Programme Summary

As a first step toward mobilizing international climate finance, the Government of Iraq, with technical assistance from UNDP, has begun national readiness activities to address institutional, regulatory and programmatic barriers, with the key objective of catalyzing climate investment in Iraq. With grant assistance from the Green Climate Fund (GCF), the Government has embarked on a two-year readiness programme, with UNDP Iraq as delivery partner.

The programme aims to support the Government increase its ability to effectively access and efficiently manage, track and guide climate financing, in accordance with GCF requirements. Guided by Iraq’s development policies and priorities, the readiness programme will include preparatory activities to: 

• Establish a National Designated Authority (NDA) in Iraq, responsible for overseeing the investment framework objectives and activities; 
• Strengthen stakeholder engagement and effective participation in climate change mitigation efforts; 
• Assist Iraq in developing a gender-responsive country programme for the GCF, which includes climate change adaptation and mitigation priorities; and 
• Map, prioritize and assess the capacity of prospective national entities against GCF accreditation standards. 

The accomplishment of above activities will lay a foundation for Iraq to kick-start and make concrete steps towards meeting the need for effective and coordinated climate financing. 

What we aim to achieve

• A National Designated Authority (NDA) in Iraq was established in August 2018; 
• More than 200 stakeholders were engaged, and institutional capacity was built on climate finance, GCF operational modalities and global agreements on climate change. 
• A No-Objection procedure for project proposal to the GCF was finalized and included in the NDA Operational guidelines, through consultation with the NDA committee and GCF focal point; 
• More than 25 high-level government officials were sensitized on the GCF process including the country programme, gender communication strategy and project prioritization tool; 
• Key private sector stakeholders and actors for climate finance were mapped out and introduced to the GCF Readiness Programme in Iraq;
• A gender-responsive country programme, including climate change adaptation and mitigation priorities was developed and handed over to the GoI;
• A mapping, prioritization and capacity assessment of prospective national entities against GCF accreditation standards was performed, including various ministries, public and private banks as well as national and international private sector companies.