INITIAL SUBMISSION OF VIEWS ON WORK STREAM I OF THE TRANSITIONAL COMMITTEE REGARDING ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL SAFEGUARDS

The Sierra Club and Center for International Environmental Law submitted views to the Transitional Committee of the Green Climate Fund (GCF), arguing that country ownership and adherence to international environmental, social, and fiduciary standards are compatible. They propose a five-point policy framework for the GCF to ensure sustainable development, transparency, and the protection of vulnerable populations.

• The authors assert that the principle of country ownership is not in conflict with the application of environmental and social safeguards. They argue that countries can define their own climate priorities and actions within a policy framework that establishes "procedural and substantive expectations for accessing the limited resources of the Green Climate Fund."
• To ensure sustainable development, the GCF should align its policies with internationally agreed conventions, codes, and "best practice" standards. The authors suggest the GCF should defer to existing standard-setting bodies such as the UN Development Group, the human rights system, and the Convention on Biological Diversity, noting that multilateral development bank policies should not be the "primary benchmark for harmonization."
• The submission emphasizes that transparency and inclusive decision-making are essential for project sustainability. It recommends that the GCF adopt a governance model similar to UN-REDD, which includes civil society and indigenous peoples as "full voting members of its governing Board."
• The authors propose that the GCF establish a credible policy framework featuring clear performance benchmarks, auditable criteria, and "bright-line rules" for "no go areas" or "no go technologies." Any exceptions to these standards should require a "compelling reason" to override baseline requirements.
• The GCF is urged to adopt a comprehensive environmental and social (E&S) management system based on international best practice. This system should include a "precautionary and polluter pays approach," rigorous alternatives assessments, prohibitions on financing harmful activities, and effective grievance mechanisms for public redress.

APA

Center for International Environmental Law (n.d.). INITIAL SUBMISSION OF VIEWS ON WORK STREAM I OF THE TRANSITIONAL COMMITTEE REGARDING ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL SAFEGUARDS. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Safeguards_26May11.pdf

Chicago

Center for International Environmental Law. INITIAL SUBMISSION OF VIEWS ON WORK STREAM I OF THE TRANSITIONAL COMMITTEE REGARDING ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL SAFEGUARDS. n.d. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Safeguards_26May11.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Center for International Environmental Law |title=INITIAL SUBMISSION OF VIEWS ON WORK STREAM I OF THE TRANSITIONAL COMMITTEE REGARDING ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL SAFEGUARDS |url=https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Safeguards_26May11.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{centerforinternationalenvironmentallawndinitial, author = {{Center for International Environmental Law}}, title = {{INITIAL SUBMISSION OF VIEWS ON WORK STREAM I OF THE TRANSITIONAL COMMITTEE REGARDING ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL SAFEGUARDS}}, publisher = {Center for International Environmental Law}, url = {https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Safeguards_26May11.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }