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The GCF's Environmental and Social Policy defines the requirements for accredited entities to identify, assess, and mitigate environmental and social risks. It mandates a risk-based approach using Environmental and Social Safeguards (SAS), a mitigation hierarchy, and rigorous due diligence. The policy emphasizes the protection of vulnerable groups, indigenous peoples, and biodiversity, while requiring transparent information disclosure and the establishment of grievance redress mechanisms at the activity, entity, and fund levels.

The GCF's initial accreditation framework integrates fiduciary standards and environmental and social safeguards (SAS) into a three-stage process: no-objection and readiness, accreditation review and decision, and final arrangements. It distinguishes between basic fiduciary criteria (administrative and financial) and specialized criteria (project management, grant-making, and lending). Until its own SAS are developed, the GCF adopts the International Finance Corporation's (IFC) Performance Standards, applying a risk-based approach to categorize projects (Categories A, B, and C) and intermediaries (Levels I1, I2, and I3). The process is overseen by the GCF Board, supported by an Accreditation Committee, an independent Accreditation Panel, and the Secretariat.

The document outlines the GCF's investment criteria indicators, which serve as guidance for Accredited Entities, the Technical Advisory Panel, and the Board. These indicators are not binary filters for approval but tools to describe how proposals meet investment criteria while considering national circumstances. Key criteria include impact potential (mitigation and adaptation), paradigm shift potential, sustainable development potential, beneficiary needs, national ownership, and efficiency and effectiveness.

The GCF's implementation standards for its Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorist Financing (AML/CFT) Policy outline a risk-based framework for managing financial integrity. The standards mandate rigorous counterparty due diligence, annual institutional risk assessments, and the monitoring of financial transactions. They define specific high-risk categories—such as politically exposed persons and shell banks—and prohibit relationships with unregulated money transfer agents or anonymous accounts. The Independent Integrity Unit (IIU) is tasked with overseeing the program, conducting investigations, and managing the reporting of suspicious activities to competent authorities. Additionally, the GCF provides capacity-building support to counterparties to strengthen their own AML/CFT controls.

The Green Climate Fund (GCF) has adopted a policy to protect its resources and reputation from money laundering (ML) and terrorist financing (TF). Aligned with Financial Action Task Force (FATF) recommendations, the policy mandates a risk-based approach to due diligence for all counterparties, including the verification of beneficial owners. It prohibits relationships with entities that fail due diligence, engage in prohibited practices, or are under UN financial sanctions. The Independent Integrity Unit (IIU) is responsible for monitoring implementation, and all GCF personnel must report suspicious activities to the IIU without alerting the parties involved. Records of due diligence and transactions must be kept for at least five years.

The GCF's initial investment framework defines the rules for granting grants and concessional loans to support low-carbon and climate-resilient development. It sets a 50/50 balance between mitigation and adaptation, prioritizes vulnerable countries, and outlines six criteria for evaluating project proposals, including potential impact and paradigm shift potential.

The Green Climate Fund (GCF) has introduced a pilot scheme to reduce the time and effort required for approving small-scale projects. To be eligible, projects must have transformative potential, request no more than 10 million USD, and have minimal to no environmental and social risks. The scheme utilizes simplified Concept Notes and Funding Proposals, with a specific goal that direct access entities comprise at least half of the approved projects. Projects with known 'risk factors'—such as those affecting indigenous peoples or critical infrastructure—are excluded regardless of their scale.

The GCF's AML/CFT Standards define the framework for managing financial integrity risks, outlining roles for the Secretariat and Independent Integrity Unit, risk-based due diligence for counterparties, and mechanisms for reporting suspicious activities. It mandates annual institutional risk assessments and provides guidelines for capacity building and record-keeping to align with international best practices and FATF recommendations.

The Green Climate Fund (GCF) has updated its Simplified Approval Process (SAP) to accelerate the delivery of small-scale climate projects. To be eligible, projects must request a GCF contribution of up to 25 million USD and have minimal to no negative environmental or social impacts. The update introduces several streamlining measures, including making concept notes optional, allowing pre-feasibility studies instead of full feasibility studies, and developing guided templates for high-demand impact areas. The GCF Secretariat is specifically tasked with ensuring that Direct Access Entities (DAEs) account for at least 50% of approved SAP proposals. The process maintains standard GCF quality and policy requirements but employs a more proportionate review approach by the Secretariat and the Independent Technical Advisory Panel (ITAP).

The document outlines a comprehensive Gender Action Plan for a climate resilience project in Uganda. It specifies gender-responsive actions across three main outputs: the restoration and management of wetland hydrology, the improvement of agricultural practices and livelihoods, and the strengthening of access to climate and early warning information. The plan emphasizes the equal participation of men and women in leadership, the integration of sex-disaggregated data in monitoring, and the tailoring of technical training and infrastructure to meet the differentiated needs of both genders.

The policy defines the professional and personal behavior expected of Active Observers of the Green Climate Fund, focusing on integrity, confidentiality, and the prevention of conflicts of interest. It mandates the signing of a Declaration of Confidentiality and Conflicts of Interest and outlines procedures for disclosing and managing conflicts, including recusal. The document also prohibits specific 'Prohibited Practices' such as corruption and fraud, restricts the acceptance of gifts, and imposes a one-and-a-half-year cooling-off period before Active Observers or their immediate family members can be employed by the Fund's Secretariat.

The Policy on Restructuring and Cancellation outlines the processes for modifying Green Climate Fund (GCF) projects before and after the execution of a funded activity agreement (FAA). It defines 'Major Changes' that require Board approval, such as those affecting climate outcomes or financial structures, and specifies the authority of the Executive Director (ED) to grant certain extensions and minor changes. The policy also details the consequences of failing to meet conditions, including the potential for project cancellation if a Major Change is not approved and the project is not otherwise progressed or withdrawn.

The GCF's initial guiding framework for accreditation integrates fiduciary principles and environmental and social safeguards (ESS) into a three-stage process. It distinguishes between basic and specialized fiduciary criteria and utilizes a risk-based approach for environmental and social screening. The process involves a sequence of readiness assessments, institutional reviews, and final legal arrangements, overseen by the GCF Board, Secretariat, and an independent Accreditation Panel.

The document outlines a detailed framework for Accredited Entities to develop funding proposals for the Green Climate Fund. It specifies the sub-criteria and indicative assessment factors across six main investment criteria: Impact Potential, Paradigm Shift Potential, Sustainable Development Potential, Recipient Needs, National Ownership, and Efficiency and Effectiveness. These factors include quantitative metrics, such as tonnes of CO2 equivalent reduced and the number of beneficiaries, as well as qualitative assessments regarding innovation, gender equality, and institutional capacity.

The Green Climate Fund (GCF) policy defines a tiered system of maximum commission fees for public sector grants and readiness programs based on the total funding amount. Fees range from 4% for large projects exceeding 250 million USD to 8.5% for micro-projects under 10 million USD, with potential increases for smaller projects upon Secretariat approval. The policy applies to projects approved after meeting B.19 and excludes private sector or non-grant public sector projects, which are negotiated individually.

The GCF's Revised Policy on the Prevention and Protection from SEAH mandates a zero-tolerance environment for sexual misconduct. It applies to 'Covered Individuals'—including Board members, officials, and personnel—who must undergo SEAH checks during recruitment and report suspected misconduct to the Independent Integrity Unit (IIU) or Ethics and Audit Committee (EAC). The policy provides survivor-centered protections, whistleblower remedies, and mandates mandatory training and triennial reporting to the Board.

The Standards for the Implementation of the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Policy provide a framework for the Green Climate Fund (GCF) to manage money laundering and terrorist financing (ML/FT) risks. The document mandates a risk-based approach to counterparty due diligence, the establishment of an AML/CFT Program, and the implementation of monitoring and reporting mechanisms for suspicious activities. It defines the roles of the GCF Secretariat, the Independent Integrity Unit (IIU), and the Board in ensuring compliance with international best practices, specifically those set by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).

The GCF Environmental and Social Policy defines the requirements for Accredited Entities to manage environmental and social risks through a systematic Environmental and Social Management System (ESMS). It outlines a risk-based approach to project classification (Categories A, B, and C), mandates due diligence and impact assessments, and establishes guidelines for stakeholder engagement, information disclosure, and grievance redress mechanisms. The policy emphasizes the protection of indigenous peoples, human rights, and biodiversity, while ensuring gender equality and non-discrimination in all climate-funded activities.

The Green Climate Fund (GCF) establishes an initial investment framework consisting of investment policies, portfolio targets, and guidelines. The policy prioritizes projects with high potential for a paradigm shift toward low-carbon and climate-resilient sustainable development, utilizing a 'grant equivalent' method for accounting. Key portfolio targets include a 50/50 balance between mitigation and adaptation over time, with at least 50% of adaptation funding allocated to vulnerable countries, including Least Developed Countries, Small Island Developing States, and African countries. Project proposals are evaluated based on six criteria: potential impact, paradigm shift potential, sustainable development potential, needs of the recipient, country ownership, and efficiency and effectiveness.

The GCF Indigenous Peoples Policy provides a framework for the protection of indigenous rights in climate finance activities. It mandates 'meaningful consultation' and, in specific high-impact cases, 'Free, Prior and Informed Consent' (FPIC). The policy applies to all GCF-funded activities, regardless of whether a national government legally recognizes the indigenous status of the affected groups. It outlines roles for Accredited Entities to manage risks and requires the establishment of culturally appropriate grievance mechanisms. The GCF also commits to capacity building for indigenous peoples and the creation of an Indigenous Peoples Advisory Group to oversee implementation.