As early as 2006, Parties to the Kyoto Protocol recognised the importance of a balanced regional distribution of CDM projects around the world. In light of the benefits CDM can offer to the lesser developed regions of the world, RCC Bangkok was tasked with tapping the potential of CDM projects and programmes in underrepresented countries in Asia and the Pacific region, by building their capacity and helping reduce risk for investors. 

We help alleviate the barriers to CDM project development and implementation in the region by: 

• Bridging the distance between the UNFCCC secretariat and the on-the-ground reality in developing CDM projects; 
• Supporting national governments to create the enabling environments for engaging with global carbon markets by facilitating the development and submission of proposals for Standardized Baselines (SBs) and administering capacity building training for local consultants, project developers and Designated National Authorities (DNAs); 
• Providing direct and immediate support to project developers in identifying suitable projects and assisting in the preparation and validation of Project Development Documents (PDDs); 
• Assisting project proponents through the CDM cycle, from verification or requesting registration, to the issuance of Certified Emission Reductions (CERs) or post-registration changes; 
• Serving as a hub for information on CDM opportunities and linking project developers, service providers, and carbon buyers; and 
• Working with the financial sector and the donor community to coordinate and optimize the use of available funds for CDM project development and financing of projects. 

More on CDM here

The overall goal of our work on climate finance is to assist in activities relating to region specific strategic implementation plans on public finance, private finance and partnerships based on the global climate finance architecture that takes into consideration, transparency of climate finance, needs of developing countries, alignment of financial flows (Art. 2.1.c. of the Paris Agreement) and long-term finance and identify green investment opportunities and set up a project pipeline in a country-driven manner.

We work with governments, financiers, project owners, and financial institutions to support the realigning of finance flows in the region to make them consistent with a pathway towards low greenhouse gas emission and climate-resilient development and helping to divert financial streams into sustainable projects, thereby reducing the risks from climate impacts. 

• We assist governments to actively promote low carbon and climate resilient investments in their countries and disseminate information on their enabling investment environments to investors and other market players. 
• We make it easier for financiers to find market, policy, and regulatory information, identify co-financiers to form consortia, access project development funding to support investment-mature projects, and provide risk mitigation instruments to help structure projects and financing. 
• We help provide project owners with increased visibility for their projects among financiers and other market players, making it easier to identify relevant financiers, advisors, and service providers for specific needs and enable targeted and relevant contacts with them. 

RCC support has been shown to reduce barriers and lower transaction costs on market entry, attract new investors interested in climate aligned investment opportunities (projects and facilities), and increase access to finance for developing countries, catalysing inclusive economic and social development in the Eastern and Southern Africa region.

Needs-based Finance (NBF) Project

RCC Kampala is also supporting the Means of Implementation Division of the UNFCCC secretariat to operationalize two Needs-based Finance (NBF) projects in the region. 

The secretariat launched the Needs-based Finance (NBF) project with the objective of facilitating access and mobilization of climate finance for the implementation of priority mitigation and adaptation projects to address the needs identified by developing countries, in a country driven manner.  More on the NBF project here

RCC Kampala is facilitating the following NBF projects with countries in the region:

•      East Africa

Countries: Countries: Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda

Regional partner entity: East African Community (EAC)

Project stage: Post inception, technical analysis and strategy design

•       Southern Africa

Countries: Angola, Botswana, Comoros, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Regional partner entity: Southern African Development Community (SADC)

Project stage: Post inception, technical analysis and initiation of strategy design

Check out the NBF brochure here for more details on their work around the globe

The Collaborative Instruments for Ambitious Climate Action (CI-ACA) is a workstream supported by the UNFCCC Regional Collaboration Centres together with their partners. It was launched at COP22 in Marrakech.  

The initiative is purely voluntary and has successfully raised awareness and strengthened capacity in the collaborating countries on the adoption of carbon pricing instruments. It has further strengthened coordination mechanisms through the establishment of multisectoral advisory committees and facilitated regional cooperation. 

Under this initiative, RCC Kampala assists countries in enhancing knowledge on carbon pricing approaches and understand options in a national and regional context for implementing their Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement.  

Depending on circumstances, targeted support, including addressing of country capacity needs, can be delivered for the consideration, development, adoption, and implementation of carbon pricing proposals. More here

The Marrakech Partnership for Global Climate Action, launched at COP 22, is designed to provide a strong foundation for mobilising the broadest possible coalition of actors to catalyse and support climate action by Parties and non-Party stakeholders in the period 2017-2020, giving effect to the long-term global transformation required by the Paris Agreement. The Marrakech Partnership enables and facilitates: 

• Convening of Party and non-Party stakeholders on an ongoing basis; 
• Showcasing of successes and providing a platform for new initiatives and greater ambition through events; and Reporting of achievements and options to enhance action to the COP
• Tracking of progress, through the Global Climate Action portal, achieved by those actors and initiatives, aligned towards the   achievement   of the purpose and goals of the Paris Agreement, and supporting the delivery of NDCs and the SDGs; 
• Supporting organizations, governments, and individuals to work towards climate neutrality by helping them engage with the Climate Neutral Now initiative
• Facilitating the recognition of innovative and transformative regional solutions that address both climate change and wider economic, social and environmental challenges through the Momentum for Change initiative and the Global Climate Action Awards

Check out the 2019 Global Climate Action Award winners here:

RCC Kampala, in collaboration with the UNFCCC Global Climate Action (GCA) support unit and the community of mobilisers, plays the key role of facilitating both participation of relevant stakeholders and management of follow-up actions in Eastern and Southern Africa region.

More about Global Climate Action here

RCC Kampala’s work on NDCs entails facilitating support to countries in the NDC process, by:

• Supporting the further elaboration of NDCs for achieving revised, more specific and more ambitious NDCs
•  Mobilizing technical assistance from current and potential partners
• Providing technical support for implementing and achieving NDCs

The  NDC Partnership Support Unit for Anglophone Africa is hosted by the RCC Kampala office and work closely with RCC Kampala in the region.

RCC Kampala cooperates with other UN agencies and development partners in the support to countries to raise ambition through their NDCs, including addressing, in a more holistic manner, the interlinkages between the Paris Agreement and the sustainable development goals and considering social, health and economic co-benefits.

The Eastern Africa Alliance on Carbon Markets and Climate Finance was launched in June 2019 during the 50th sessions of the UNFCCC Subsidiary Bodies. The Alliance formed by Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda is inclusive and thus open for all interested countries in the Eastern Africa region with the aim to promote the long-term position and participation of Eastern African countries in international carbon markets and increases the region’s capacities to access climate finance for NDC implementation.

Supported by the German Federal Ministry of Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU), the interim secretariat of the Alliance is the RCC Kampala and GIZ Uganda. The secretariat is assisted by the Alliance coordinator, who is supported by the Collaborative Instruments for Ambitious Climate Action Project (CI-ACA), which is a multi-donor project that is managed by the UNFCCC.

The formation of the Alliance is an important step towards the promotion of a common vision of the Eastern Africa region on carbon markets and climate finance, building a strong coalition of countries that shape Article 6 of the Paris Agreement by considering national and regional priorities.

Further details on the Eastern Africa Alliance on Carbon Markets and Climate Finance can be found here