Durban, South Africa, December 5, 2011 – The Adaptation Fund at the climate change conference featured case studies from five of its National Implementing Entities (NIEs) at the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) at its side event on November 30th. Representatives from South Africa’s National Biodiversity Institute, Belize’s Protected Areas Conservation Trust, Benin’s National Environment Fund, Senegal’s Center for Ecological Monitoring, and the Planning Institute of Jamaica presented their experiences of working with the Adaptation Fund. While Senegal is the only NIE with a programme under implementation, the other NIEs are currently preparing proposals for projects/programmes.

“Direct access is a reality. Developing countries should not hesitate and opt for the direct access modality as an investment in the future” said the Chair of the Adaptation Fund Board, Ana Fornells de Frutos.

The Adaptation Fund’s most unique feature is the possibility to access funds directly – independently of multilateral or international institutions. Through a NIE, countries have sole responsibility of programme and project implementation, including supervision and evaluation. As highlighted at the side event, direct access enhances country participation and ownership in the implementation of projects and programmes. This particular modality also represents a significant opportunity for developing countries to strengthen their national institutions and reduce transaction costs.

“The accreditation process is not simple, however it is a reasonable step in the process for countries to access the critical financing. Additionally, developing countries should embrace this opportunity to
assert and demonstrate that national entities do possess the capacity and employ strong systems of transparency, accountability, good governance and inclusiveness,” said Sharon Ramclam, Executive Director, Protected Areas Conservation Trust, Belize.

The Manager of the Adaptation Fund Board secretariat also announced the winners of the Adaptation Fund 2011 Photo Contest. The winning photo (picturized), titled: “Jute Cultivation-Fight against the Climate Change ” by photographer Md. Mahbubur Rahman features farmers are washing jute, a versatile, natural fiber that has been used for thousands of years. The photo was taken in Bangladesh, one of the countries most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Photos from India, Mexico, and Madagascar also placed in the contest. The winning photos will be featured on the Adaptation Fund website, www. adaptation-fund.org.

The Adaptation Fund is designed to finance concrete climate change adaptation projects and programmes based on the needs, views and priorities of developing countries with a special focus on vulnerable communities. The main part of its funding comes from a two percent share of proceeds of Certified Emission Reductions issued under the Kyoto Protocol’s Clean Development Mechanism.

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The Adaptation Fund is a self-standing fund established under the Kyoto Protocol of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, which gets the main part of its funding from a two percent share of proceeds of all Certified Emission Reductions issued under the Protocol’s Clean Development Mechanism projects. The Fund is designed to finance concrete climate change adaptation projects and programs based on the needs, views and priorities of developing countries. The Global Environment Facility provides secretariat services to the Adaptation Fund and the World Bank serves as its trustee, both on an interim basis.