Jun 03, 2019
We, the signatories of this statement, present the following position in support of the Climate Investment Funds (CIF), urging that it be adequately resourced to assist governments and vulnerable communities in meeting their most pressing climate needs.
Thanks to significant efforts from governments, the private sector, NGOs, multilateral development banks (MDBs) and others, climate finance has made significant strides in developing countries over the last decade. Falling renewable energy capital costs have driven investments in the hundreds of billions of dollars toward clean energy and resilience.
Despite many hard-won successes, however, the world still faces a climate emergency. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has warned that if we cannot change course by 2020, we risk failing to contain runaway climate change and triggering disastrous consequences for people and the natural systems that sustain us.
CIF has helped 72 countries accelerate their economies towards a more climate-resilient and low-carbon pathway —often by leveraging public and private sector resources to empower transformations in clean energy, energy access, climate resilience, and sustainable forest management. CIF’s unique programmatic approach helps unite diverse stakeholders and align MDB country investments around a common vision that reinforces other programming and interventions. CIF has also strengthened MDB cooperation around addressing climate change, for example, on climate finance tracking and alignment with the Paris Agreement. Independent evaluations confirm that these outcomes would not have happened without the critical resources provided by CIF and its tried-and-tested, unique, and efficient business model.
Furthermore, CIF has pioneered equitable and transparent approaches to multilateral climate finance decision-making. Its governance structure consists of developing and developed countries alike, and welcomes the participation of 34 non-state observers, including representatives from civil society, Indigenous peoples and local communities, and the private sector. As part of its ongoing commitment to transparency, CIF has ensured that information about its governance structure, disbursement rates, and other financial data is publicly available.
Moving forward, we acknowledge that the Green Climate Fund (GCF) is an essential part of the existing climate finance architecture and we believe that the GCF and CIF are well placed to work together to help developing countries meet their wider climate ambitions. Many of these countries have recognized this fact and have consistently stated their support for CIF’s continued role in the climate finance architecture. This support has been reflected officially in a joint ministerial statement issued on the 8th of April 2019 (link) and in four separate G24 Communiqués in spring 2016 (link), spring 2017 (link), fall 2017 (link) and spring 2019 (link).
As the world contemplates the future of CIF, let it be known that we support the Climate Investment Funds as a key player in the global climate finance architecture and urge that it be adequately resourced to maximize the potential of its business model to deliver transformative results.
Signatories (as of June 3, 2019)
- Applied Environmental Research Foundation, India: Archana Godbole, Director, Climate
- Center for Indigenous Peoples, Autonomy and Development, Nicaragua: Dennis Mairena Arauz, National Coordinator
- Centro Maria Molina para Estudios, Mexico: Francisco Barnes Regueiro, Executive Director
- Derecho, Ambiante y Recursos Naturales (DAR), Peru: Claudia Zuniga, Change and Forestry Program Specialist
- Federation of Community Forestry Users, Nepal: Dil Raj Khanal, National Policy Advisor
- Humboldt Environmental Advocacy Center, Nicaragua: Javier Mejia, Project Coordinator
- Indigenous Peoples Alliance of the Archipelago, Indonesia: Mina Susana Setra, Deputy to Secretary General
- International Alliance of Indigenous and Tribal Peoples of the Tropical Forests (IAITPTF), Kenya: Edna Kaptoyo, Executive Director
- International Chamber of Commerce, Mexico: Daniel Basurto Gonzalez, President
- Leadership for Environment and Development (LEAD), Pakistan: Ali Sheikh, Chief Executive Officer
- Live & Learn, Cambodia: Socheath Sou, Director
- Maleya Foundation, Bangladesh: Mrinal Kanti Tripura, Director
- Ole Siosiomaga Society Incorporated, Samoa: Fiu Mataese Elisara, Executive Director
- Support for Women in Agriculture and Environment (SWAGEN), Uganda: Gertrude Kabusimbi K., Executive Director
- Swisscontact, Peru: Jon Bickel, Peru Country Representative
- Tebtebba Foundation, Philippines: Grace Balawag, Coordinator for Climate Change
- The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People, Nigeria: Legborsi Saro Pyagbara, President
- Tinhinane, Burkina Faso: Saoudata Aboubacrine, Coordinator
- Turkish Industry and Business Association, Turkey: Nursen Numanoglu, Deputy Secretary General
- Uganda National Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Uganda: Olive Z. Kigongo, President
- World Wide Fund for Nature, Kenya: Philip Odhiambo, Project Manager
- Young Volunteers for Environment, Niger: Abdou Sani Ayouba, Executive Director
