B.09/05: Further development of the initial investment framework: Sub-criteria and methodology

Taking into account the need to provide information required by national designated authorities (NDAs) and focal points, institutions and organizations that may be considering projects and programmes for possible funding from the Fund, and to provide predictability to the process of how the proposals might be reviewed;

The Board, having reviewed document GCF/B.09/07 Further Development of the Initial InvestmentFramework: Sub-CriteriaandMethodology:

1. Notes the Board’s agreement to keep under review the initial investment framework and to take action as necessary, in particular with respect to the criterion on needs of the recipient countries in the investment guidelines in decision B.07/06, paragraph (e);
2. Adopts the initial activity-specific sub-criteria and indicative assessment factors contained in Annex III, which take into account the Fund’s initial investment framework, the Fund’s initial result areas and initial results management framework, and other relevant decisions, with the understanding that national and sector-wide sub-criteria can be used only at the discretion of the recipient countries;
3. Decides to use indicative minimum benchmarks, in accordance with investment policies as decided by the Board, to ensure that projects and programmes demonstrate the maximum potential for a paradigm shift towards low-carbon and climate-resilient sustainable development;
4. Requests the Secretariat to present for consideration by the Board at its thirteenth meeting indicative minimum benchmarks in order to:
   
   1. Encourage ambition; and
   2. Take into account the needs of those developing countries particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change, in particular the least developed countries (LDCs), small island developing States (SIDS), and African States, according to project size, mitigation/adaptation, and local and sector circumstances;
5. Also requests the Secretariat and the independent Technical Advisory Panel (iTAP) in the application of the indicative minimum benchmarks to be flexible and take into account country circumstances and country ownership;
6. Decides to use a scale of low/medium/high in order to assess the relative expected performance of a subset of projects and programmes based on the initial investment criteria. The Investment Committee will recommend to the Board to which subset of proposals this will apply. In the event that the Board is unable to agree an appropriate subset of proposals by its tenth meeting, the scaling pilot will automatically apply to all medium and large projects;
7. Requests the Secretariat and iTAP in the application of the assessment scale to take into account the needs of those developing countries particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change, in particular LDCs, SIDS and African States; and
8. Also requests the Secretariat in the development of the operations manual and appraisal toolkit to include guidance to accredited entities and NDAs on the application of the proposal approval process, including indicative minimum benchmarks and assessment scale. The inputs of NDAs will be taken into consideration in the development of the guidance.