Objective of this Guidance
Climate change is now an inescapable reality. Human activity is leading to ever increasing levels of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and steadily compromising the natural resources needed to maintain the health of the planet. Without a secure natural environment, sustainable human development is impossible. The climate change crisis has the potential to reverse development gains already made and block achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) if it is not adequately addressed. Climate change has been recognised as a significant driver (or root cause) of a number of transboundary problems in international waters, including, changes in biodiversity, loss of ecosystems, eutrophication, invasive species, water quantity, etc. All are potentially affected by climate change to a greater or lesser extent both currently and in the future.
As the name implies, this is a 'guide' for GEF IW projects - not a didactic instruction manual. It provides options and examples of how other projects have approached mainstreaming and selected reference materials from a range of organisations. However the manual still expects that GEF IW projects use their own (supported by national expertise and the PSC) judgement over the scope of any climate impacts, sources of information, approaches, etc.
GEF 5 identified additional priorities for IW projects as climate variability and change that require adequate mainstreaming within all projects. This guidance responds to the need to provide projects with information on:
- A summary of the main topics to be considered at key stages (inception, implementation and closure) of project execution relating to climate variability and change;
- Highlighting specific issues that GEF IW projects should be focusing on to 'mainstream' climate issues within their activities, including: monitoring and evaluation (M&E), environmental monitoring, TDA/SAP, use of scenarios on climate change and impacts, etc..
- The main issues likely to be affecting specific water types (rivers, lakes, groundwaters and wetlands);
- The main sources of information relating to climate change (a 'guide to the guides'), recognizing that there is a multiplicity of policy and technical guidance that is available;
This guidance links closely with issues highlighted within the TDA/SAP and Project Management Manuals and references and links are made to these sources of information where appropriate.
| The UNDP-UNEP Poverty-Environment Initiative (PEI) |
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The UNDP – UNEP Poverty – Environment Initiative (PEI) has defined mainstreaming climate change adaptation as…"the iterative process of integrating considerations of climate change adaptation into policy-making, budgeting, implementation and monitoring processes at national, sector and sub-national levels. It is a multi-year, multi-stakeholder effort grounded in the contribution of climate change adaptation to human well-being, pro-poor economic growth, and achievement of the MDGs. It entails working with a range of government and non-governmental actors, and other actors in the development field." Guidance prepared by the PEI highlighted key messages to assist with mainstreaming climate change and variability in to development and environment programmes:
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Mainstreaming climate change adaptation is the iterative process of integrating considerations of climate change adaptation into policy-making, budgeting, implementation and monitoring processes at national, sector and sub-national levels. It is a multi-year, multi-stakeholder effort grounded in the contribution of climate change adaptation to human well-being, pro-poor economic growth, and achievement of the MDGs. It entails working with a range of government and non-governmental actors, and other actors in the development field.
