CROSSCUTTING

Climate Policy and governance

Climate governance comprises a set of guidelines, protocols, and laws that govern the formulation of climate-related policies and strategies. Its scope is global, with the ultimate goal of directing societal frameworks toward reducing GHG emissions, minimizing losses, and adapting to the risks posed by climate change.

In addition, climate policy forms the bedrock of climate governance as it aims at developing specific policies and actions to address climate change implemented at the national, regional, or local level.

This is where GFA comes in by

• strengthening capacities of institutional frameworks in climate governance,
• supporting the Technology Mechanism of the UNFCCC,
• identifying conditions to cooperate under carbon market mechanisms,
• evaluating and supporting the development and reporting of progress towards nationally determined contributions (NDCs), and long-term strategies (LTS) to reduce emissions, and enhance resilience,
• designing project concepts in line with national climate programming, and
• integrating climate mitigation and adaption into national planning and programming.

Forest & Biodiversity

Forests and biodiversity are pivotal in the fight against climate change. Forests act as vital carbon sinks that absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store it, thus reducing GHG concentrations. Additionally, forests regulate local climate, conserve water, and foster biodiversity, all of which support ecosystem stability and human livelihoods. Preserving biodiversity within forests and other landscapes enhances the latter’s  resilience and adaptability to climate change impacts such as extreme weather events, and allows for other ecosystem services to continue functioning.

Furthermore, forests play a critical role in regulating the water cycle, preventing erosion and floods, and sustaining freshwater resources. Combating deforestation and forest degradation is crucial to stop the release of stored carbon into the atmosphere. In that regard, GFA teams support safeguarding forests and biodiversity, promoting sustainable resource use, and fostering the well-being of both ecosystems and human communities through

• educational tools and course development,
• the development of Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) schemes,
• forest carbon inventories,
• designing Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) systems for forestry, including emissions and activity data,
• environmental and social impact assessments and plans, and
• training and capacity development.

Digital innovation

Digital innovation is crucial in addressing climate change by leveraging synergies from technology and data to develop inventive solutions and improve resource efficiency. It enables the collection and analysis of vast amounts of data to monitor climate patterns, track GHG emissions, and assess climate impacts. Advanced computing capabilities allow for sophisticated climate modeling that aid in the prediction of future trends and inform effective strategies for adaptation and mitigation.

In addition, digital solutions can help facilitate cooperation on climate change by providing a platform for sharing information, coordinating policy, and tracking progress. GFA offers powerful tools and approaches to accelerate progress towards a more sustainable and resilient future by working in

• data-driven services such as data collection, processing, management, analysis, visualization, and sharing,
• ICT policy and strategy,
• digital skills development, and
• digital learning for sustainability.

Climate Education & Green Skills

In developing countries, the education sector's role in addressing climate change is of utmost importance due to its potential to raise a generation that is aware of and ready to act on inherent challenges. In climate education, GFA intends to raise awareness and disseminate accurate information about climate change. As related to green skills, GFA aims at building resilience by empowering individuals to cope with climate-related challenges effectively. This is achieved through training programs on sustainable practices and offering youth and professionals the skills required for green jobs.

By leading by example through sustainable practices in communities, facilitating technology transfer, and engaging in climate finance initiatives, the education sector plays a pivotal role in fostering a skilled and informed population that can contribute to climate change mitigation and adaptation. GFA promotes climate education to flourish in developing countries through services such as

• sector or skills gap analyses,
• strengthening of practical-oriented vocational skills considering climate change,
• reskilling services for a just transition, and
• mainstreaming climate change and environmental issues in education.

Climate & green finance

In the context of international development, GFA refers to green finance as mobilizing resources to support sustainable projects in developing countries. It involves creating financial structures and providing management of funds that aim at fostering sustainable economic growth. GFA has encouraged public-private sector collaboration, capacity building, and the utilization of multilateral financing mechanisms to support countries in their climate and sustainability efforts. This will facilitate a just transition towards a net-zero future.

Climate finance is a nascent field in the international development sector. Its primary goal is to facilitate the transition to a low-carbon and climate-resilient economy while strengthening adaptation capacities to cope with the challenges posed by climate change. Building upon experience in the financial services field, GFA can provide solutions such as

• feasibility studies on social and green credit lines for small and medium enterprises,
• advisory services to improve sustainable finance integration, climate, and gender mainstreaming,
• the enhancement of enabling conditions to access climate finance,
• readiness assessments to access resources from multilateral climate finance delivery channels,
• improvement of environmental and social management in financial institutions,
• scoping and screening of assessment of absorption capacities in the banking sector to green financing, and
• climate-sensitive budgeting and support to governments in preparing climate-related investment projects.

Water Supply & Sanitation

Climate change is a major threat to water supply and sanitation as it affects the availability, quality, and distribution of water resources, and increases the risks of water-related disasters such as floods and droughts. Water supply and sanitation are also sources of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, mainly from energy use and wastewater treatment. Therefore, it is critical to provide support to water utilities and other stakeholders in the water supply and sanitation sector as they have a pivotal role in both mitigating and adapting to climate change.

GFA recognizes these partners in the context of climate threats, and offers the following services:

• Reduction of energy consumption and switching to renewable energy sources
• Efficiency improvement of water distribution and treatment systems
• Strengthening the resilience of water infrastructure through integrated planning, organizational development and training, and improvement of financial viability
• Hygiene and sanitation promotion, and community engagement

Transparency MRV – M&E

Measurement, Reporting & Verification (MRV) and Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) are both important in the context of climate change. While MRV involves collecting data on GHG emissions, setting targets, and reporting progress, M&E encompasses the assessment of the effectiveness of climate change interventions identifying indicators, collecting data, and analyzing results. In other words, MRV is focused on tracking progress, while M&E concentrates on assessing impact. GFA has a proven record of support to countries in their tracking of GHG emissions and assessment of interventions, particularly through

• data collection and calculation of emission factors in strategic sectors,
• developing methodological frameworks to quantify, monitor, and verify GHG emission reductions,
• designing, setting up and aligning MRV systems to international frameworks on transparency and climate finance,
• capacity development in terms of MRV of CO2 emissions, and
• conducting project evaluations.

Contact

Henrik Uehlecke
Head of Climate & Energy Cluster
E-mail: climate[at]gfa-group.de

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