Twenty-sixth meeting of the GCF Board (B.26)

The Board, having considered document GCF/B.26/03 titled “Consideration of accreditation proposals, including consideration of the reaccreditation deadline”:

1. Takes note with appreciation of the assessments conducted by the Secretariat and the Accreditation Panel contained within the relevant annexes for the following applicants:
   1. Applicant 099 (APL099) is La Banque Agricole (LBA) based in Senegal, as contained in annex II;
   2. Applicant 100 (APL100) is the Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) based in Japan, as contained in annex IV to document GCF/B.26/03; and
   3. Applicant 101 (APL101) is the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) based in Austria, as contained in annex III;
2. Approves the accreditation of applicants APL099 and APL101, pursuant to paragraph 45 of the Governing Instrument for the GCF, subject to, and in accordance with, the assessments by the Accreditation Panel contained in the relevant annexes for each of the applicants, and subject to the completion of Stage III of the accreditation by having an effective accreditation master agreement, in accordance with decision B.23/11;
3. Decides, at the request of APL100, to defer the consideration of APL100, as contained in annex IV to document GCF/B.26/03, until no later than the twenty-eighth meeting of the Board;
4. Takes note with appreciation of the assessment conducted by the Secretariat and the Accreditation Panel contained within the relevant annex for the following applicant seeking to upgrade its accreditation type:
   1. Pegasus Capital Advisors, L.P. (PCA) based in the United States of America, as contained in annex IV;
5. Agrees to upgrade the accreditation type of the Pegasus Capital Advisors, L.P. as contained in decision B.21/16, paragraph (b), subject to, and in accordance with, the assessment by the Accreditation Panel contained in annex IV;
6. Takes note that, pursuant to decision B.08/03, paragraph (k), the Secretariat, in consultation with the Accreditation Panel, is proposing that the eligibility to apply under the fast-track accreditation process be extended to those entities listed in annex V;
7. Decides that those entities referred to in annex V are also eligible to apply under the fast-track accreditation process for the standards of GCF in accordance with decision B.08/03, paragraph (f), for entities under the Adaptation Fund;
8. Also decides, pursuant to decision B.24/13, paragraph (a), and on an extraordinary basis due to the COVID-19 virus pandemic, that the Secretariat may issue a one-time extension for a period of six months to the deadline for submission of a re-accreditation application, subject to a justified request from the accredited entities to GCF;
9. Agrees that, during the extended period referenced in paragraph (h) above, the accredited entity shall not be able to submit any new funding proposals or Project Preparation Facility requests to GCF for consideration. The accredited entity may, through the relevant national designated authority(ies), seek support through the Readiness and Preparatory Support Programme; and
10. Decides that the Secretariat may still issue the extension established in paragraph 18 of annex XXVI to decision B.24/13 should GCF require additional time for review and consideration of re-accrediting an accredited entity.

The Board, having considered document GCF/B.26/02/Rev.02 titled “Consideration of funding proposals”:

1. Takes note of the following funding proposals:
   1. Funding proposal 129 titled “Afghanistan Rural Energy Market Transformation Initiative – Strengthening Resilience of Livelihoods Through Sustainable Energy Access”, by the United Nations Development Programme, as contained in document GCF/B.26/02/Add.01 and Add.19;
   2. Funding proposal 130 titled “Indonesia REDD-plus RBP for results period 2014-2016”, by the United Nations Development Programme, as contained in document GCF/B.26/02/Add.02 and Add.19;
   3. Funding proposal 131 titled “Improving Climate Resilience of Vulnerable Communities and Ecosystems in the Gandaki River Basin, Nepal”, by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, as contained in document GCF/B.26/02/Add.03 and Add.19;
   4. Funding proposal 132 titled “Enabling Implementation of Forest Sector Reform in Georgia to Reduce GHG Emissions from Forest Degradation”, by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, as contained in document GCF/B.26/02/Add.04 and Add.19;
   5. Funding proposal 133 titled “Resilience to hurricanes in the building sector in Antigua and Barbuda”, by the Department of Environment, Ministry of Health and Environment of Antigua and Barbuda, as contained in document GCF/B.26/02/Add.05 and Add.19;
   6. Funding proposal 134 titled “Colombia REDD+ Results-based Payments for results period 2015-2016”, by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, as contained in document GCF/B.26/02/Add.06 and Add.19;
   7. Funding proposal 135 titled “Ecosystem-based Adaptation in the Indian Ocean – EBA IO”, by the Agence Française de Développement, as contained in document GCF/B.26/02/Add.07 and Add.19;
   8. Funding proposal 136 titled “Resilient Landscapes and Livelihoods Project”, by the World Bank, as contained in document GCF/B.26/02/Add.08 and Add.19;
   9. Funding proposal 137 titled “Ghana Shea Landscape Emission Reductions Project”, by the United Nations Development Programme, as contained in document GCF/B.26/02/Add.09 and Add.19;
   10. Funding proposal 138 titled “ASER Solar Rural Electrification Project”, by the Banque Ouest Africaine de Développement, as contained in document GCF/B.26/02/Add.10 and Add.19;
   11. Funding proposal 139 titled “Building resilience in the face of climate change within traditional rain fed agricultural and pastoral systems in Sudan”, by the United Nations Development Programme, as contained in document GCF/B.26/02/Add.11 and Add.19;
   12. Funding proposal 140 titled “High Impact Programme for the Corporate Sector”, by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, as contained in document GCF/B.26/02/Add.12 and Add.16;
   13. Simplified approval process (SAP) funding proposal 014 titled “Forest resilience of Armenia, enhancing adaptation and rural green growth via mitigation”, by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, as contained in document GCF/B.26/02/Add.13 and Add.19;
   14. Simplified approval process (SAP) funding proposal 015 titled “Promoting zero-deforestation cocoa production for reducing emissions in Côte d’Ivoire (PROMIRE)”, by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, as contained in document GCF/B.26/02/Add.14 and Add.19; and
   15. Simplified approval process (SAP) funding proposal 016 titled “Fiji Agrophotovoltaic Project in Ovalau”, by the Fiji Development Bank, as contained in document GCF/B.26/02/Add.15 and Add.17; and
2. Approves funding proposal 129 for the amount of USD 17,198,843, submitted by the United Nations Development Programme, subject to the conditions set out in annex I and in the respective term sheet set out in document GCF/B.26/02/Add.19;
3. Also approves funding proposal 130 for the amount of USD 103,781,250, submitted by the United Nations Development Programme, subject to the conditions set out in annex I and in the respective term sheet set out in document GCF/B.26/02/Add.19;
4. Further approves funding proposal 131 for the amount of USD 27,404,139, submitted by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, subject to the conditions set out in annex I and in the respective term sheet set out in document GCF/B.26/02/Add.19;
5. Approves funding proposal 132 for the amount of EUR 32,791,621, submitted by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, subject to the conditions set out in annex I and in the respective term sheet set out in document GCF/B.26/02/Add.19;
6. Also approves funding proposal 133 for the amount of USD 32,706,595, submitted by the Department of Environment, Ministry of Health and Environment of Antigua and Barbuda, subject to the conditions set out in annex I and in the respective term sheet set out in document GCF/B.26/02/Add.19;
7. Further approves funding proposal 134 for the amount of USD 28,208,123, submitted by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, subject to the conditions set out in annex I and in the respective term sheet set out in document GCF/B.26/02/Add.19;
8. Takes note of the absence of an internationally agreed definition on high forest cover, low deforestation (HFLD) countries;
9. Also takes note of the recommendations by the independent Technical Advisory Panel and the Secretariat in relation to funding proposal 134 to consider the specific circumstances of Colombia as a high forest cover, low deforestation (HFLD) country for the purpose of the pilot programme for REDD-plus results-based payments;
10. Decides that the approval of the funding proposal 134 does not set a precedent for future proposals that may request payments from the GCF for REDD-plus results under the pilot programme nor prejudge any future decisions of the Board on the establishment or form of a future REDD-plus results-based payment programme;
11. Approves funding proposal 135 for the amount of USD 38,000,000, submitted by the Agence Française de Développement, subject to the conditions set out in annex I and in the respective term sheet set out in document GCF/B.26/02/Add.19;
12. Also approves funding proposal 136 for the amount of USD 165,237,592, submitted by the World Bank, subject to the conditions set out in annex I and in the respective term sheet set out in document GCF/B.26/02/Add.19;
13. Further approves funding proposal 137 for the amount of USD 30,100,000, submitted by the United Nations Development Programme, subject to the conditions set out in annex I and in the respective term sheet set out in document GCF/B.26/02/Add.19;
14. Approves funding proposal 138 for the amount of EUR 75,445,176, submitted by the Banque Ouest Africaine de Développement, subject to the conditions set out in annex I and in the respective term sheet set out in document GCF/B.26/02/Add.19;
15. Also approves, pursuant to a vote in which 23 of the Board members present voted in favour and 1 of the Board members present voted against, and in respect of which none of the Board members present abstained from the vote, funding proposal 139 for the amount of USD 25,645,114, submitted by the United Nations Development Programme, subject to the conditions set out in annex I and in the respective term sheet set out in document GCF/B.26/02/Add.19;
16. Further approves funding proposal 140 for the amount of USD 258,030,000, submitted by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, subject to the conditions set out in annex I and in the respective term sheet set out in document GCF/B.26/02/Add.16;
17. Approves simplified approval process (SAP) funding proposal 014 for the amount of USD 10,000,000, submitted by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, subject to the conditions set out in annex I and in the respective term sheet set out in document GCF/B.26/02/Add.19;
18. Also approves simplified approval process (SAP) funding proposal 015 for the amount of USD 10,000,000, submitted by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, subject to the conditions set out in annex I and in the respective term sheet set out in document GCF/B.26/02/Add.19;
19. Further approves simplified approval process (SAP) funding proposal 016 for the amount of USD 5,000,000, submitted by the Fiji Development Bank, subject to the conditions set out in annex I and in the respective term sheet set out in document GCF/B.26/02/Add.17;
20. Reaffirms that pursuant to annex IV to decision B.17/09, the Executive Director or his designee is authorized to negotiate and enter into legal agreements on behalf of the GCF with accredited entities and other parties involved in respect of funding proposals approved by the Board, taking into account any condition approved by the Board in this decision and in the decision accrediting the relevant accredited entity; and
21. Authorizes the Secretariat to disburse fees for each funded project/programme approved by the Board as per the disbursement schedule to be agreed in the funded activity agreement in accordance with the policy on fees and the general principles and indicative list of eligible costs covered under GCF fees and project management costs adopted by the Board pursuant to decision B.19/09.

The Board, having considered limited distribution document GCF/B.26/04 titled “Status of approved funding proposals: extension of deadline in respect of FP114 (Program on Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA): Financing Climate Resilient Agricultural Practices in Ghana)

Decides to extend the deadline until 19 December 2020 for the submission by the accredited entity of a certificate or legal opinion, in form and substance satisfactory to the Secretariat, confirming that the accredited entity has obtained all final internal approvals needed by it and has the capacity and authority to implement the proposed project for the following approved funding proposal:

1. FP114, titled “Program on Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA): Financing Climate Resilient Agricultural Practices in Ghana”.

The Board, having considered document GCF/B.26/07 titled “Status of approved funding proposals: extension of deadline in respect of FP122 (Blue Action Fund (BAF): GCF Ecosystem Based Adaptation Programme in the Western Indian Ocean)”

Decides to extend the deadline until 13 November 2020 for the execution of the funded activity agreement, in a form and substance satisfactory to the Secretariat, for the following approved funding proposal:

1. FP122, titled “Blue Action Fund (“BAF”): GCF Ecosystem Based Adaptation Programme in the Western Indian Ocean”.

The Board, having considered document GCF/B.26/05 titled “Readiness and Preparatory Support Programme – work programme and budget 2020–2021”:

1. Reaffirms that the Readiness and Preparatory Support Programme is a strategic priority for GCF to enhance country ownership and access to GCF, and strengthen strategic programming during 2020–2023;
2. Recalls decision B.22/11, and reaffirms that the objectives and outcomes for the revised Readiness and Preparatory Support Programme in document GCF/B.22/08 remain for 2020–2021;
3. Adopts the proposed work programme for 2020–2021 as contained in annex VI;
4. Requests the Secretariat to ensure that readiness support for resilient recovery efforts is fully consistent with the existing mandates and decisions of the Board with respect to the Readiness and Preparatory Support Programme and follows a country-driven and country ownership principle;
5. Notes the estimated budget for the period 2020−2021 as included in the work programme for 2020–2021 contained in annex VI;
6. Approves an additional amount of USD 162.39 million to be made available for the execution of the Readiness and Preparatory Support Programme;
7. Requests the Secretariat to report on the implementation of the Readiness and Preparatory Support Programme at the second Board meeting of each year; and
8. Further requests the Secretariat to ensure full compliance with Board-approved integrity policies, standards and decisions in the Readiness Guidebook, Administrative Instruction and Standard Operating Procedures developed for the Readiness and Preparatory Support Programme, as well as other relevant enhanced Standard Operating Procedures or procedures bearing implications on the Readiness and Preparatory Support Programme.