Climate Change Commission

Implementation Period: Ongoing

First stakeholders consultation led by the Climate Change Commission together with the Land Bank of the Philippines, and PAGASA on the USD 10 million project proposal “Multi-Hazard Impact-Based Forecasting and Early Warning System (MH-IBF-EWS) for the Philippines” held on April 5, 2019. The MH-IBF-EWS project, our country’s first GCF project, was approved at the GCF Board during its 24th Meeting held in November 2019.

The CCC serves as the National Designated Authority (NDA) to the Green Climate Fund (GCF), an international fund created by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to support paradigm-shifting low emission (mitigation) and climate resilience (adaptation) projects and programs in developing countries.

The GCF is a global fund created to serve the Paris Agreement and Kyoto Protocol, aiming to deliver equal amounts of funding to mitigation and adaptation. It has a multi-layered approach to mobilize climate finance in the form of investments including grants, loans (concessional), equity, and guarantees.

The GCF works through Accredited Entities to channel its resources to all projects and programs. To date, the total number of AEs worldwide is 95, which include multilateral organizations (e.g. United Nations organizations, Asian Development Bank), and national organizations as direct access entities. In the Philippines, Land Bank of the Philippines is the first direct access entity (DAE) accredited by the GCF.

As of 17 March 2020, the total financing committed by the GCF for 129 projects is USD5.6 billion, to benefit an estimated 352.7 million people and reduce an equivalent of 1.6 billion tons of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

National Designated Authority (NDA)

As the NDA to the GCF, the CCC acts as the core interface between the GoP and the GCF. The CCC leads the process for the issuance of a no-objection letter which GCF requires for every funding proposal. It also facilitates activities supported by the GCF, such as the development of project ideas, concept notes, and funding proposals, and convening of stakeholders together with Accredited Entities, ensuring these are aligned with strategic national objectives and priorities and help advance the country’s ambitious action for adaptation and mitigation.

The CCC is responsible for:

Providing broad strategic oversight of the GCF’s activities in the country;
Convening relevant public, private, and civil society stakeholders to identify priority sectors to be financed by the GCF;
Providing leadership on the deployment of readiness and preparatory support funding in the country;
Communicating the nomination of entities (sub-national, national or regional, or public and private) that seek accreditation to the GCF under the “direct access” track; and

Implementing the no-objection procedure on funding proposals and project preparation facility applications submitted to the GCF, to ensure consistency with national climate change plans and priorities.

COUNTRY READINESS AND PREPARATORY ACTIVITIES

The CCC has completed the implementation of the Philippine Green Climate Fund Readiness Programme (GCFRP) funded by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB). A total financing package of USD1,335,180.00 was managed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) as delivery partner of the GoP in strengthening the capacities of national agencies, financial institutions, and other stakeholders to effectively and efficiently access financing through the GCF. The GCFRP began in June 2016 (with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources previously as the NDA) and was completed in December 2019. Through the program’s financial support, the NDA has:

1. Successfully nominated and accredited the Land Bank of the Philippines (LANDBANK) as the country’s first Direct Access Entity (DAE) to the GCF, while also nominating another public sector universal bank, the Development Bank of the Philippines, and the non-governmental organization Foundation for the Philippine Environment as additional DAEs, both of whose applications are under GCF review;

1. Supported the development of the concept note on Multi-Hazard Impact Based Forecasting and Early Warning Systems of the LANDBANK and Department of Science and Technology-PAGASA, which was later on expanded as a full funding proposal and successfully approved at the GCF 24^th Board Meeting in November 2019 for a grant of USD10 million; and

1. Supported the development of the concept note and funding proposal on the “Philippine Eastern Seaboard Coastal Resilience Project” to be implemented by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), with the UNDP as accredited entity.

On 31 December 2018, the GoP was approved for USD692,000 of Readiness Support to Enhance Pathways to Sustainable Finance under the GCF Readiness and Preparatory Support Programme (RPSP). It aims to adopt a broad framework for the Philippine government in supporting commercial and government financial institutions and private sector stakeholders to access the GCF as well as pioneer and handle green finance initiatives.

To support the CCC in implementing its roles and responsibilities as the NDA, a Readiness Support to Strengthen the Philippines’ Capacity and Knowledge on Accessing the Green Climate Fund amounting to USD300,000 was approved on 19 September 2019. The proposal seeks additional institutional support for national capacities of government agencies, civil society organizations (CSOs), and the academe to develop a monitoring and verification system for climate finance flows in the country, as well as to pursue the ratification of a bilateral agreement between the Philippines and GCF on privileges and immunities.

On 10 December 2019, the GoP was also approved for USD700,000 for Readiness Support to Strengthen Philippines’ Engagement and Direct Access with the Green Climate Fund. It aims to support the LBP in its post-accreditation activities to strengthen and build its capacity to be an effective DAE that will facilitate access to climate finance for climate change adaptation and mitigation projects coming from the national and local government agencies, business enterprises, communities, as well as CSOs. It also intends to further support the accreditation application of the Development Bank of the Philippines and Foundation for the Philippine Environment until approval, as well as future applicant DAEs, by assessing the capacity gaps for their accreditation and providing necessary technical guidance throughout the accreditation process.

Both readiness grants for 2019 are currently under review by the Department of Finance (DOF) to determine the applicability of Memorandum Circular (MC) No. 16 (s. 2017) on Requests for Authorization to Negotiate and Sign International Agreements, and Agreements Covering Borrowings, Guarantees, and Foreign Grants.

The NDA adheres to a whole-of-nation approach in implementing a review procedure before submission of funding proposals to the GCF, to ensure consistency with national climate change plans and priorities. On 24 May 2019, the CCC adopted Administrative Order (AO) No. 1 (s. 2019) setting the Procedure on the Issuance of No-Objection Letter for Funding Proposals to the Green Climate Fund.

This No-Objection Procedure has been adopted in deliberations on four funding proposals, for which the NDA issued no-objection letters:

Nederlandse Financierings-Maatschappij voor Ontwikkelingslanden N.V. (FMO) project “Climate Investor One” (FP099) with a total investment of USD821.5 million. The project forms a blended finance facility. The first component of this programme is a development fund to provide loans in the early stage of a project life cycle. The second component, a construction equity fund, will meet up to 75 percent of total construction costs in tandem with the project sponsor.

European Investment Bank (EIB) project “Global Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Fund (GEEREF) NeXt” (FP038) with a total investment of USD765.0 million. The EIB designed GEEREF NeXt to catalyze private sector capital at scale for the development of renewable energy / energy efficiency (RE/EE) projects across GCF eligible countries, as well as to build capacity at the local level and contribute to the necessary transfer of knowledge and technology, to support the evolution of the commercial environments, and enable ecosystems for clean energy in these countries. The EIB has obtained approval for a USD250 million equity and USD15 million grant from the GCF.

Status: Climate Investor One and GEEREF NeXt are multiple-country funding proposals approved by the GCF Board in October 2018 and April 2017, respectively. After approval, the respective accredited entities for the project sought to include the Philippines as recipient country of their projects.

LANDBANK project with lead implementing agency PAGASA on “Multi-Hazard Impact-Based Forecasting and Early Warning System for the Philippines” submitted under the GCF Simplified Approval Process (SAP) pilot scheme. Now approved with a grant of USD10 million, the project aims to develop a people-centered impact-based forecasting and early warning services for flood, landslide, severe wind, and storm surge that will translate timely and actionable information to the affected communities. This will focus on translating meteorological and hydrological hazards into likely human, physical, environmental, and economic impacts, and will enhance systems of preparedness, early actions, and response down to the last mile in the pilot communities.

Status: Approved by the GCF Board on 14 November 2019

UNDP project with lead implementing agency DENR on “Philippine Eastern Seaboard Coastal Resilience Project” submitted under the regular funding facility. Seeking a grant of USD22.44 million, it aims to restore ecosystems to buffer the effects of typhoons and storm surges and support communities in adopting climate resilience livelihoods; and mainstream ecosystem-based approach principles into coastal planning and governance to enable cross-sectoral coordination in addressing climate risks.

Status: Submitted to GCF Secretariat on 8 November 2019 and currently under review.

To access the SAP010 Funding Proposal, see the link https://www.greenclimate.fund/project/sap010 or download the file here .

For more information on the GCF process, policies, advisories and updates, please visit https://www.greenclimate.fund/countries/philippines

CONCEPT NOTES ENDORSED BY THE CLIMATE CHANGE COMMISSION TO THE GREEN CLIMATE FUND SECRETARIAT

SAP010: Multi-Hazard Impact-Based Forecasting and Early Warning System for the Philippines

Proponent / Executing Entity	Climate Change Commission
Accredited Entity	Land Bank of the Philippines (LANDBANK)
Funding Facility	Regular Funding
Coverage/Site
Country Programme Thematic Areas	The project will scale up current initiatives of DOST-PAGASA on hazard and risk assessment, modelling and mapping using a probabilistic approach.

Strengthening the Resilience of the Most Vulnerable Coastal Communities to Climate Change in the Philippines' Eastern Seaboard

Proponent / Executing Entity	Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau
Accredited Entity	United Nations Development Programme
Funding Facility	Regular Funding
Coverage/Site	28 provinces in 8 regions of the Philippine Eastern Seaboard
Country Programme Thematic Areas	Development of climate-resilient ecosystems; Provision of climate information services; Promotion of Climate-Responsive Social Protection Programs

Ensuring Water Resilience through Locally-Driven Water Resource Management in Coastal and Small Island Regions in the Haiyan Corridor, Philippines

Proponent / Executing Entity	Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities (ICSC)
Accredited Entity	United Nations Development Programme
Funding Facility	Regular Funding
Coverage/Site	Coastal and Small Island Regions in the Haiyan, Corridor, Philippines
Country Programme Thematic Areas	Ensuring water resilience within communities in the Haiyan Corridor that experience climate-induced or climate-aggravated water quality issues and supply shortage

Building Resilience of Philippine Communities to Climate Change

Proponent / Executing Entity	Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Agriculture, Office of Civil Defense
Accredited Entity	Land Bank of the Philippines
Funding Facility	Regular Funding
Coverage/Site	Site to be identified during project implementation
Country Programme Thematic Areas	Development and promotion of climate-resilient frameworks, practices, and business systems in the agriculture and fisheries sector

Multi-Hazard Impact-Based Forecasting and Early Warning System for the Philippines Communities to Climate Change

Proponent / Executing Entity	Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA)
Accredited Entity	Land Bank of the Philippines (LANDBANK)
Funding Facility	Regular Funding
Coverage/Site
Country Programme Thematic Areas	Development of multi-hazard impact-based forecasting and early warning services to increase resilience and reduce vulnerability of communities and save lives, livelihoods and property

Implementation Period: Ongoing

COUNTRY READINESS AND PREPARATORY ACTIVITIES

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