Improving sub-Saharan African access to climate change finance: an alternative view

This policy brief by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the barriers sub-Saharan African countries face in accessing climate change finance. It argues that while capacity deficiencies in recipient countries are often highlighted, donor-centric processes, complex requirements, and a lack of standardized definitions significantly contribute to these challenges. The document recommends that donors undertake internal reviews to streamline processes and collaborate with recipients to establish a universal definition of climate finance.

• Sub-Saharan Africa has received only a small portion of global climate finance, securing approximately 12% of the global total in 2017, and the available funding does not match the region's actual needs.
• Capacity constraints in recipient countries, such as lack of expertise for donor accreditation and project management, are often exacerbated by donor-centric and unnecessarily complex application requirements.
• The Green Climate Fund (GCF) conducted an internal review in 2018 which found that fund disbursement was hindered by overlapping policies, unclear definitions, and operational gaps, leading to a need for policies to be aligned with recipient country contexts.
• Deficiencies in needs assessments are partly caused by a lack of institutional support from the UNFCCC's Standing Committee on Finance (SCF), including a lack of standardized guidance and assessment methodologies.
• Knowledge gaps regarding available finance are driven by the absence of a central repository for information and a lack of international agreement on the definition of 'climate finance'.
• To improve access, the document recommends that donors implement horizontal coordination, standardize contractual terms, and align international funding cycles with national cycles.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (2020). Improving sub-Saharan African access to climate change finance: an alternative view. https://saiia.org.za/research/improving-sub-saharan-african-access-to-climate-change-finance-an-alternative-view/

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. Improving sub-Saharan African access to climate change finance: an alternative view. 2020. https://saiia.org.za/research/improving-sub-saharan-african-access-to-climate-change-finance-an-alternative-view/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=Improving sub-Saharan African access to climate change finance: an alternative view |date=16 April 2020 |url=https://saiia.org.za/research/improving-sub-saharan-african-access-to-climate-change-finance-an-alternative-view/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairs2020improving, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{Improving sub-Saharan African access to climate change finance: an alternative view}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2020}, month = apr, url = {https://saiia.org.za/research/improving-sub-saharan-african-access-to-climate-change-finance-an-alternative-view/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }