Structured Dialogue with Asia 2017

GCF's Structured Dialogue with Asia aimed to develop a roadmap for priorities of the Fund in this region. The consultations took place in the context of the GCF Strategic Plan and recent Board decisions that provide support for the development of paradigm shifting funding proposals.

The Asia Structured Dialogue offered the opportunity for 24 countries to put forward their country programme briefs (CPBs). Ten countries had validated their CPBs, with another fourteen countries having CPBs in draft form. Overall, 24 countries identified funding needs from the GCF totaling USD 2.4 billion, for a total project value of roughly USD 9.6 billion. A quarter of the projects identified are being led by direct access entities. Over time, this percentage is expected to increase as more direct access entities are going through the accreditation process. Approximately 40 percent of the identified portfolio targets funding for the private sector and roughly a quarter of the projects are expected to require project preparation support.

The identified projects clustered around four key themes:

• Enhancing livelihoods;
• Health, food security and resilience to hazards;
• Scaling up renewable energy generation and energy efficiency measures; and
• Forests and ecosystem resilience.

Almost all countries expressed an interest in enhancing livelihoods and placed a substantial emphasis on the role of early warning systems. Furthermore, projects targeting the promotion of climate-smart agriculture, ensuring access to markets and supporting agroforestry received attention from countries. Within the priority theme of scaling up renewable energy generation and energy efficiency measures, different mechanisms for renewable energy generation were explored. Some of these include: a portfolio risk sharing facility, access to a clean energy fund and multicountry bond funds. The need to scale up private-sector investment in energy efficiency in the industry and building sectors, and to improve waste management practices, was also discussed. Within the theme of health, food security and resilience to hazards, activities were proposed to ensure protection for vulnerable communities in case of hydro-meteorological hazards, to increase food security and to improve the management of water resources. Within another theme that received attention, forests and ecosystem resilience, countries identified needs related to accelerating national and provincial REDD-plus mechanisms and mangrove rehabilitation.