Simplified Approval Process DIRECTIVES TECHNIQUES RELATIVES AU PROCESSUS D’APPROBATION SIMPLIFIÉ (SAP)

The document outlines the criteria and technical guidelines for cities to access the Green Climate Fund's Simplified Approval Process (SAP). It defines eligible 'secondary cities' as those with populations between 1 and 3 million, emphasizing the need for integrated, cross-sectoral approaches to decarbonization and resilience. The guide details eligible sectors—including energy, building efficiency, mobility, urban planning, adaptation, circular economy, waste management, and water/sanitation—while explicitly excluding new construction projects for housing, roads, or rapid transit systems. It provides a framework for measuring impact using quantitative indicators and offers three project scenarios: LED street lighting, district cooling networks, and integrated waste management.

• To be eligible for the Simplified Approval Process (SAP), cities must be classified as 'secondary cities' with a population of at least 1 million, specifically ranging from 1 to 3 million inhabitants.
• Urban areas are significant contributors to climate change, accounting for 71% to 76% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions due to final energy use, despite contributing 80% of global GDP.
• The GCF identifies eight key sectors for urban climate projects: energy decarbonization, building energy efficiency, mobility and transport, urban development, climate change adaptation, materials and material flows (circular economy), waste management, and urban water and sanitation.
• Certain project types are strictly ineligible for the SAP because they involve construction activities that do not comply with Environmental and Social Standards (NES), specifically new housing, new roads, and the construction of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) systems.
• Project proponents must provide detailed quantitative estimates for impact rather than vague qualitative descriptions; the GCF uses specific indicators such as tonnes of CO2 equivalent reduced or avoided.
• District cooling networks are highlighted as a high-impact solution for tropical cities, potentially saving 7% to 10% of cooling energy demand and eliminating urban heat islands by transferring heat to a central unit.

APA

Sagar, A., & Kim, J. (n.d.). Simplified Approval Process DIRECTIVES TECHNIQUES RELATIVES AU PROCESSUS D’APPROBATION SIMPLIFIÉ (SAP). Green Climate Fund. https://www.greenclimate.fund/sites/default/files/document/directives-techniques-sur-le-sap-les-villes-et-le-changement-climatique.pdf

Chicago

Sagar, Aarsi, and Juhern Kim. Simplified Approval Process DIRECTIVES TECHNIQUES RELATIVES AU PROCESSUS D’APPROBATION SIMPLIFIÉ (SAP). Green Climate Fund, n.d. https://www.greenclimate.fund/sites/default/files/document/directives-techniques-sur-le-sap-les-villes-et-le-changement-climatique.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Sagar |first1=Aarsi |last2=Kim |first2=Juhern |title=Simplified Approval Process DIRECTIVES TECHNIQUES RELATIVES AU PROCESSUS D’APPROBATION SIMPLIFIÉ (SAP) |publisher=Green Climate Fund |url=https://www.greenclimate.fund/sites/default/files/document/directives-techniques-sur-le-sap-les-villes-et-le-changement-climatique.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{sagarndsimplified, author = {Sagar, Aarsi and Kim, Juhern}, title = {{Simplified Approval Process DIRECTIVES TECHNIQUES RELATIVES AU PROCESSUS D’APPROBATION SIMPLIFIÉ (SAP)}}, institution = {Green Climate Fund}, url = {https://www.greenclimate.fund/sites/default/files/document/directives-techniques-sur-le-sap-les-villes-et-le-changement-climatique.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }