o xford c limate p olicy The Reformed Financial Mechanism II Section II. Independent Oversight Benito Müller, Luis Gomez-Echeverri, Saleemul Huq, and Achala Chandani

o xford c limate p olicy Outreach and Independent Oversight: General Architecture and Responsibilities Oversight of the RFM will be carried out both internally and externally. Oversight includes (i) Financial Auditing, (ii) Compliance Auditing, (iii) Performance Auditing (Evaluations), and (iv) Complaints Procedures. The Board will be responsible for the internal oversight of the FM, to be carried out (if possible) through the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services. The COP will be responsible for external oversight, to be carried out through a Board of Auditors (modelled after the UN Board of Auditors). (OR the UN Board of Auditors itself)

o xford c limate p olicy Independent Oversight: Remits INTERNAL OVERSIGHT The Internal Oversight needs to cover financial, compliance and performance monitoring and evaluation of the internal activities (Board, Assessment Units, Secretariat, Expert Panels) which could be carried out by the UN Office for Internal Oversight Services (OIOS, and by more technical monitoring and evaluation dedicated services. The internal oversight is also meant to cover a complaints procedure covering malpractice at the level of the internal or contracted external institutions of the RFMwww.un.org/depts/oios/ EXTERNAL AUDITING The external auditing needs to cover the same types of audits (on a spot check basis). The institutional scope needs to go beyond the internal bodies to include contracted institutions, such as the RFM Trustee and the in- country Climate Change Funds (following accepted practices). Institutionally, the external auditing could be carried out by the UN Board of Auditors (BOA), or – given the size of the task – perhaps – and to be explored - by a newly dedicated Board of Auditors for the FM, based on the model of the UN BOA.

o xford c limate p olicy Climate Trust Funds: The Funding Hubs DESIGN REQUIREMENTS Governance. The governance of CCFs must be transparent and inclusive, with representation of all the relevant stakeholder interests, with decision- making based on the principle of subsidiarity. Functions. Apart from assessing, monitoring, and evaluating in-country funding activities, the CTFs are to be in charge of the relevant national MRV Registries. Oversight. The external oversight is principally to be carried out by the relevant national Supreme Audit Institutions (‘National Audit Offices’), following guidance by the Board of Auditors (approved by the COP). (e.g UNDP practice with Nationally Executed Projects) Outreach: CCFs are to have regular opportunity to exchange experiences at least at the regional level. This is to be facilitated through the RFM Consultative Forum

o xford c limate p olicy Knowledge and Resources on Best Audit Practices Immense Resources National Audit System Practices Audit Arrangements in International Institutions : International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI) World Bank Group and IFIs UN family of organizations: Standards established and applied across the board Global Funds and Programs International and National NGOs

o xford c limate p olicy Principles for Best Audit Arrangements (INTOSAI) To be effective, audit arrangements for international institutions should ensure that All international Institutions financed with or supported by public money should be subject to audit by supreme audit institutions, to promote better governance, transparency and accountability and that the external auditor: is fully independent in the conduct of the audit; has sufficient authority to carry out the audit in a manner that meets best practices in the audit of public money; has adequate resources to carry out the audit; has the right and obligation to report on the results of the audit to the member states concerned through the governing body; meets relevant professional and ethical standards; and is appointed in an open, fair and transparent manner (INTOSAI) – International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions

o xford c limate p olicy Knowledge and Resources on Best Monitoring and Evaluation Practices Standards for Evaluation in the UN System (United Nations Evaluation Group network) OECD DAC Expert Group on Evaluation World Bank Group and IFIs GEF Monitoring and Evaluation Office Other Global Funds and Programs (example of Global Fund for Malaria Tuberculosis and AIDs Medicines Transparency Alliance (META) in Uganda NGOs (their M and E practices and review of practices of NGO participation in oversight of funds and programs)