Government representatives from Fiji, Papua New Guinea (PNG), Tonga and Tuvalu as well as development partners from the Pacific region met in Nadi, Fiji for a south-south learning programme to share lessons learnt and best practices on how certain countries have progressed in the establishment of their National Climate Funds (NCF).
PIDF Secretary General, François Martel, was invited to present at an interactive session on National Climate Fund experiences and perspectives.
He highlighted the required focus of establishing a trust fund, design components, governance and operations issues and challenges such as capitalization and engagement of the private Sector in financing SDGs and the critical linkage it has to the stark reality of climate change and much needed sustainable climate action financing.
During the two-day south-south learning program, countries which progressed in establishing NCFs shared lessons learned. Through National Climate Funds, Pacific Island Countries now have an opportunity to set up systems to access climate finance at a national level.Accessing and utilizing global climate financing from sources such as the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and other multilateral and bilateral funds, provides the opportunity for governments to scale up national climate change adaptation and mitigation activities.
However, for countries to receive these funds, robust finance and governance structures need to be in place to support the effective efficient and accountable implementation of activities that are funded by these global climate financing mechanisms. Through the NCFs, countries now have an opportunity to set up a system that can mobilise climate finance at the national level.
The south-south learning platform was organised by the Fiji Green Climate Fund Readiness Programme, in partnership with the Climate Policy Lab of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, the UNDP Pacific Office in Fiji and the Ministry of Economy, with support from the German Government’s Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB).
Development partners present at the platform included the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, SPC, Pacific Islands PIDF and the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ).