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At the thirty-seventh meeting of the Board (B.37) of the Green Climate Fund (GCF) held in Tbilisi, Georgia, from 23 – 25 October 2023, the Board approved the Independent Evaluation Unit’s (IEU) workplan for 2024. The approved workplan included a mandate for the IEU to independently evaluate the GCF’s approach to Indigenous Peoples (IPs). The evaluation aimed to objectively assess the GCF’s approach towards IPs, focusing on the relevance and effectiveness of the Indigenous Peoples Policy (hereafter referred to as “IPs Policy” or “the Policy”). The GCF’s approach to IPs is anchored in its Governing Instrument (GI) paragraph 71, which states that “the Board will develop mechanisms to promote the input and participation of stakeholders, including private-sector actors, civil society organizations, vulnerable groups, women and Indigenous Peoples, in the design, development and implementation of the strategies and activities to be financed by the Fund”. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) recognized the rights and roles of IPs in climate action, and references to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) (2007) and the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) Declaration 10/4 on climate change and human rights (2009) in several UNFCCC decisions (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, 2010; 2015). Additional guidance from the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the GCF on working with IPs has been provided through various COP decisions aimed at adopting specific measures to protect IPs’ rights. This guidance culminated in the request for the GCF Secretariat to develop a Fund-wide policy regarding IPs. The GCF articulated the IPs Policy adopted by the Board and contained in annex XI to decision B.19/11. The IPs Policy aims to provide a structure that ensures GCF activities are designed and implemented in ways that respect and safeguard IPs, are culturally appropriate, and do not cause harm. The evaluation examines the GCF’s overall approach, assessing its relevance and alignment with international commitments related to IPs. It also examines how the GCF GI, the UNFCCC, and a range of IPs-related policies have shaped the Fund’s approach to IPs. The evaluation also assesses the GCF’s strategies for implementing the IPs Policy alongside other GCF policies. Additionally, the evaluation examines the strengths and weaknesses of key aspects of the Policy and their alignment with IPs’ priorities, including integrating traditional knowledge, co-benefits for Indigenous communities, gender inclusivity, and grievance mechanisms. Finally, the evaluation addresses the role of country context, the implementation of free prior and informed consent, and compliance as underpinning factors in the Policy’s implementation.

Independent Evaluation of the Green Climate Fund’s Approach to Indigenous Peoples

Resource Key: BIYIGXTS

Document Type: Report

Creator:

Author:

  • Green Climate Fund Independent Evaluation Unit

Creators Name: {mb_resource_zotero_creatorsname}

Place: Incheon, Republic of Korea

Institution: Green Climate Fund Independent Evaluation Unit

Date: January 2025

Language: en

At the thirty-seventh meeting of the Board (B.37) of the Green Climate Fund (GCF) held in Tbilisi, Georgia, from 23 – 25 October 2023, the Board approved the Independent Evaluation Unit’s (IEU) workplan for 2024. The approved workplan included a mandate for the IEU to independently evaluate the GCF’s approach to Indigenous Peoples (IPs). The evaluation aimed to objectively assess the GCF’s approach towards IPs, focusing on the relevance and effectiveness of the Indigenous Peoples Policy (hereafter referred to as “IPs Policy” or “the Policy”). The GCF’s approach to IPs is anchored in its Governing Instrument (GI) paragraph 71, which states that “the Board will develop mechanisms to promote the input and participation of stakeholders, including private-sector actors, civil society organizations, vulnerable groups, women and Indigenous Peoples, in the design, development and implementation of the strategies and activities to be financed by the Fund”. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) recognized the rights and roles of IPs in climate action, and references to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) (2007) and the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) Declaration 10/4 on climate change and human rights (2009) in several UNFCCC decisions (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, 2010; 2015). Additional guidance from the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the GCF on working with IPs has been provided through various COP decisions aimed at adopting specific measures to protect IPs’ rights. This guidance culminated in the request for the GCF Secretariat to develop a Fund-wide policy regarding IPs. The GCF articulated the IPs Policy adopted by the Board and contained in annex XI to decision B.19/11. The IPs Policy aims to provide a structure that ensures GCF activities are designed and implemented in ways that respect and safeguard IPs, are culturally appropriate, and do not cause harm. The evaluation examines the GCF’s overall approach, assessing its relevance and alignment with international commitments related to IPs. It also examines how the GCF GI, the UNFCCC, and a range of IPs-related policies have shaped the Fund’s approach to IPs. The evaluation also assesses the GCF’s strategies for implementing the IPs Policy alongside other GCF policies. Additionally, the evaluation examines the strengths and weaknesses of key aspects of the Policy and their alignment with IPs’ priorities, including integrating traditional knowledge, co-benefits for Indigenous communities, gender inclusivity, and grievance mechanisms. Finally, the evaluation addresses the role of country context, the implementation of free prior and informed consent, and compliance as underpinning factors in the Policy’s implementation.

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