Hosted by the Canadian Ministry of International Development and Global Affairs Canada, GCF’s second replenishment consultation meeting brought together 27 potential contributors and eight Board members to discuss key issues on the Green Climate Fund (GCF) replenishment in the context of urgent global climate action. The meeting was facilitated by Johannes Linn.

The Deputy Minister of International Development of Canada, Ms Diane Jacovella, addressed the opening of the meeting, stressing the importance and urgency of the climate agenda and expressing Canada’s strong support for a successful GCF replenishment. She stated: “The Fund’s catalytic role in leveraging multilateral and private sector investment is particularly critical to tap into the trillions of additional investment dollars needed to fund the climate change mitigation and adaptation investments that are required.”

She reminded the meeting participants of the three recent replenishment pledging announcements made at the G7 Summit in Biarritz, France, including from Canada’s Prime Minister. Five contributors have now announced their intention to contribute to the GCF-1 replenishment: Germany, Norway, the United Kingdom, France and Canada.

The meeting discussions focused on four key items: reviewing the results and recommendations of the Independent Evaluation Unit’s Forward Looking Performance Review together with the Secretariat’s management response, working to finalise the content of GCF’s Replenishment Summary Report, reviewing proposed updates to the Fund’s policy on contributions and agreeing to the remaining steps in the current replenishment process leading to the Pledging Conference.

During discussions on the final item of the agenda, outlining the remaining steps in the GCF-1 replenishment process, France graciously proposed to host the Pledging Conference in Paris on October 28-29, which was unanimously accepted.

During the same session, the Secretariat offered a more detailed timeline for participants to submit comments to the Replenishment Summary Report in the remaining time leading up to the Replenishment Pledging Conference.

Following the close of the two-day meeting, GCF’s Executive Director Yannick Glemarec commented: “We covered a lot of important ground over the past two days in Ottawa. With the pledging announcements of the UK, France and Canada coming just days before, the meeting started on a high note. With the Policy for Contributions now agreed, and the helpful input on the 2020-2023 programming directions, we are carrying a lot of positive momentum heading into the UN Secretary General’s Climate Action Summit in New York in three weeks’ time. The offer by France to host the Pledging Conference is another vote of confidence that we are on track for a successful and ambitious replenishment.”

The GCF-1 Replenishment Pledging Conference will be held in Paris on October 28-29.

Contact
Simon Wilson, Head of Communications a.i.
+82 10 2733 6338

Source: www.greenclimate.fund

 

Past Projects

Kasa's efforts in restoring mangrove forests to mitigate coastal erosion

The Keta lagoon tragedy is still edged in the minds of residents who helplessly watched as the sea claimed their loved ones lives, their property and even robbed their gravesites. Now, all that’s left of a once thriving community is stumps of houses and sunken hopes evident by their scowled faces. This phenomenon is unfortunately becoming common along Ghana coastlines as the sea levels rise and take claim to lives, land and property.

One of the evidence of climate change is rising temperatures which impact the sea and oceans in various ways. One is melting polar ice which leads to expansion of oceans which in turn encroach on lands such as Keta. Secondly, the high temperatures which are stored in the water exacerbates water acidity which then degrades coral reefs and even mangroves; which act as sea defense. Cases such as Keta’s can be observed world over, in coastal areas.

The Government of Ghana has responded to this recurring disaster with measures to keep the sea at bay and relocation propositions for community members. Along  Ghana’s volta region and other coastal regions, one can observe sea defense systems protecting coastlines from strong tidal waves that cause erosion, flooding, amongst other hazards. These engineered structures are fortified to ensure durability and restoration of normally for coastal communities. However, as with most man made structures, there is a lifespan to such structures.  That is why organisations such as Kasa Initiative Ghana advocate for Nature based solutions such as planting of Mangroves.

Mangroves forests not only act as sea defense but perform as carbon sinks better than terrestrial forests. Additionally, their roots create an ecosystem for marine life to start and thrive. Marine creatures such as turtles and fish rely on this ecosystem for survival in initial life stages before venturing into the deep sea. Kasa with support from IUCN and Forestry commission sought  to restore mangrove in South Tongu District of the Volta Region. The exercise, done in collaboration with youth, women and men from the communities not only identified locations for restoration but also provided seedlings and carried out the planting. The initiative also engaged community members on the importance of mangrove forest in the environment and what it takes to ensure the forests reach maturity. 

 

In previous years, communities along the coastline in the Volta region were well barricaded from tidal waves by thinning mangrove forests. However, due to livelihood activities such as mangrove harvesting, the forests are now shrinking and far apart. Smoking of fish and other seafood is common in these areas with mangrove being the preferred source of firewood. Due to this, introduction of alternative livelihood is a key component to restoration efforts to avoid a recurrence of the current where firewood heaps are aligned along the coastline and in markets. 

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