GREEN CLIMATE FUND & UNEP BOOST CLIMATE ADAPTATION WITH 20 MILLION USD FOR NEW PROJECTS
Context
- On July 2, 2025, the Green Climate Fund (GCF) approved over USD 120 million in new funding for climate adaptation projects in:
- Ghana
- The Maldives
- Mauritania
- These projects were developed by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) at the request of national governments.
- The goal is to strengthen resilience for vulnerable communities, particularly in:
- Small Island Developing States (SIDS)
- The Sahel region
- The initiatives are expected to benefit over 3.5 million people.
OVERVIEW OF THE INITIATIVES
| Parameter | Details |
| Total Funding | Over USD 120 million, approved by the GCF |
| Implementing Agency | UN Environment Programme (UNEP) |
| Objectives | Climate resilience, early warning systems, ecosystem restoration |
| Key Approaches | Nature-based solutions (NbS), climate-resilient agriculture, water security, and early warning systems |
| Target Regions | SIDS (Maldives) and Sahel (Ghana, Mauritania) |
| Total Beneficiaries | 3.5+ million people, directly and indirectly |
COUNTRY SPECIFIC PROJECTS
A. Ghana: Resilience in Northern Agroecosystems
- Climate Challenge:
Northern Ghana faces:
-
- Erratic rainfall
- Prolonged dry seasons
- Frequent floods and food insecurity
- Drying water bodies and infrastructure damage
- Target Group:
Smallholder farmers reliant on rainfed subsistence agriculture
- Project Focus
Building resilience of agroecosystems and rural livelihoods.
- Funding:
- Total: USD 70 million
- GCF Grant: USD 63 million
- Scope:
- 120 communities in 8 districts (North East, Upper East, Upper West)
- Key Components:
- Early warning systems and climate data access
- Water storage for dry-season farming
- Restoration of 28,000 hectares of degraded land
- Implementation:
- Led by the Government of Ghana
- Implemented via the Environmental Protection Agency and Ghana Meteorological Agency
- Beneficiaries:
- 619,000 people directly
- 9 million reached through early warning alert
- 120,000 with improved food security
B. Maldives: Coastal and Early Warning Resilience
- Climate Challenge:
- Over 80% of Maldives’ 1,192 islands lie <1 metre above sea level
- Highly vulnerable to sea-level rise, storm surges, coastal erosion, and heatwaves
- Economic Disruption:
- Agriculture, fisheries, and tourism impacted
- Poorest and marginalized groups most affected
- Project Title:
“Toward Risk-Aware and Climate-Resilient Communities (TRACT)”
- Funding:
- Total: USD 25 million (GCF grant)
- Implementation:
- Over 5 years
- Led by UNEP, aligned with global and national early warning strategies
- Alignment:
- Supports “Early Warnings for All” (EW4All) initiative
- Delivers on Maldives’ EW4All Roadmap
- Key Activities:
- Improve access to climate services
- Strengthen multi-hazard early warning systems
- Beneficiaries:
- Over 500,000 people (more than half of the nation’s population)
C. Mauritania: Sahel Ecosystem Restoration & Livelihood Security
- Climate Challenge:
- Situated in the Sahara-Sahel transition zone
- Faces drought, sand encroachment, siltation of water, and low agricultural output
- 85% of food is imported
- Project Focus:
Restoring ecosystems and securing rural livelihoods
- Funding:
- Total: USD 33 million
- GCF Grant: USD 30 million
- Geographic Scope:
- Four vulnerable hubs: Aoujeft, Rachid, Tamcheket, and Nema
- Key Components:
- Green-grey infrastructure for dune stabilization
- Access to water for farming and land rehabilitation
- Scaling climate-resilient agriculture
- Protecting 2,100 hectares of land
- Implementation
- Led by Mauritania’s Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development
- Strategic Contribution:
- Supports Africa’s Great Green Wall (GGW) initiative
- Beneficiaries:
-
- 85,000 people directly
- 145,000 people indirectly
KEY SUPPORTING ORGANISATIONS & INITIATIVES
Green Climate Fund (GCF)
- Established: At COP16 (2010) in Cancun
- Mandate: Support developing nations in achieving their NDCs and transitioning to low-emission, climate-resilient pathways
- Significance: Largest dedicated fund under the Paris Agreement
UN Environment Programme (UNEP)
- Role: Lead environmental agency of the UN
- Mandate: Inspire and support nations to improve quality of life while protecting the environment
- Involvement: Key implementing partner and project designer
Early Warnings for All (EW4All)
- Launch: 2022 by UN Secretary-General António Guterres
- Goal: Ensure universal access to early warning systems by 2027
- Relevance: Supports Maldives’ adaptation strategy in coastal resilience
Great Green Wall (GGW) Initiative
- Launch: 2007, African Union
- Goal:
- Restore 100 million hectares of degraded land
- Capture 250 million tonnes of CO₂
- Create 10 million green jobs by 2030
- Relevance: Mauritania’s project directly contributes to this continental initiative
Nature-based Solutions (NbS)
- Definition: Working with nature to address societal and climate challenges
- Examples:
- Wetland and mangrove restoration
- Dune stabilization
- Reforestation
- Outcomes: Improved water retention, flood control, biodiversity, and community resilience
SIGNIFICANCE & IMPACT
- These investments represent a critical scale-up of adaptation finance, prioritizing countries on the frontlines of climate change.
- The projects showcase a shift toward:
- Locally-led, context-specific interventions
- Integration of scientific data, community engagement, and sustainable practices
- The initiatives illustrate:
- The importance of multilateral climate finance (via GCF)
- UNEP’s expanding role in delivering climate action
- Synergy between national priorities, global frameworks, and continental efforts like the GGW
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