Washington, DC — The Adaptation Fund kicked off its Readiness Programme for Climate Finance in Washington, DC today, with a two-day seminar convening stakeholders for lively and in-depth discussions about accreditation processes for climate finance.

The Fund also announced a new grants programme for South-South collaboration in readiness for climate finance accreditation. “The entities that the Adaptation Fund has accredited to receive and manage climate adaptation finance have a accumulated a wealth of practical experience in this area,” said Philip Weech of the Adaptation Fund Board. “These grants will provide a critical and tangible way for them to share that experience and knowledge to help other countries who are working to access and use climate financing from the Adaptation Fund and from other sources.”

National entities accredited by the Fund and with climate adaptation projects already underway will be eligible to provide support to countries that are seeking accreditation. Details on the grants programme are here: http://bit.ly/1n6LO31

The Fund’s inaugural Readiness Seminar on Climate Finance is being held May 1-2, bringing together experts from diverse organizations, including the Climate Investment Funds (CIF), the Green Climate Fund (GCF), the World Bank’s Climate Change Group, Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN), Conservation International (CDKN), the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB), the Nature Conservancy, German aid group GIZ, and others.

Representatives from three of the Fund’s accredited National Implementing Entities are at the workshop to provide insights from their on-the-ground experiences, including: Ms. Claire Bernard, Deputy Director General, Sustainable Development and Regional Planning, Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ); Mr. Mario Nanclares, Head of Environmental and Social Unit, Unidad Ambiental y Social (UCAR), Argentina; Mr. Déthié Soumaré Ndiaye, Coordinator of Adaptation Fund-related activities, Centre de Suivi Ecologique (CSE), Senegal.

The Fund’s Readiness Programme for Climate Finance is a two-year initiative that aims to help strengthen the capacity of national and regional entities to receive and manage climate financing as they adapt and build resilience to changing conditions in sectors ranging from agriculture and food security to coastal zones and urban  areas.

The Adaptation Fund finances projects and programmes that help vulnerable communities in developing countries adapt to the negative effects of climate change. Initiatives are based on the country needs, views and priorities. The Adaptation Fund was established under the Kyoto Protocol of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, and has committed US$ 226 million in 39 countries since 2010 to help vulnerable communities in developing countries adapt to climate change. The Fund is financed in part by government and private donors, and also from a two percent share of proceeds of Certified Emission Reductions (CERs) issued under the Protocol’s Clean Development Mechanism projects.

Media contact: Cathryn Poff, Senior Communications Officer, Adaptation Fund Board Secretariat, cpoff@adaptation-fund.org or +1.202.747.4786