The NDC Partnership and United Kingdom Launch Centre to Catalyze Climate Finance at COP28
Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 4 December 2023 - The NDC Partnership and the Government of the United Kingdom launched a centre to catalyze systemic change to unlock climate finance at COP28 today, aiming to generate and streamline solutions for climate vulnerable countries and enable critical low-emission and climate-resilient development. The centre is being financed by the UK Government and created as part of the collaborative work of The Taskforce on Access to Climate Finance. Innovative approaches, co-created by key stakeholders among all sectors, are urgently needed.
The newly launched centre will address challenges that developing countries face to access climate finance. The NDC Partnership Support Unit will host the new centre, working directly with the Partnership’s network of more than 200 members. The Support Unit will also serve as an independent secretariat to the Taskforce, which will continue to foster collaboration among developing countries and climate finance providers to spur innovation and transformative systems change.
Andrew Mitchell, International Development Minister of the United Kingdom, said: "It is critical that climate finance is accessible to developing countries, which often face the greatest risks from climate change. The UK is proud to launch a new centre, hosted by the NDC Partnership, to support this goal. The centre will galvanise our collective efforts to make climate finance accessible and aligned with the needs and priorities of developing countries."
Dr. Jeanne d'Arc Mujawamariya, Minister of Environment of the Republic of Rwanda and NDC Partnership Co-Chair, said: “Today’s announcement of a new centre dedicated to mobilizing urgent climate finance will amplify the knowledge generation and adoption of best practices, making them accessible to the Partnership’s more than 100 Developing Country Members.”
The centre will further knowledge sharing, system thinking and outreach to improve access to finance for climate action, with a strong focus on seven country-led trials—in Bangladesh, Fiji, Jamaica, Mauritius, Rwanda, Somalia, and Uganda—supported through the Taskforce. By drawing together climate vulnerable developing countries, climate finance providers and subject matter experts, the centre will facilitate exchanges around common challenges and solutions, informing targeted actions to create a more effective and collaborative system of international climate finance.
The complexity and challenges in accessing climate finance are especially severe in low-income countries. The Partnership and the Taskforce have been pioneering country-specific approaches and providing much-needed support to increase national capacities and coordinate climate finance. By joining forces, we can increase our impact and reach,” says NDC Partnership Global Director Pablo Vieira.
For media inquiries:
Caity Pinkard, Communications Manager, Outreach & Governance, NDC Partnership Support Unit: caitlin.pinkard@ndcpartnership.org
About the NDC Partnership
The NDC Partnership is a global coalition, bringing together more than 200 members, including more than 120 countries, developed and developing, and nearly 100 institutions to deliver on ambitious climate action that helps achieve the Paris Agreement and drive sustainable development. Governments identify their NDC implementation priorities and the type of support that is needed to translate them into actionable policies and programs. Based on these requests, the membership offers a tailored package of expertise, technical assistance and funding. This collaborative response provides developing countries with efficient access to a wide range of resources to adapt to and mitigate climate change and foster more equitable and sustainable development.
About The Taskforce on Access to Climate Finance
The Taskforce on Access to Climate Finance is a collaboration between climate vulnerable developing countries and climate finance providers. It is currently co-chaired by the Governments of the UK and Rwanda. The Taskforce is supporting country-led trials in seven developing countries, with representation from Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States, to identify and implement solutions to improve access to climate finance. The trials are working towards a coordinated and longer-term approach to climate finance which is aligned with national priorities.