Breaking the Cycle: Unlocking Climate Finance for Fragile States
Posted by
CAKE TeamPublished
Abstract
Many fragile and conflict-affected situations (FCS) are highly vulnerable to climate change - yet the more fragile a country is, the less climate finance it has historically received.
The challenges to accessing and utilizing climate adaptation finance in FCS have been well documented. These can be mapped onto a life-cycle framework, from the strategies driving climate funders’ low risk appetite and tolerance in working in FCS, to the stringent requirements for funding access, project approval and partnerships that limit planning and development of the program, the inflexible operational protocols that hinder adaptive implementation and delivery, and the data and travel restrictions that make it difficult to monitor project progress and measure outcomes.
Whilst our understanding of the difficulties in delivering climate finance in fragile and conflict-affected situations has increased, the question remains: what can be done to overcome them? This report showcases innovative solutions that climate funders could seek to adopt to improve their reach and impact in FCS.
This report showcases innovative solutions that climate funders could seek to adopt to improve their reach and impact in FCS. Four case studies are profiled:
- A The UN Peacebuilding Fund
- Peace bonds by Interpeace
- Crisis modifiers
- COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX)
Each provides practical solutions to overcome the diverse challenges in the life-cycle of climate adaptation programmes in FCS. Several common key learning points can be found in the featured case studies.
Citation
Alcayna, T. and Cao, Y. (2022). Breaking the cycle: practical solutions to unlock climate finance for fragile states. Washington, D.C.: Mercy Corps.