Background

The Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF) was established under the Convention in 2001 to finance projects relating to: adaptation; technology transfer and capacity building; energy, transport, industry, agriculture, forestry and waste management; and economic diversification. This fund should complement other funding mechanisms for the implementation of the Convention (decision 7/CP.7).

The Global Environment Facility (GEF), as an operating entity of the Financial Mechanism, has been entrusted to operate the SCCF. In 2004, the GEF Council approved a programming document which provides the operational basis for funding activities under the SCCF (GEF/C.24/12).

Recent Developments

In decision 4/CP.16, the COP decided to conclude the assessment of the status of implementation of paragraph 2 of decision 1/CP.12 and to request the GEF to include in its report to COP 17 information on the implementation of paragraph 2 (a-d) of decision 7/CP.7, which was reiterated in decision 11/CP.17.

Additionally, COP 17 requested the GEF to clarify the concept of additional costs as applied to different types of adaptation projects under the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF) and the SCCF which seek to respond to climate change risks, and to continue to provide financial resources to developing countries for strengthening existing and, where needed, establishing national and regional systematic observation and monitoring networks under the LDCF and the SCCF.

SBI 36 encouraged donor countries to continue providing funding to the SCCF and invited the GEF to raise awareness on the need for adequate and predictable resources under the SCCF for country-driven activities.

At COP 19, Parties requested the GEF to further specify the steps it has undertaken in response to the request to consider, through the SCCF, how to enable activities for the preparation of the national adaptation plan process for interested developing country Parties that are not least developed country Parties (decision 9/CP.18, paragraph 1(c)).