Climate Change

The Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme (SGP) projects contribute to removing the cultural, institutional, technical, and economic barriers and promote dissemination of accessible, sustainable, climate-friendly technologies and measures throughout a locality or region. They primarily involve building local capacity; raising public awareness of climate change and energy conservation and efficiency issues; and demonstrating and disseminating appropriate technologies and measures. The projects may also aim to reduce the cost of suitabletechnologies for communities by supporting applied and participatory research and development.

SGP climate change projects are implemented according to the following GEF operational programmes:
  • OP 5: Removing barriers to energy efficiency and energy conservation.
  • OP 6: Promoting the adoption of renewable energy by removing barriers and reducing implementation costs.
  • OP 11: Promoting environmentally sustainable transport.
  • OP 12: Crosscutting issues related to energy, climate change and integrated ecosystem management.

Working with the GEF Secretariat and Implementing Agencies to pilot community climate change adaptation initiatives through its existing small grant programs, the SGP will:

  • Develop community based capacity and tools to respond to adaptation
  • Finance diverse community-based adaptation projects in a number of selected countries; and Capture and disseminate lessons learned at the community level.
OP6: General categories of existing SGP renewable energy projects}
Project category Characteristics Linkages to climate change
Renewable energy technology Technologies in different forms, e.g. solar, micro-hydro, wind, use of modern biomass (gasification, biogas) and geothermal Reduces demand for conventional fuels,e.g. diesel, kerosene or fuel wood
Alternative fuels Biofuel or biodiesel activities, e.g. jatropha oil and rapeseed derived biofuel Reduces demand for fossil fuels, e.g. kerosene and diesel
Renewable energy technology Technologies in different forms, e.g. solar, micro-hydro, wind, use of modern biomass (gasification, biogas) and geothermal Reduces demand for conventional fuels, e.g. diesel, kerosene or fuel wood
OP 5: General categories of existing SGP energy efficiency projects
Project category Characteristics Linkages to climate change
Energy Efficient Technologies mproved stoves, energy efficient micro-enterprises/industry, efficient kilns, crematoria, etc. Reduces demand for fossil fuels and unsustainable use of fuelwood. Reduce general energy demand and use of biomass resources
Building and housing Efficient building materials. Improved efficiency in house heating Reduces the overall demand for fossil fuels for heating purposes
Energy auditing Energy audits in enterprises or industry Improves efficiency in enterprises/industry and reduces demand for fossil fuels
OP 11: General categories of existing projects on environmentally sustainable transport
Project category Characteristics Linkages to climate change
Transport infrastructure Bicycle routes and tracks Reduces the use of motorized transport
Public transport centralization Community bus scheme (pilot case) Reduces the number of vehicles being used for a single purpose
Transport fuel shift Shift from diesel to biofuel More mileage covered thus less pollution per kilometer covered. Biodiesel reduces demand for diesel
Emissions monitoring Monitoring of emissions. Raising awareness of general public about vehicular emissions Awareness raising, lobbying and capacity development
OP 12: General categories of existing projects with cross-cutting aspects related to biodiversity
Project category Characteristics Linkages to climate change
Tree planting, fuel wood plantations and land management Woodlots, fuel wood gardening (urban, social and farm forestry) Increases carbon sinks and build biomass energy stocks
Waste management Municipal waste management. Production of manure Reduces the possibility of alternative fuel and production of methane associated with decomposition,

Source: SGP Climate change portfolio analysis 2002, GEF SGP 2003, Responding to climate change, generating community benefits

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