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FSD Africa co-funded the incubation and subsequent growth of the Digital Frontiers Institute (DFI) between 2016 and 2022. This support facilitated the training of over 3,500 professionals in Sub-Saharan Africa, the development of 26 digital financial services (DFS) courses, and the establishment of 10 registered professional country digital finance associations in Africa. Key achievements include a 78% increase in institutional capacity for DFS regulation in Sub-Saharan Africa and the creation of the Alliance for Digital Finance Associations (ADFA) in 2021.

The Risk, Resilience and Regulatory Lab (R3LAB) is a collaborative platform for African insurance regulators aimed at improving supervisory skills and fostering innovation. It provides capacity-building programs, peer exchange, and learning toolkits to address regulatory gaps. A key output includes 'insurance innovation portraits' for eight countries, which identify barriers to innovation and propose action plans based on six assessment areas, including infrastructure, finance, and the regulatory environment.

The document provides a comprehensive framework for WTO Members to align domestic policies with the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies (FSA). It details a methodology using inventory tables, current alignment assessments, and ongoing alignment mechanisms to ensure the prohibition of subsidies for IUU fishing, overfished stocks, and unregulated high seas activities. The guide also outlines transparency and notification requirements, special provisions for Least Developed Countries (LDCs), and the availability of technical assistance.

The document is a comprehensive guide designed to assist WTO Members in aligning their national policies with the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies (FSA). It provides a structured methodology for identifying relevant subsidies, assessing current alignment with legal obligations, and establishing mechanisms for continuous compliance. The guide focuses on three primary pillars: prohibiting subsidies to illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing; prohibiting subsidies to overfished stocks; and regulating other subsidies, such as those in the high seas or to non-flag vessels. It also details transparency and notification requirements, special provisions for Least Developed Countries (LDCs), and the availability of technical assistance.

The document is a comprehensive guide designed to assist WTO Members in aligning their national policies with the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies (ASP). It focuses on three primary pillars: prohibiting subsidies for illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing; prohibiting subsidies for overfished stocks; and regulating other subsidies, such as those in unregulated high seas or for non-flag vessels. The guide provides a structured methodology using inventory and alignment tables to help officials identify gaps in their legislation and procedures, formulate needs for technical assistance, and meet transparency and notification requirements to the WTO Committee on Fisheries Subsidies.

The project, 'Enhancing Adaptation and Community Resilience by Improving Water Security in Vanuatu,' is a climate adaptation investment requesting USD 23.3 million in GCF grants. It targets 85,650 direct beneficiaries across 750 communities. The initiative focuses on three outcomes: empowering communities to plan climate-resilient water resources through updated Drinking Water Safety and Security Planning (DWSSP), constructing and upgrading climate-resilient rural water infrastructure via the Capital Assistance Programme (CAP), and strengthening provincial and national institutions. The project addresses risks such as increased temperatures, extreme precipitation, and sea-level rise, which threaten water quality and availability. It specifically emphasizes gender equality by mandating 40% female representation in Rural Water Committees (RWCs) and designing infrastructure to meet the specific needs of women, children, and the elderly.

The GCF is implementing a four-pillar operational framework to enhance coordination with other climate funds. Key achievements include the establishment of a joint steering committee for the Long-Term Vision (LTV) with the GEF, the fast-track reaccreditation of nine entities with the AF, and the development of a joint GCF-GEF pavilion for COP 26 and COP 27. The report details specific funding proposals and readiness grants that demonstrate national programming coherence, as well as ongoing technical dialogues to harmonize results indicators and impact measurement methodologies across funds.

The IAI and CERMES have agreed to a two-year partnership to create synergies between the NOAA-CERMES Climate Resilience Enhancement Programme (NCCREP) and the IAI Science, Technology and Policy (STeP) Fellowship program. The collaboration aims to bridge the gap between climate science research and decision-making in the Caribbean and Latin America by providing professional development in leadership, communication, and science diplomacy for early-career researchers. CERMES is responsible for coordinating the placement of up to three fellows annually in Caribbean host institutions and managing funding via NOAA, while the IAI provides a professional development program and access to an Inter-American networking platform.

The report examines the role of the Global Stocktake (GST) in enhancing national climate action and international cooperation, specifically focusing on the alignment of finance flows under Articles 2.1c and 9 of the Paris Agreement. It highlights a significant shortfall in international climate finance for developing countries, particularly for adaptation and loss and damage. The study suggests that the GST could improve progress by standardising reporting metrics, bridging the gap between long-term strategies (LT-LEDS) and near-term Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), and developing a registry for the demand and supply of climate finance. However, it notes that countries have not yet initiated preparations for the GST, indicating a need for better communication regarding its relevance.

Mongolia utilized technical assistance from the Intergovernmental Forum on Mining (IGF), the OECD, and Tax Inspectors Without Borders (TIWB) to address tax base erosion and profit shifting (BEPS) in its mining sector. By establishing a transfer pricing division in 2019 and implementing new regulations on license valuation and ring-fencing, the Mongolian Tax Authority successfully recovered USD 228 million from a single multinational audit and USD 8.7 million from license transfers.

The 30th meeting of the IAI Conference of the Parties (CoP-30) focused on administrative governance, financial sustainability, and the advancement of transdisciplinary climate research in the Americas. Key outcomes included the approval of the 2022-2023 operating budget, the adoption of a revised Scientific Agenda, and the establishment of a Gender, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Policy. The meeting also initiated the recruitment process for a new Executive Director and planned for the 31st meeting to be hosted by Panama in 2023.

The paper examines the role of aid projects as 'system builders' that use demonstration projects and barrier removal to foster the adoption of climate technologies in developing countries. It defines 'familiarization' as the non-prioritization of a technology in a country's Technology Needs Assessment (TNA) document. The analysis finds that while higher project costs increase the likelihood of a technology being included in a TNA, longer project durations actually decrease that likelihood. The author concludes that sustaining the scale-up of these technologies requires donors to commit aid over multiyear periods to support long-term capacity building.

The report examines the challenges poor and vulnerable communities in the global South face when accessing traditional finance and highlights four sustainable, locally-led financing models: Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA) groups, the Tresor Women Warriors profit-sharing model, Kiva crowdfunding via field partners, and the Abalimi Bezekhaya subsidised cost model. It argues that financial access must be paired with capacity building and private sector mentorship to effectively strengthen community resilience.

The document proposes a framework for Namibia's climate adaptation Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) system, designed to track adaptation measures, evaluate their effectiveness in reducing vulnerability, and inform policy. It emphasizes aligning the MEL system with the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) and the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), while leveraging existing data systems from the National Statistics Agency and the National Planning Commission. Key recommendations include appointing a dedicated MEL coordinator, developing a results framework with a Theory of Change, and piloting a detailed MEL plan in the agriculture sector over the next two years.

The GCF Secretariat has implemented several operational changes to its Readiness and Preparatory Support Programme, including streamlining the review process, standardizing co-development criteria, and extending the annual readiness cap calculation date to March 31st. The fund is also rolling out the Readiness Results Management Framework (RRMF) and the Portfolio Performance Management System (PPMS) to improve reporting and monitoring. Additionally, the GCF is updating its Readiness Guidebook, with a consultation draft expected by November 7, 2022.

The document outlines a plan to transition the Economic and Social Development Agency (ADES) from a humanitarian organization to a GCF-accredited entity. It identifies critical gaps in ADES's fiduciary standards, environmental and social safeguards (ESS), and gender policies. The proposed 18-month intervention includes updating organizational manuals, training staff on climate finance and GCF investment criteria, and co-developing three project concept notes and one Project Preparation Facility (PPF) request. The goal is to increase Chad's country ownership of climate projects and enhance the implementation of its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and Country Programme.

The document outlines a 24-month Readiness support project to operationalize direct access to climate finance in Fiji. It focuses on training NDA staff, supporting the MoE's Stage 2 GCF accreditation, assisting the FDB in upgrading its accreditation to ESS Category B, and developing a bankable project pipeline. Key activities include establishing a private sector engagement strategy, conducting pre-feasibility studies for projects such as the Fiji Electric Bus initiative, and enhancing the NDA Portal for better stakeholder coordination. The project is implemented by the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI).

The Green Climate Fund (GCF) Secretariat developed this guidance to address historical challenges where funding proposals, particularly for adaptation, failed to demonstrate a sufficient climate rationale, leading to delays or non-endorsement by the Technical Advisory Panel (TAP). The document defines climate rationale as the 'overarching narrative of a proposal which ensures that it addresses climate change'. It establishes four high-level principles for adaptation (Identification, Response, Alignment, and Monitoring and Evaluation) and five principles for mitigation (alignment with country priorities, methodological quantification, relevance of methodology, consistent assumptions, and MRV systems). To support these standards, the GCF plans to launch the 'GCF Climate Information Gateway' and a 'Climate Information Expert Advisory Forum' to provide AEs and countries with tools, data, and capacity-building support.

Natural Justice argues that the Climate Change Bill is insufficient due to a lack of urgent timeframes, the absence of concrete emission reduction targets aligned with the Paris Agreement, and inadequate provisions for funding and capacity-building at the local and provincial levels. The submission calls for the Bill to explicitly recognize nature-based solutions like forest protection, ensure transparency through automatic public access to information, and facilitate a just energy transition by phasing out fossil fuels.

The paper analyzes the EU's proposal for a regulation on deforestation-free products and the UK's Environment Act 2021, detailing their respective scopes, due diligence processes, and enforcement mechanisms while highlighting challenges related to WTO consistency and impacts on smallholders in developing countries.