Building on the context and outcomes of the 1st Technical Workshop (June 2019, Brussels), the 2nd Workshop reminded about the GCF financing instruments, with emphasis on fit-for-purpose examples tackling priorities of Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and Southeastern Europe (SEE) countries, and had a focus on Gender, introducing the GCF Gender guidelines and discuss methodologies for articulating Gender objectives and meeting requirements of climate-proofing water projects.
The 69 participants, representing Ministries of Water and GCF National Designated Authorities of GCF-eligible Mediterranean countries, along with development and co-finance partners, improved their understanding of the GCF investment criteria, operational modalities and procedures, particularly those related to Gender aspects, and financing instruments, and identified opportunities and follow-up activities for GCF Project Concept Note preparation.
Through dedicated sessions involving technical presentations, case studies and interactive discussions, in-country partners were supported to enhance their capacity to address gender concerns in the climate change space – not only to achieve greater and more sustainable climate change results, but also to contribute to gender equality globally.
With forecasts about the impact of climate change in the Mediterranean being particularly gloomy, including the predicted decrease of water availability in the region that is among the largest in the world, strengthening the capacity of responsible national authorities and entities of Mediterranean countries, both from the MENA and SEE to take action, is critical. This support involves accessing international climate financing instruments, including the GCF, and preparing climate resilience water projects, also to address challenges in the mainland and the coastal areas, and with due consideration to gender mainstreaming.
Participants reiterated the urgency for the water sector in the Mediterranean region to adapt to the impacts of climate change and expressed disappointment that the water sector lags behind other sectors, such as energy, in responding to these impacts. Nonetheless, they confirmed their commitment to take action, agreed to continue exchanging, via the UfM Secretariat and GWP-Med, on ideas and knowledge sharing to strengthen the GCF project pipeline in the Mediterranean, while they also agreed that the UfM and GWP-Med work deeper at the regional level to integrate gender aspects in climate financing proposals and work intensively with proposals that are ready to be put forward.
The Workshop was organised by the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) and GWP-Med, with technical inputs by GWP and the GWP-Coordination Unit for Africa, and forms part of the UfM/GWP Regional Initiative for Water Climate Finance and Investments that was established at the decision of the 10th Meeting of the UfM water Expert Group (WEG) in June 2019.
The Workshop was supported by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) and the GWP Water, Climate and Development Programme - Gender (WACDEP-G) that is financed by the Austrian Development Assistance (ADA), while the activity is also part of the GEF UN Environment/MAP Project on Enhancing regional climate change adaptation in the Mediterranean Marine and Coastal Areas.
All material from the Workshop can be found on the right-hand side of the page.