Development of Community-based Adaptation Project Experiences of the GEF Small grants programme By Stephen Gitonga Climate change Programme officer GEF Small Grants programme, UNDP Climate Adaptation Challenges: Building Capacity for African Based Research 26th -28th March, 2006 Windsor Golf and Country Club, Nairobi

GEF Adaptation Funds

The Goal of SPA The GEF Council paper GEF/C.27/Inf.10 (Operational Guidelines for the Strategic Priority “Piloting An Operational Approach To Adaptation - SPA - ”) states the goal as: “to reduce vulnerability and to increase adaptive capacity to the adverse effects of climate change in the focal areas in which the GEF work”.

Elements of SPA with implications to GEF CBA The proposed adaptation measures should be identified in vulnerability and adaptation (V&A) assessments and prepared using a rigorous scientific approach consistent with best practice as represented by recognized international authorities, peer-review processes and peer-reviewed publications. Source: cPriority.pdf

The context of GEF CBA development projects under the SPA need to address the critical vulnerabilities identified in the vulnerability and adaptation assessments support under initial and subsequent national communications (Stage I adaptation) or in relevant International Waters issue analysis and priority setting processes (TDA/SAP) where climate vulnerability emerges as a priority. projects must be prepared in a manner that is consistent with accepted methodologies for assessing vulnerability and planning adaptation.

General accepted steps in methodologies that applies to SPA The methodologies involve : –assessing current vulnerability; –assessing likely future risks; –formulating a strategy based upon past and likely future activities; –engaging stakeholders; –initiating a long-term plan. first step ensures that the most pressing adaptation needs are addressed second step ensures that the adaptation activities proposed are carefully screened, evaluated, and are considered “best- practice” options in light of current scientific understanding and knowledge.

The context of incremental reasoning Adaptation to CC starts with an understanding of coping strategies for dealing with the extremes evidenced in current climate variability. Under SPA, GEF supports adaptation measures aimed at coping with current variability as well as climate change because operationally it is almost impossible to attribute a given extreme to climate variability or climate change. The SPA is supported by funds from the GEF Trust Fund and therefore projects should fund the incremental cost of the adaptation activities that ensures the delivery of global environmental benefits in all of the focal areas in which GEF works (not applicable to LCDF & SCCF)

CBA Project development experience

Objective of the CBA Programme To enhance the capacity of communities in the pilot countries to adapt to climate change including variability. –Both short-term and long-term climate issues can be addressed simultaneously by adopting the approach of increasing adaptive capacity As a contribution to the SPA goal

Short-term and long term response Adaptation to climate change including variability may involve one or both of two types of interventions. Reducing the adverse impacts of recurrent, historically familiar climate-related hazards (short-term) Anticipating and planning for future changes in climate (long-term)

GEBs and Incremental reasoning in the CBA project The criteria for CBA projects are guided by GEF operational guidelines for the SPA and the GEF Instrument. CBA applied the criteria in its design: –A) firstly, the project is meant to fund all possible CBA adaptation interventions, which satisfy the criterion of provision of global environmental benefits ; –B) secondly, that CBA funding will only be for that component which is incremental in facilitating “adaptation” to climate change including variability.

Application of criteria for GEBs and incremental reasoning in a CBA site

community-based projects will contribute to the global CBA in a hierarchical manner

Common typology of objectives for CBA country strategies The reduction of community vulnerability The enhancement of resilience of the systems on which communities depend Enhancing community capacity to adapt to climate change including variability Facilitating the implementation of specific adaptation measures

15 CBA Project development and approval CBA Country D Strategy CBA Country C Strategy CBA Country B Strategy CBA Country A Strategy Country Portfolio of projects Reducing vulnerability of communities Improvement of adaptive capacity Increasing the resilience's of ecosystems Sample broad CBA strategy Themes CBA Project Management and Fund Allocation CBA Full Project PDF B GEF UNDP GEF GEF SGP GEF CBA project development process Project document GEF SPA Operational guidelines Facilitating implementation specific adaptation measures

Comparison of general CBA Programme Process with SGP programming Small Grants Programme Process Review Proposals National stakeholders consultation and development of Country CBA Programme Strategy National stakeholders consultation and development of Country CBA Programme Strategy Launch Small Grants Programme Launch Small Grants Programme Call for Applications Call for Applications Review Panel: National steering Committee (with adaptation experts) NSC Review & Decision NSC Review & Decision Start Project Global Community Based Adaptation Process Launch Community Based Adaptation Programme Launch Community Based Adaptation Programme Lessons

Challenges GEF SGP faced while developing the CBA projects Reconciling global community’s interest with those of local communities Linking broad national priorities with both local communities adaptation and livelihood needs. Developing parameters for short-term measures yet effective for long term adaptation responses Aligning the known climate variability coping strategies to acceptable national priorities Fit with internationally agreed but simple indicators of measuring impacts of CBA projects Dealing with the thin line between climate induced vulnerability risks and those associated with other causes.

Countries participating in CBA Pilot Phase: Bolivia, Niger, Samoa and Bangladesh Implementation Phase: All above plus Morocco, Namibia, Vietnam, Guatemala, Kazakhstan, and Jamaica

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