GCF Water Project Design Guidelines Part 2

The GCF Water Project Design Guidelines Part 2 outlines a structured approach to developing investment-oriented water projects that address climate change. It details the specific requirements and recommended measures for four key areas: Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM), Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), Drought Risk Management, and Flood Risk Management. The guide emphasizes the need for a strong climate science basis, the use of specific analytical tools, and the implementation of both 'grey' and 'green' infrastructure. Special attention is given to Small Island Developing States (SIDS), highlighting their unique vulnerabilities to sea-level rise and freshwater scarcity. The document also provides a framework for assessing project impact, paradigm shift potential, and sustainable development co-benefits to align with GCF's strategic goals.

• GCF's ambition for IWRM is to achieve a paradigm shift where "Transformative IWRM planning and programming for climate resilience water security is applied in national and regional adaptation planning and programming."
• For IWRM projects, GCF emphasizes the use of specific computational tools, including water system models for quantity and quality, sector models for demand, water allocation models, and multi-criteria evaluation models.
• The GCF envisions a paradigm shift for Climate Resilient WASH where the application of "climate risk smart innovation technologies" leads to health improvements, better agricultural livelihoods, and the creation of more-income activities to build resilient communities.
• WASH projects are encouraged to incorporate mitigation benefits by recovering biogas and biomass from wastewater to be used as energy sources, thereby reducing deforestation.
• Integrated Drought Risk Management (IDRM) requires a climate science basis that analyzes historical drought periods and probabilities, then extends this with projections on how climate change will influence those probabilities.
• Low-regret measures for drought management include establishing early warning systems, restoring natural freshwater ecosystems, and regulating inappropriate water withdrawals.
• Integrated Flood Risk Management (IFRM) focuses on maximizing the productivity of floodplains and coastal zones while minimizing loss of life and property through risk-informed decision-making.
• Low-regret measures for flood management include mapping 'hot spots' for flash flooding, maintaining natural retention areas, and limiting inappropriate land-use in flood-prone areas.
• Small Island Developing States (SIDS) face unique challenges, including the salinization of freshwater lenses due to sea-level rise and the concentration of population and infrastructure in coastal zones.
• GCF evaluates water projects based on several criteria, including mitigation impact (t CO2 eq reduced), adaptation impact (number of beneficiaries), paradigm shift potential (scalability and replicability), and sustainable development potential (environmental, social, and economic co-benefits).

APA

Green Climate Fund (2023). GCF Water Project Design Guidelines Part 2. https://www.greenclimate.fund/sites/default/files/document/20250508-water-project-design-guide-part-2.pdf

Chicago

Green Climate Fund. GCF Water Project Design Guidelines Part 2. 2023. https://www.greenclimate.fund/sites/default/files/document/20250508-water-project-design-guide-part-2.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Green Climate Fund |title=GCF Water Project Design Guidelines Part 2 |date=21 February 2023 |url=https://www.greenclimate.fund/sites/default/files/document/20250508-water-project-design-guide-part-2.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{greenclimatefund2023gcf, author = {{Green Climate Fund}}, title = {{GCF Water Project Design Guidelines Part 2}}, institution = {Green Climate Fund}, year = {2023}, month = feb, url = {https://www.greenclimate.fund/sites/default/files/document/20250508-water-project-design-guide-part-2.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }