The UNFCCC’s Regional Collaboration Centres (RCCs) support national climate action through capacity-building, technical assistance and strategic networking – sourcing know-how and resources to drive sustainable development. RCCs were established to spread the benefits of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), which spurs investment in sustainable development through a market-based mechanism by rewarding projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Since the adoption of the Paris Climate Change Agreement in December 2015, the RCCs have continued to support the CDM and have broadened their scope of work by supporting activities related to the implementation of Article 6 of the Paris Agreement.

The secretariat is currently considering a partnership to support governments and non-State actors in the regions through its RCCs, to enhance climate action, including through carbon markets. RCCs are located in Latin America and the Caribbean (RCC Bogota and RCC St. Georges), Africa (RCC Lomé and RCC Kampala), and Asia (RCC Bangkok).

The secretariat invites other entities interested in joining this partnership to also submit their proposals.

Collaborative partnerships concluded under this Advance Notice of Partnership would implement the following joint activities globally, covering the regions served by the RCCs subject to availability of funds:

• Development of local capacity on a variety of mitigation-related activities including domestic and regional carbon trading mechanisms through exchange of information and experience on climate change, NDC implementation, mitigation and adaptation policies and actions;

• Raising awareness and knowledge among local stakeholders on climate change matters and opportunities in particular with respect to the implementation of the Paris Agreement;

• Identification of priority areas for the development of standardized baselines based on the emission profile of given countries and direct support to relevant institutions in the development and submission of proposed standardized baselines, and sectoral regional emission factors developed in line with agreed international protocols;

• Identification of specific project activities and programmes which would benefit from such standardized baselines/emission factors including in relation to monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) activities in the context of the implementation of Nationally Determined Contributions. In this context, direct technical support in the preparation of project design documents including sustainability elements will be provided to a variety of stakeholders, and;

• Identification of potential mitigation project activities and programmes of activities which have potential to be registered under CDM and direct support in the development of project design documents for such projects and programmes;

• Exchanging information and experience on technical and financial support mechanisms and tools in the climate change mitigation and adaptation sector. These topics include access to international climate funds and carbon market mechanisms;

• Exchanging information on relevant and on-going capacity building programs and projects, disseminating lessons learned and successful approaches;

• Identification and implementation of joint activities striving to enhance the skills and capacity base of common public and private sector partners required to implement mitigation and adaptation projects;

• Establishment of common mechanisms, forums and tools, including strategies and expert networks to secure collaboration on capacity building activities and to facilitate effective information, knowledge and data exchange;

• Conducting joint outreach and advocacy activities including publications and convening events with relevance to the regions supported by RCCs.

Additional ideas are also welcome for potential collaborations with the aim of providing direct support to governments, non-governmental organizations and the private sector in the development of sustainable capacity for future local engagement in these activities as well as in the regional and global carbon market.

Entities interested in partnering with the secretariat under this call for proposals should submit their formal proposal by e-mail to the RCC Coordination Team.

The proposal should: 

• Clearly reference the relevant call for proposal; 
• Indicate the scope, objectives and duration of the proposed partnership and, if applicable, the financial value of the entity’s contribution; 
• Address, to the extent possible and with supporting documentation, the entity’s capacity to enter into and implement the partnership (including proof of juridical personality, proof of sound financial management and proof of technical capacities to carry out the partnership); 
• Address, to the extent possible and with supporting documentation, whether and how the entity meets each of the eligibility criteria set out in the annex to the UNFCCC Partnership Guidelines, indicating any relevant present and/or past activity or advocacy regarding these criteria; 
• Confirm by a formal statement that the entity does not meet any of the exclusionary criteria set out in the annex to the UNFCCC Partnership Guidelines, indicating any relevant present and/or past activity or advocacy with regard to these criteria; 
• Include a statement of the entity’s intention to fully comply with the terms of a partnership agreement to be agreed with the secretariat, as outlined in the UNFCCC Partnership Guidelines; 
• Please note, all new and existing partners always need to seek permission to publish the UNFCCC name and logo for any communications material that highlights the partnership with the UNFCCC. All requests need to always be in accordance with paragraph 29 of the UNFCCC Guidelines.

For any further information, please contact partnerships@unfccc.int