• Selecting key sectors for climate change mitigation and adaptation measures, on the basis of priorities identified in the national communications and in national development plans;
• Assessing the financing required and received to implement mitigation and adaptation measures in the key sectors selected and identifying appropriate financial and regulatory instruments to support these measures; and
• Raising awareness and facilitating informed consensus among government agencies on the policy actions required to mobilize finance and investment in mitigation and adaptation measures.

Methodology

The processes of and methodologies applied in the NEEDS were designed to ensure country ownership and robustness of analysis. A country-driven process was promoted in order to facilitate national consensus on adaptation and mitigation priorities across national development strategies and the countries’ needs with regard to climate change.

In meeting the objectives of the study, the process applied by each country included dialogue with national stakeholders and experts. Generally, countries first took stock of their Greenhouse Gas (GHG) inventories and any previous adaptation and mitigation work completed in the country; this was followed by extensive consultations with national stakeholders and experts in order to assess the financial needs for priority adaptation and mitigation measures. Both high-level and sector-level (technical) stakeholders and experts were consulted. Collaboration and cooperation between key government agencies and key stakeholders was ensured and prioritized throughout the NEEDS process.

Reports and synthesis documents

• Country reports
  Ten participating countries were able to submit their final reports before the sessions under the UNFCCC in Cancun, in December 2010. By the end of March 2011, all eleven participating countries have submitted their national country reports.
  
  
• Initial Summary Report
  An Initial Summary Report was prepared by the secretariat and presented at a high-level side event (Climate Finance: Challenges and Opportunities for Developing Countries) held in Copenhagen, Denmark, on 17 December 2009, on the basis of draft national reports and initial findings.
  
  
• Compilation and synthesis report
  In June 2010, at its 32^nd session, the SBI requested the secretariat to compile and synthesize the information contained in the NEEDS reports of the eleven participating countries, with a view to considering its outcomes in Cancun, December 2010, at the 33^rd session of the SBI.

Current Status

At its 33^rd session in Cancun, in December 2010, the SBI invited Parties to submit to the secretariat, by 28 March 2011, their views on the synthesis report of the NEEDS and requested the secretariat to compile the submissions into a miscellaneous document for consideration by the SBI at its 34^th session.The SBI also decided to continue its consideration of the NEEDS report at its thirty-fourth session.

The Following submissions have been received

• Hungary and the European Commission on behalf of the European Union and its member States
• Uzbekistan

At its 34^rd session in Bonn, in June 2011, the SBI took note of the views submitted by Parties on the synthesis report on the NEEDS project. The SBI considered the outcomes, lessons learned and recommendations which were identified by countries participating in the project. The SBI invited United Nations agencies to continue supporting developing countries in assessing their financial needs to implement mitigation and adaptation actions, in collaboration with the secretariat, and to explore the possibility of organizing a workshop to exchange lessons learned and methodologies, processes and tools used to assess financial needs.

The SBI considered that the issues identified in the NEEDS report, particularly on the proposed next steps, relate to respective parts of decisions 1/CP.13 and 1/CP.16 and that the report therefore could be used as input to the work of relevant bodies of the UNFCCC.

Updated 22 December 2011