On Friday, 23 October 2020, the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) delivered the second in a series of capacity building trainings for the Government of Vanuatu on accreditation to the Green Climate Fund (GCF). Held at the Melanesian Hotel in Port Vila, the targeted audience of the capacity building training were officials from the Ministry of Climate Change (MoCC), with future trainings planned for later this year for officials at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), specifically the Department of Strategic Policy, Planning and Aid Coordination (DSPPAC).

The broad objectives of last month’s capacity building training with the MoCC was to provide a high-level overview of the general application process for accessing GCF resources, including an overview of the Fund itself, including its various strategic results areas, investment criteria, key features, programming modalities, funding windows, and Vanuatu’s recent experiences with GCF investments. This was followed by an overview of the role of the country’s National Designated Authority to the Fund, the role of Accredited Entities to the Fund, and the process and timeline for developing a funding proposal.

Thirteen participants from the MoCC attended the training, including the Director General of the Ministry of Climate Change and Directors and officials from the Department of Climate Change (DoCC), Department of Energy (DoE), Department of Environmental Protection and Conservation (DEPC), Vanuatu Meteorology and Geohazards Department (VMGD, National Green Energy Fund (NGEF), and National Advisory Board on Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction (NAB).

GGGI is delivering these capacity building trainings as part of its role as a delivery partner under the ongoing GCF Readiness and Preparatory Support Programme project, ‘Enhancing Vanuatu’s Ability to Seek Accreditation and Direct Access to the GCF.’ The 18-month Readiness project being implemented by GGGI in collaboration with officials from the PMO, MFEM and MoCC aims to support the accreditation of the MFEM, first as a delivery partner for future GCF Readiness projects and then as a full GCF National Accredited Entity, with the MoCC as the cooperating Executing Entity.

The GCF’s investments globally are aimed at achieving maximum impact in the developing world, supporting paradigm shifts in both climate change mitigation and adaptation activities. The Fund is unique in its ability to engage directly with both the public and private sectors in transformational climate-sensitive investments, offering a wide range of financial products including grants, concessional loans, subordinated debt, equity and guarantees. Importantly, the GCF employs a country-driven approach to ensure GCF investments operate in harmony with national priorities, such as Vanuatu’s National Sustainable Development Plan (NSDP), National Aid Management Policy (AMP) and Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction (CCDRR) Policy.

The Republic of Vanuatu became a member of GGGI in 2014 and has since worked in partnership with the organization to incorporate green growth into national planning and sectoral strategies and policies.