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The CFAS Guide outlines the state of climate finance negotiations leading up to COP20 in Lima, focusing on long-term funding goals, the operationalization of the Green Climate Fund, and the roles of various financial mechanisms under the UNFCCC.

The CFAS Guide outlines the state of climate finance negotiations leading up to COP20 in Lima. It details the goal of mobilizing 100 billion USD annually by 2020, the role of the Standing Committee on Finance (SCF) in monitoring financial flows, and the operational progress of the Green Climate Fund (GCF), Adaptation Fund, and Global Environment Facility (GEF). The document emphasizes the need for predictability in funding, the balance between mitigation and adaptation, and the development of measurement, reporting, and verification (MRV) systems for climate support.

Carbon Market Watch asserts that the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) cannot be accredited for Green Climate Fund (GCF) finance because it fails to meet GCF's mandates for new financial resources and lacks the necessary environmental and social risk management systems, including grievance mechanisms.

The document argues that success at COP20 in Lima depends on rich nations delivering climate finance, specifically filling the Green Climate Fund, which has only seen "USD 2.3 billion in pledges" despite a "USD 100 billion a year by 2020" goal. It emphasizes the need for an international accounting framework to prevent "double counting" and ensure that only countries with "stringent targets" can access carbon markets to avoid the "hot air" issues seen under the Kyoto Protocol. The author calls for the accounting framework to be embedded in the new climate treaty separately from the Framework for Various Approaches (FVA) and highlights the need to streamline human rights safeguards for the CDM, REDD+, and Green Climate Fund.

The briefing identifies six critical areas for progress at the upcoming COP 20 in Lima, Peru, following negotiations in Bonn. These include establishing transparency and assessment mechanisms for intended nationally determined contributions (INDCs), framing the long-term structure of the 2015 agreement, addressing adaptation goals, clarifying the role of climate finance via the Green Climate Fund, and implementing pre-2020 low-carbon actions. It also notes the European Union's recent commitment to reduce emissions by at least 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030 as a positive signal for future negotiations.

The workshop focused on leveraging international funds like the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and Climate Investment Funds (CIFs) to drive low-carbon investment in Brazil. Key discussions highlighted that a lack of long-term governmental strategic vision and internal organizational cultures in banks act as barriers to green investment. The event presented innovative financial instruments and case studies from Colombia and Mexico to demonstrate how blending concessional finance with private resources and risk mitigation tools can unlock climate-relevant investments.

The research evaluates policy options to reach a 450 PPM CO2 concentration target by 2050, focusing on the period up to 2035. Using the GDynE model, the authors compare domestic carbon taxes and international emission trading (IET) against scenarios where the Green Climate Fund (GCF) is used for welfare redistribution, energy efficiency, or renewable energy. The findings indicate that while abatement costs are generally detrimental to the growth of developing countries, a GCF financed by an 8% levy on developed countries' carbon tax revenues can mitigate these losses. Specifically, investing GCF resources into energy efficiency in developing countries provides the most significant global benefit, potentially resulting in a net gain for developing economies and reducing the overall cost of meeting climate targets for all parties.

The briefing analyzes the six-year experience of the Climate Investment Funds (CIFs) as a 'living laboratory' to offer strategic advice for the Green Climate Fund (GCF). It highlights the need for balancing rapid fund deployment with detailed operational guidelines, the importance of evidence-based learning despite costs, and the necessity of clear theories of change for achieving transformational impacts. Additionally, it emphasizes the need for an early definition of risk appetite to avoid limiting investment instruments and the critical role of multi-stakeholder partnerships in project design and implementation.

The authors call for the urgent capitalization of the Green Climate Fund (GCF), suggesting that an injection of finance would signal political commitment and rebuild trust between parties before the 2015 Paris agreement. They highlight the GCF's role in scaling innovative projects, such as the African Risk Capacity insurance mechanism and Chile's MAPS project, and emphasize the need to address the funding gap for adaptation in vulnerable countries. The text echoes calls for capitalization of at least US$10 billion to US$15 billion by November.

The World Resources Institute (WRI) outlines five 'do's and don'ts' for the Green Climate Fund (GCF) Board to ensure the fund effectively delivers resources for climate mitigation and adaptation. These recommendations cover investment criteria, financial risk management, accreditation of entities, results management, and the proposal approval process, emphasizing the need for a high risk appetite and a balance between top-down and bottom-up proposals to support international climate action ahead of COP 21.

The report argues that low-carbon technology adoption in developing countries requires tailored innovation systems rather than a one-size-fits-all approach. It identifies specific needs for the 'bottom of the pyramid' (energy access), the rising middle class (lifestyle and urban planning), and industrial sectors (efficiency and value chain integration). The authors emphasize that the public sector must mitigate risks through financial support and coordination, while international bodies like the UNFCCC's Technology Mechanism should act as brokers to link finance, R&D, and knowledge sharing.

The document argues that the Green Climate Fund's Private Sector Facility (PSF) must address specific risk gaps—namely policy and financing risks—to unlock large-scale private capital for climate mitigation and adaptation. It proposes two primary business models: a 'Facilitated Model' acting as a fund-of-funds through intermediaries, and a 'Full-service Model' engaging directly with private actors. The authors emphasize the need for a clear separation between governance and management, suggesting the use of independent due diligence and private sector expertise, potentially through a dedicated Investment Panel, to ensure efficient decision-making and risk management.

The World Resources Institute outlines six key functions for the 2015 international climate agreement: providing a strong signal for decarbonization, connecting climate goals to national economic priorities, ensuring transparency and accountability, accelerating low-carbon investment, ensuring fairness through equity indicators, and supporting resilience and adaptation for vulnerable populations.

The document examines the portrayal of vulnerability and the distribution of adaptation benefits in proposals approved by the Adaptation Fund Board up to December 2012. It argues that focusing on country-level allocation ignores the locally contextualized nature of vulnerability and seeks to provide lessons for the Green Climate Fund regarding the equitable and efficient allocation of scarce resources.

Based on an analysis of 15 other climate and development funds, the World Resources Institute suggests that the Green Climate Fund (GCF) should prioritize ground-up investment possibilities, focus on long-term 'paradigm shift' activities over quick fixes, balance impact-driven allocations with fairness adjustments for low-capacity countries, and maintain a flexible yet predictable funding system.

The briefing argues that while the Green Climate Fund's initial readiness program may be narrowly focused on facilitating access to the Fund, it must eventually address broader enabling conditions—such as policy development and capacity building—to achieve transformational climate-resilient development. It further suggests that the GCF should remain flexible regarding the institutions used to channel readiness funds before the formal accreditation process is complete.

The document outlines the transition from short-term National Adaptation Programmes of Action (NAPAs) to medium- and long-term National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) for Least Developed Countries (LDCs). It emphasizes the need for iterative planning, the use of 'no-regret' strategies to manage data uncertainty, and the integration of climate adaptation into national development strategies. The briefing highlights significant funding gaps, noting that LDCF resources fall short of demand and that LDCs require approximately US$ 5 billion to implement NAPAs alone. It also discusses the role of the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and the importance of establishing robust monitoring and evaluation (M&E) frameworks to track adaptation effectiveness and climate finance.

The SB 40 conference in Bonn saw limited progress on reforming Kyoto Protocol mechanisms and defining a framework for various mitigation approaches, though 60 nations agreed to phase out fossil fuels by mid-century. Negotiations on the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) and Joint Implementation (JI) were largely postponed to future sessions in Lima, while discussions continued on including land-use sectors in the CDM and the role of local stakeholder consultation.

The workshop brought together 60 participants from India and Nepal to evaluate the shortcomings of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) and explore the potential of Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs). Participants emphasized the need to integrate human rights and robust safeguards into the 2015 Paris climate agreement and the Indian national policy framework. Key outcomes included the agreement to form a civil society working group to coordinate demands for the Indian government and the decision to write an open letter to Prime Minister Modi ahead of COP 20.

The document assesses the gap between current climate-specific mitigation finance and the levels required to meet a 2°C target. It highlights that while estimates vary widely due to differing assumptions and metrics, current investments are insufficient, particularly in developing countries. The analysis distinguishes between total climate-specific investment, incremental investment (above business-as-usual), and net climate-relevant finance (which accounts for avoided fossil fuel infrastructure).