Green Climate Fund (GCF) Country Programmes are the cornerstone of each country’s pipeline development with GCF. It is the first stage of the updated GCF project and programme cycle, and forms the basis for prioritising the further development of funding proposals for projects and programmes submitted by Accredited Entities on behalf of countries for funding.

Countries are encouraged to develop a GCF Country Programme to drive their project and programme pipelines with GCF, and countries may request support from the GCF Readiness and Preparatory Support Programme (Readiness Programme) for its development and update.

The process of developing or updating a Country Programme may be used for prioritising the most impactful projects or programmes to be funded by GCF, aligned with the priorities identified in a country’s national climate plans or strategies. It may also be used to identify the most suitable GCF Accredited Entities or prospective entities seeking accreditation that would submit and implement those projects and programmes. Such projects and programmes should contribute to the country achieving its ambitious, long-term climate change strategies and plans, particularly those contained in the country’s latest nationally determined contributions (NDCs), adaptation communications (ACs), national adaptation plans (NAPs), Technology Needs Assessments (TNAs), Technology Plans (TPs) and long-term national strategies, focusing on areas of high mitigation potential and adaptation needs for the country. They should also be consistent with long-term planning aligned with the goals of the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement to stabilise average global temperatures at 1.5 or 2 degree Celsius above pre-industrial levels and increase a country’s ability to adapt to the adverse impacts of climate change.