GEF Report to UNFCCC Presented at COP19

The GEF is an operating entity of the financial mechanism of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Every year the GEF reports to the  Conference of the parties (COP). In a statement to the plenary of CoP 19, in Warsaw on November 13, Robert Dixon, as the head of the Climate Change and Chemicals team, presented a concise summary of the content of the report. Here are the main elements that reflect GEF activities during the reporting period (July 1, 2012 – June 30, 2013):

-       During the reporting period, Convention guidance included eight decisions from COP 18 and several conclusions from the 37th session of the SBI.  In response to this guidance, the GEF continues to place a strong emphasis on support to mitigation, adaptation, finance, technology transfer, National Communications, Biennial Update Reporting, Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions and the associated prototype registry, capacity building, National Adaptation Plan process, Support on Article 6, and other areas identified in the guidance. 

-       Climate change mitigation: the GEF allocated 408.7 million US dollars to 68 climate change mitigation projects, covering innovative low-carbon technologies, energy efficiency, renewable energy, sustainable transport and urban systems, and land use, land-use change and forestry (LULUCF), Sustainable Forest Management, and REDD+.  Additional 3 billion US dollars in external financing leveraged.  

-       GEF Council approved three programs over the reporting period, including two public-private partnership (PPP) programs.

-       Adaptation:  resources from the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF) amounting to 271.4 million US dollars were approved for 41 projects. Additional 1.06 billion US dollars in external co-financing leveraged.  

-       Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF) Adaptation Program: the GEF provided 39.1 million US dollars for nine projects and programs, which in turn leveraged 218.2 million US dollars in co-financing.  The approved LDCF and SCCF projects will support adaptation activities in a variety of fields, including food and agriculture, water resources, coastal management, early warning systems, and disaster risk management. 

-       At the end of the reporting period, cumulative pledges and contributions to the LDCF and the SCCF amounted to 748.1 million and 328.1 million US dollars respectively.

-       Technology transfer: the GEF continues to support piloting and innovative projects and financing through regional and national level initiatives, with the Poznan Strategic Program on Technology Transfer and its Long-Term Program.

-       Long-Term Program on Technology Transfer: the GEF approved 73 projects with technology transfer objectives, including two adaptation projects, amounting to more than  400 million US dollars of GEF funding and 3 billion US dollars of co-financing.

-       A new project supporting Technology Needs Assessments (TNAs) in 24 low income countries approved, along with two national projects supporting TNAs in China and South Africa.

-        Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN): the GEF held consultations with relevant institutions to identify ways for the GEF to support the CTCN activities and articulate areas of collaboration.

-       10 Enabling Activity projects financed in the amount of 46.1 million US dollars. In particular, the GEF has financed umbrella projects which cover many countries and play a significant role in providing support for National Communications. Nine Biennial Update Report projects were approved, and the LDCF financed two additional National Adaptation Programs of Action Enabling Activities. Capacity building continues to feature as an integral element of most GEF-financed projects, and the GEF continues to support capacity challenges also through the cross-cutting capacity development programmatic frameworks.

-       Six National Communications projects and two National Communications global or umbrella programs were approved by the GEF council, which means all requests to support National Communications have been met by the GEF.  Capacity building is also embedded in the design of both mitigation and adaptation projects.

-       The GEF report to COP 19 also addresses the GEF-6 Replenishment (July 2014 to June 2018), OPS 5, the GEF Strategy 2020 and synergies.

Bob.jpeg

See live and on demand webcast here: http://goo.gl/LxaH1M