) or focal point(s), will deploy readiness funding to accredited IEs or intermediaries to develop project and programme pipelines, consistent with the Fund’s objectives;
  6. Requests the Private Sector Advisory Group to provide recommendations for the deployment of readiness funding aimed at fostering private sector engagement in climate change financing and activities;
  7. Decides that, from the resources available or to be made available in the GCF Trust Fund, US$ 15 million is to be made available for the execution of the readiness and preparatory support programme, and authorizes the Interim Trustee to commit and transfer such funds from the GCF Trust Fund to the Secretariat subject to the availability of resources, with a view to making available a further US$ 14 million after reviewing the bi-annual report referred to in paragraph (c) above;

Modalities and approach

  1. Decides that all deployment of readiness and preparatory support funding will be led by the NDA or focal point. The NDA or focal point will either be the direct beneficiary of readiness support funding and/or will select delivery partners, including international organizations, and other international, regional, national and sub-national, public or private institutions well-versed in readiness activities. The delivery partners will have to demonstrate relevant expertise, experience, and ability to implement. This process will be supported by the Secretariat and the disbursement of funds will be based on agreed milestones;
  2. Requests the Secretariat to coordinate, collaborate, and enter into partnerships, where appropriate, through framework cooperation agreements such as Memorandums of Understanding, with other national, regional and international institutions involved in the delivery of readiness support. This may include, inter alia, information-sharing and multi- stakeholder dialogues, to maximize complementarity and coherence with existing readiness initiatives. At national level, these efforts will be undertaken in coordination with the NDA or focal point;
  3. Decides that funding proposals for readiness support will have information on the objectives, activities, outputs, implementation approach, and estimated costs. Each activity will be monitored using appropriate indicators;
  4. Requests that results, emerging lessons learned and global experiences of the programme be included in the bi-annual report referred to in paragraph (c) above;
  5. Further decides that readiness support will be implemented in conformity with the administrative policies of the Fund, including its procurement guidelines, and will address any conflicts of interest; and
  6. Decides that, after reviewing the bi-annual report referred to in paragraph (c) above, the Board may authorize the allocation of additional funds for the execution of additional approved readiness and preparatory support activities.