Initial Experiences of the Community of Practice on Supporting Direct Access to Climate Finance

Developing countries are highly vulnerable to climate change and thus need financing for adaptation and low-carbon development. The international community has established multilateral funds to support mitigation and adaptation in these countries. The Adaptation Fund (AF) and the Green Climate Fund (GCF), two of the world’s largest climate funds, are committed to providing accredited institutions in developing countries with direct access to climate finance. Direct access allows countries to access climate finance and manage all aspects of the project cycle, from design to implementation and monitoring, directly or through accredited national institutions (CSE et al., 2016). The Community of Practice, which serves as a framework for South-South interaction for sharing and learning between AF and GCF direct access entities, has been initiated by several countries. The main objective of this initiative is to strengthen the capacity of African countries to access climate funds. Activities implemented or planned involve: developing an online platform for sharing experiences, developing a capacity-building program, organising sub-regional forums and a regional workshop for COPs, and organising a training of trainers. Entities seeking accreditation or developing funding proposals find it particularly useful to engage with peers and establish a Community of Practice to support direct access. The case study qualifies as a good practice due to its strong stakeholder engagement that meets the needs of accredited entities, its technical and financial feasibility, and its innovative character. The progress made under this initiative has created an enabling environment for: sharing information on factors that contribute to success; transferring best practices; developing innovative solutions; and building the capacity of a wide range of institutions.