Partnering for Climate

Table of contents

• Introduction
• Timelines for Sub-Saharan Africa component
• Table : Full proposals received
• Table : Announced projects
• Engagement and knowledge-sharing activities
• Sub-Saharan Africa component
• Indigenous Peoples Partnering for Climate component
• Nature-based solutions for climate and biodiversity community of practice
• Upcoming community of practice events
• Past community of practice events
• Application process for the Partnering for Climate call for concept notes (closed)

Introduction

As part of Canada’s doubling of its previous climate commitment from $2.65 billion (2015-2020) to $5.3 billion (2021-2026) and its objective to leverage the climate action expertise and commitment of organizations in Canada, $315 million has been allocated for Partnering for Climate, to fund projects from civil society, Indigenous Peoples and other organizations in Canada that will support climate change adaptation in Sub-Saharan Africa and other parts of the world.

This commitment advances implementation of the Environment and Climate Action Area of the Feminist International Assistance Policy (FIAP).

In 2020, the Government of Canada reached out to partners across Canada and the world. We asked them for their views to inform our climate commitment. A number of key messages stood out, including:

• The Canadian government should increase funding for climate change adaptation, including for locally led solutions that increase resiliency to the impacts of climate change;
• The government should leverage the knowledge expertise and resources of civil society, Indigenous Peoples and other organizations in Canada to help developing countries achieve their climate change adaptation objectives;
• Nature and nature-based solutions (NbS) have a critical role to play in this area.

In response to what we heard, and as a reflection of Canada’s commitment to both the Paris Agreement and the G7 2030 Nature Compact, Global Affairs Canada established Partnering for Climate.

The $315 million Partnering for Climate allocation includes two programming components:

1. $300 million to support projects that use NbS to help countries, communities and people in Sub-Saharan Africa – a particularly climate-vulnerable region – to become more resilient to the impacts of climate change. This funding includes at least $20 million to help advance women’s rights and climate change adaptation. For questions related to this envelope, please contact: PartenairesClimatPartners@international.gc.ca
2. $15 million to support the partnering of Indigenous Peoples in Canada with Indigenous Peoples in developing countries around the world. The aim is to achieve the climate action objectives of Indigenous Peoples abroad. Please consult this webpage for details about this funding envelope: 2022 call for concept notes—Indigenous Peoples Partnering for Climate (international.gc.ca). For questions, please contact: Indigenous-Dev-Autochtones@international.gc.ca.

In addition to support for programming, Partnering for Climate includes a commitment to engagement and knowledge sharing. This reflects what we heard regarding the importance of ensuring that real-time lessons learned from Partnering for Climate help to inform ongoing climate action efforts in both developing and developed countries. This will be done through a new community of practice for nature-based solutions for climate and biodiversity practitioners and supporters (see details below).

Timelines for Sub-Saharan Africa component

Global Affairs Canada is committed to ensuring a transparent and equitable process for the Partnering for Climate initiative and will continue to provide status updates. 

Global Affairs Canada is using a multi-step process for managing the $300 million envelope for Sub-Saharan Africa.

In the first step, between February 2022 and August 2022, on a rolling basis Global Affairs Canada received and assessed 67 unique concept notes requesting a total of $1.16 billion in funding (see Archive Section for the list of concept notes received and program criteria and direction). After assessing the concept notes, the department invited 21 applicants to submit full proposals (see Full Proposals Received below).

In the second step, the department received full proposals between August 2022 and October 2022 and worked as quickly as possible to assess them and make funding decisions on a rolling basis.

The funding envelope was fully allocated as of July 2023. The government announced the projects between May 2022 and November 2023. Please consult the announced projects table (below) to learn more about the Partnering for Climate portfolio for sub-Saharan Africa.

Applicants whose projects were not selected for funding were notified in July 2023.

In the third step of the process, between December 2022 and March 31, 2026, funding agreements will be negotiated, projects will be implemented, and monitoring, evaluation, research and learning will take place. Lessons will be shared through a community of practice (see details below) and through departmental reporting processes.

Full proposals received

Announced projects

Engagement and knowledge-sharing activities

Sub-Saharan Africa component

In early 2022, Global Affairs Canada reached out to organizations in Canada interested in nature-based solutions for climate adaptation in Sub-Saharan Africa to invite them to participate in the events described below to ensure a common understanding of the objectives of the Partnering for Climate envelope and to share knowledge. These sessions were organized with civil society development and environment networks, and advertised on this website. Participation was open and inclusive.

The recording of the March 7, 2022 English introductory webinar for the $300 million envelope for Sub-Saharan Africa is available on Global Affairs Canada - YouTube.

The recording of the March 9, 2022 French introductory webinar for the $300 million envelope for Sub-Saharan Africa is available on Affaires mondiales Canada - YouTube.

The recording of the April 5, 2022 bilingual webinar on environmental (climate change and biodiversity) and gender coding requirements for the $300 million envelope for Sub-Saharan Africa is available on Global Affairs Canada - YouTube.

“Indigenous Peoples Partnering for Climate” component

Global Affairs Canada is collaborating with Indigenous organizations in Canada on the $15 million 2022 call for concept notes—Indigenous Peoples Partnering for Climate (international.gc.ca). On November 25, 2022 Global Affairs Canada hosted a webinar about the call.  The video of this webinar can be accessed on Global Affairs Canada -YouTube.

In February 2023, the Department received 15 concept notes, which were assessed by a working group of representatives from the Assembly of First Nations, Inuit Circumpolar Council Canada, Métis National Council, and Global Affairs Canada. Applicants were notified of the result of the concept note assessment process in May 2023. The assessment of full proposals is ongoing.

Nature-based solutions for climate and biodiversity community of practice

In keeping with the Government’s Climate Finance objective to “leverage Canada’s own expertise and innovative solutions on climate change to better address the needs of developing countries”, and in response to recommendations from organizations in Canada that helped inform the design of Partnering for Climate, Global Affairs Canada is committed to supporting knowledge sharing and capacity building in nature-based solutions for climate adaptation and biodiversity through a community of practice. 

The community of practice, co-developed with members of the Canadian Coalition on Climate Change and Development (C4D), aims to provide a forum for organizations in Canada and across the world – not only those receiving Partnering for Climate funding - to contribute their insights, expertise and networks towards the broad objective of helping to improve evidence-based, inclusive and impactful nature-based solutions for climate adaptation and biodiversity worldwide.

Organizations interested in participating in this community of practice are invited to contact PartenairesClimatPartners@international.gc.ca.

Upcoming community of practice events

Past community of practice events

On June 2, 2022, C4D, the Canadian Food Security Policy Group and the International Institute for Sustainable Development organized the webinar: “Nature-based Solutions for Climate Adaptation”. The event explored how the concept of nature-based solutions for adaptation is defined, discussed its potential and limitations for climate adaptation and biodiversity protection, and presented diverse case studies.  During the event, Global Affairs Canada invited participants to share their views on objectives, principles and key areas of focus for a community of practice. Feedback included the need to be inclusive, the need to accommodate Southern voices, and the importance of Indigenous knowledge. The webinar (English only) can be viewed at IISD Nature for Climate Adaptation Initiative.

On October 7, 2022, Aga Khan Foundation Canada and the International Institute for Sustainable Development hosted an event entitled: From Knowledge to Practice: Advancing Gender-Responsive Nature-Based Climate Solutions. The event included: a presentation on Nature for Climate Adaptation Initiative: Building Capacity for an Inclusive and Resilient Future and case studies detailing best practice in advancing gender equality through rights-based, inclusive approaches to nature-based solutions for climate change adaptation. These included Gender-Responsive Action for Climate Resilient Water Resource Management in Suriname, Success, Challenges and Opportunities in Achieving Gender-Inclusive Climate Resilience in AKF Afghanistan, and Peru’s Natural Infrastructure for Water Security Project. Global Affairs Canada provided an Overview of Canada’s Climate Finance Commitments and discussed the Nature-Based Solutions Community of Practice: Setting the Stage. The webinar (English only) can be viewed on Aga Khan Foundation - YouTube.

On November 16, 2022, the International Institute for Sustainable Development and Global Affairs Canada co-hosted a United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27) side event at the Canada Pavilion on “Building Capacity to Implement Rights-Based Approaches to Nature-Based Climate Solutions”. The event featured panel presentations, an interactive Q&A, and capacity-building products developed through the Nature for Climate Adaptation Initiative supported by Global Affairs Canada. It examined how to generate biodiversity co-benefits through nature-based climate solutions while following rights-based approaches, highlighted examples from different regions, and discussed the expected outcomes for nature-based solutions for climate and social inclusion in the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. The English-only event page can be accessed at Building the Capacity to Implement Inclusive Approaches to Nature-based Climate Solutions.

On November 24, 2022, Farm Radio International presented the webinar: “What people are saying about nature-based solutions: initial findings from our research in sub-Saharan Africa and Canada".  The event shared findings related to Farm Radio International’s Nature-based Solutions for Climate Change Adaptation project, including "state of play" reports in 6 countries; Farm Radio International’s first On Air Dialogue with people in rural Burkina Faso and Ethiopia; and the results of an opinion poll conducted in Canada to assess Canadian attitudes about nature-based solutions for climate change adaptation, particularly in Africa. The recording of webinar (English only) can be accessed at Farm Radio International - YouTube.

In December 2022, during the UN Biodiversity Conference in Montreal (CBD COP15), the International Institute for Sustainable Development hosted two events on nature-based solutions.  The first event examined how to generate measurable biodiversity co-benefits through nature-based solutions for climate adaptation and discussed some of the challenges and opportunities in scaling up these solutions while simultaneously addressing social inclusion, gender equity and biodiversity. See Nature-Based Climate Solutions: Enhancing Biodiversity Co-Benefits | IISD Earth Negotiations Bulletin for the English-only write-up of this event.

The second event featured a series of panel sessions highlighting the importance of synergies between biodiversity conservation and climate adaptation for the successful implementation of the Global Biodiversity Framework and the scaling up of climate and nature initiatives. See Highlights and images for 15 December 2022 (English only) prepared by the International Institute for Sustainable Development’s Earth Negotiations Bulletin.

The first annual meeting of the Climate and Biodiversity Community of Practice took place on February 9, 2023, during International Development Week. The recording of this event will be available shortly.

On June 22, 2023, the Aga Khan Foundation Canada and the International Institute for Sustainable Development co-hosted an event entitled: From Knowledge to practice: Advancing Biodiversity-Positive Nature-Based Climate Solutions. The event included a presentation on enhancing biodiversity co-benefits from NbS implementation and case studies detailing best practices on achieving measurable benefits for biodiversity and ecosystem health through nature-based solutions. These included: the Biodiversity and Ecosystem-based Climate Change Adaptation Project in Gujarat, India; Species Threat Abatement and Recovery (STAR) Metric; Coffee, Climate Resilience in Ethiopia: The challenges and opportunities on using NbS, Coffee and Climate Change Adaptation, and Nature-based Solutions Approach Applied to a Cassava Value Chain. Global Affairs Canada also welcomed organizations to the third meeting of the Community of Practice on Nature-based Solutions for Climate and Biodiversity and provided an update on Partnering for Climate. This was followed by a networking session for participants. Case study presentations and the recorded webinar can be found at: From Knowledge to Practice: Advancing Biodiversity-Positive Nature-Based Climate Solutions.

On August 23, 2023, during the 7th Global Environment Facility (GEF) Assembly in Vancouver, Global Affairs Canada hosted two side events on mobilizing private investment and private sector participation in climate and biodiversity programming in developing countries. The first event was an armchair discussion between GAC’s Assistant Deputy Minister responsible for the $5.3 billion international climate finance commitment, and Canadian and international impact investors and businesses on mobilizing private sector finance for climate action and biodiversity conservation. The second event gathered the Nature-Based Solutions for Climate and Biodiversity Community of Practice. The event built on insights from the armchair discussion and explored how to engage with and mobilize private sector investment and expertise alongside Canadian-led nature-based solutions and biodiversity programming. Further details can be found at Private Sector Mobilization for Climate and Biodiversity Finance.

Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) in Nature-based Solutions for Adaptation. The event included: a presentation on advancing GESI through NbS; case studies on best practices on integrating a GESI lens in the design, implementation and monitoring of NbS projects; a panel discussion with questions and answers; Breakout group discussions on GESI and natural resources governance, GESI and monitoring and evaluation in NbS projects, and improving access to NbS resources by feminist and women and human rights focused organizations. Global Affairs Canada also hosted the fourth meeting of the Community of practice on Nature-based Solutions for Climate and Biodiversity. The meeting included presentations on select Partnering for climate projects and group discussions on experiences and lessons regarding planning, integrating adaptation considerations and climate risk assessments, developing a GESI strategy, and considering biodiversity co-benefits. Information from this event is available here: From Knowledge to Practice: Mainstreaming Gender Equality and Social Inclusion in Nature-Based Solutions for Adaptation.

On February 8th, 2024, the IUCN and the Nature-based Solutions for Climate and Biodiversity Community of Practice had the pleasure of hosting a hybrid event at the offices of the Aga Khan Canada Foundation on empowering communities through nature-based solutions (NbS) for climate adaptation. This event aimed to promote knowledge-sharing among experts and practitioners by showcasing successful case studies and innovative practices; and encouraged collaboration and networking. The event included: a keynote speech by the steering committee of the community of practice; a presentation on the importance in distinguishing Indigenous Peoples and local communities; and presentations from organizations on their good practices and experiences on community engagement. The event ended with a networking session. Information from this event will be posted here: International Development Week | Empowering Communities Through Nature-Based Solutions for Adaptation « NCAI (iisd.org).

On February 9, 2024, as part of the International Climate Finance Learning Event, 2024 of the International Development Week, the  Global Issues and Development Branch’sClimate Finance team  hosted the "Financing to Strengthen Climate Resilience" event  at the Global Affairs Canada headquarter. This event  facilitated a discussion on recommended actions and/or projects, as well as the most appropriate risk-reduction instruments in a context of climate change and increased frequency of environmental hazards.

On February 9, 2024, during the afternoon session of the International Climate Finance Learning Event, Global Affairs Canada hosted the Annual Learning and Sharing event of the Nature-based Solutions for Climate and Biodiversity Community of Practice. The event included: a keynote speech on Canada’s nature positive approach for its Climate finance portfolio; a discussion on Indigenous perspectives and the Nature-based Solution IUCN Global standard; seven presentations of projects funded  under the Partnering for Climate initiative; and a marketplace to deepen conversations between projects and to network. Information from this event will be posted here: International Development Week | Climate Day « NCAI (iisd.org).

Application process for the Partnering for Climate call for concept notes (closed)

We are no longer accepting proposals for this initiative. The following will help you understand what the application process was.

Partnering for Climate program criteria and concepts received

As part of Global Affairs Canada’s commitment to ensuring a transparent and equitable process for the Partnering for Climate initiative, the Department published regular updates on the status of submitted concept notes. 

Applicants of concept notes had to ensure that:

• the development challenge was focused on climate change adaptation needs of targeted beneficiaries, and proposed nature-based solutions were appropriate to addressing these needs
• proposed nature-based solutions were linked to the drivers of biodiversity loss and delivered significant biodiversity benefits
• concepts did not contain Innovative Finance program components
• concepts included a mandatory annex (max 1,000 words) detailing how they met eligibility criteria, in addition to the information required in a standard concept note.

Eligibility criteria: $300 million envelope

In addition to meeting all other criteria of Canada’s $5.3 billion international climate finance program, proposals for Partnering for Climate funding must carry out the following:

1. Demonstrate support for climate change adaptation as the principal objective (see: Project Coding - Policy Markers).
2. Include biodiversity as a significant objective (see: Project Coding - Policy Markers).
3. Include at least 1 gender equality outcome at the immediate outcome level (namely GE-1, to achieve a change in skills, awareness, or knowledge that contributes to gender equality – see Feminist International Assistance Gender Equality - Toolkit for Projects). For the $20 million earmarked funding for programming at the intersection of women’s rights and climate adaptation, preference will be given to projects that achieve a GE-3 coding and integrate a feminist approach consistent with the FIAP.

Further instructions on coding are provided below.

Project size and timelines: Global Affairs Canada is seeking projects in the range of $15 million to $40 million over fiscal years 2021/22 to 2025/26 for this funding envelope. An exception to the $15-million minimum project size will be made for programming in women's rights and climate change adaptation as described in the section on earmarked funding, where projects of $5 million or more will be considered.

Country eligibility: To qualify for Partnering for Climate funding, proposed NbS projects must take place exclusively in sub-Saharan African countries (including those identified as Small Island Developing States) that are eligible for official development assistance.^{Footnote i} Projects can be single-country, multi-country or regional (for example, focused on transboundary ecosystems like river basins, wetlands, coastlines, grasslands and/or savannas).

Program level outcomes: All Partnering for Climate-funded projects must align with Canada’s $5.3 billion International Climate Finance Program Logic Model outcomes:

• Intermediate outcome: enhanced adoption of gender-responsive nature-based solutions for climate change adaptation in developing countries with biodiversity co-benefits
• Immediate outcome 1 (capacity): enhanced awareness and capacity of targeted partners to develop and implement nature-based climate solutions with biodiversity co-benefits
• Immediate outcome 2 (solutions)^{Footnote ii}: increased equitable access of targeted partners to solutions, including technologies, enabling environments, and finance for nature-based climate solutions with biodiversity co-benefits

Note: You may refine these intermediate and immediate outcome statements to ensure they are grounded in the reality of your project design, making them more specific in terms of your project’s who, what and where factors. Please refer to Results-based management for international assistance programming: A how-to guide to ensure that your outcome statements respect Global Affairs Canada’s definition of intermediate and immediate outcomes.

Earmarked funding: Advancing women’s rights and climate adaptation

Within Partnering for Climate funding, at least $20 million of the $300 million allocated will focus on advancing women’s rights and climate change adaptation. These projects will involve women’s organizations in developing countries.

Projects could include:

• promoting women’s economic empowerment in nature-based solutions (NbS) value chains for climate change adaptation
• supporting women’s meaningful participation in climate-resilience policy and decision-making processes
• empowering women in the design, implementation and scale-up of climate change adaptation NbS

Gender equality coding note: Under this earmarked $20 million, in addition to achieving policy marker coding of CC-2 and BD-1, preference will be given to women’s rights and climate change adaptation projects that achieve gender equality policy marker coding of gender-equality-3 (GE-3).

Other objectives for the $300 million envelope

In addition to the overall climate finance program eligibility (which is aligned with the FIAP) and the coding requirements described below, Global Affairs Canada may give preference to projects that respond to the following objectives:

• Inclusive partnership approaches that bring in new, non-traditional development partners such as Canadian environmental NGOs, the private sector and researchers with knowledge, capabilities or goods and services that are relevant to the success of climate change adaptation—To accommodate this objective, preference may be given to organizations that submit an application in partnership with smaller or newer Canadian organizations working in international development or climate action to facilitate greater cooperation in the NbS community and support mentoring and accompaniment.
• Support across a range of ecosystems to help expand the capacity of organizations in Canada to support NbS in different priority ecosystems in Sub-Saharan Africa—This may be done by favouring projects that target ecosystems with less access to funding in general and by selecting different projects as part of a portfolio approach, to ensure that funding is allocated to different priority ecosystems.
• Approaches and tools to test solutions, and learn and report what does and does not work—Given the urgency of scaling effective solutions to climate change adaptation and sharing learnings among organizations supporting climate adaptation through NbS, Global Affairs Canada may favor projects that include a commitment and resources to experiment with locally led solutions and to regularly monitor (beyond the traditional project cycle) and widely report on successes and failures.
• Localized approaches—Adaptation to climate change needs to take into account the specificity of local contexts.  It should also support local involvement, knowledge and ownership, including promoting women and Indigenous Peoples’ access to, and control over, resources.

Environmental coding requirements

All Partnering for Climate proposals will need to include a robust environmental analysis and demonstrate that they are informed by a vulnerability assessment that captures both climate change and biodiversity. Projects should also align with host government priorities and clearly reflect their planned solution(s) and expected results in the theory of change and results framework.

To conduct a vulnerability assessment, project proponents need to consult with the people and organizations that have an interest or stake in the project.  In particular, they need to make special efforts to involve people who are particularly vulnerable or excluded from normal decision-making processes, including:

• women
• Indigenous Peoples
• young people
• people with disabilities
• 2SLGBTQI+

These traditionally marginalized groups must be reached, heard and have their views reflected when determining what adaptation priorities should be and what solutions are best for addressing them.

Each proposal will also need to meet the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development- Development Assistance Committee Rio Convention marker requirements of “principal” for climate change adaptation (namely CC-2) and a minimum of “significant” for biodiversity conservation (BD-1).  See below for a summary of Global Affairs Canada’s coding requirements for climate change adaptation and biodiversity projects.

Global Affairs Canada climate change adaptation coding requirements

Climate change adaptation “principal” projects are initiatives whose principal purpose is to reduce climatic vulnerability. Accordingly:

• most of the expected intermediate outcomes (and corresponding indicators) should be focused on climate change adaptation
• specific biophysical exposure elements (for example, sea level rise, flooding, temperature variability and/or extremes) and/or climatic adaptive capacities (for example, institutional capacity to monitor and/or reduce climatic risks to settlements and/or infrastructure) should be targeted.

Definition: Global Affairs Canada will classify activities as being related to climate change adaptation if they intend to reduce the vulnerability of human or natural systems to the impacts of climate change and climate-related risks, by maintaining or increasing adaptive capacity and resilience. This encompasses a range of activities from information and knowledge generation, to capacity development, planning and the implementation of climate change adaptation actions.

Eligibility criteria

• Climate change adaptation is fundamental in the design and impact of the initiative, and is an explicit objective of its design (that is, the initiative would not have been undertaken had adapting to climate change not been an objective)
• The initiative’s results framework (logic model, performance measurement framework) includes specific measures targeting the definition above, including at least 2 intermediate outcomes supported by corresponding indicators* and associated outcomes.

* Note: Unlike climate mitigation initiatives (where tonnes of greenhouse gas reduced and/or avoided is a basic metric), there is no single universal climate change adaptation indicator. Indicators need to capture elements like the (qualitative) level of climate vulnerability, number of people affected, climatic importance of policies and so forth.

Global Affairs Canada biodiversity coding requirements

Biodiversity “significant” projects are initiatives that explicitly support biodiversity through at least 1 intermediate and 1 or more immediate outcomes, with corresponding indicators to measure results.

Definition: Global Affairs Canada will classify activities as biodiversity-related if they promote at least 1 of the 3 objectives of the Rio Convention on Biological Diversity: the conservation of biodiversity, the sustainable use of its components (ecosystems, species or genetic resources), or fair and equitable sharing of the benefits of the utilization of genetic resources.

Eligibility criteria

The initiative meets 1 or more of the following eligibility criteria:

• protects or enhances ecosystems, species or genetic resources through conservation or remedies existing environmental damage in either the original ecosystems or in different locations
• integrates bio-diversity and ecosystem services concerns within recipient countries’ development objectives and economic decision-making, through institution building, capacity development, strengthening of the regulatory and policy framework, or research
• supports efforts of developing country to meet its obligations under the convention

Coding

• Biodiversity significant (BD-1) is defined as follows:
  • biodiversity is important, but not one of the principal reasons for undertaking the investment
  • biodiversity is explicitly promoted in investment documentation (avoiding negative impact is not a sufficient criterion)
  • the initiative’s results framework (logic model, performance measurement framework) includes specific measures targeting the definition above, including at least 1 intermediate outcome supported by corresponding indicators and associated outcomes
• Biodiversity principal (BD-2) is defined as follows:
  • biodiversity is fundamental in the design and impact of the investment and is an explicit objective of the investment; the investment would not have been undertaken had biodiversity not been an objective
  • the initiative’s results framework (logic model, performance measurement framework) includes specific measures targeting the definition above, including at least 2 intermediate outcomes supported by corresponding indicators and associated outcomes

For more information on the eligibility criteria, please refer to the OECD DAC Rio Markers for Climate: Handbook and Global Affairs Canada’s Climate Change Policy Markers.

Gender equality coding requirements

In accordance with Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy and the Government of Canada’s commitment to ensure that 80% of climate finance programming is gender integrated, projects submitted for Partnering for Climate funding must obtain at least a gender equality-1, or GE-1, code (partially integrated). This means that there is at least 1 gender equality result at the immediate outcome level in the logic model that will achieve a measurable change in skills, awareness, or knowledge that will contribute to gender equality. These outcomes must be reflected in the project’s theory of change and performance measurement framework.

However, to better reflect Canada’s commitment to gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls, preference may be given to projects that go beyond a GE-1 policy marker and strive for a gender equality-2 (GE-2), code or higher. GE-2 coded projects must have outcomes that show observable changes in behaviour, practice, access or performance at the intermediate outcome level. These results will contribute to stronger gender equality outcomes and deeper gender equality integration. It is important to remember that for a project to be coded GE-2, it is essential that at least 1 intermediate outcome be a gender equality outcome and that all of these results are reflected in the associated result chains, theory of change and the performance measurement framework.

Please refer to Canada’s gender equality toolkit for feminist international assistance for more information.

Some of the basics

What is climate change adaptation?

In biology, adaptation refers to the process by which living organisms adjust to the environments that they live in to improve their chances of survival.

Recognized impacts from climate change include, for example, more frequent and more damaging pest and disease infestations, floods, storms, droughts, heat waves and fires.

Adaptation projects aim to reduce the vulnerability of people and their communities to climate change. The amount of vulnerability that exists depends on biophysical exposure, socio-economic sensitivity and adaptive capacity.

Biophysical exposure

This is the type, frequency, severity and scale of exposure to climate-change related impacts on the world and its people. This includes impacts from both relatively fast-hitting, extreme events like typhoons, hurricanes, floods and droughts as well as impacts from things that happen slowly but have cumulative and long-term effects—like sea-level rise, reductions in freshwater availability, losses of local plants and wild animals, and changing temperature and rain patterns.

Socio-economic sensitivity

This is the amount and quality of the physical and social capital to which people and communities have access. Physical capital refers to both the built parts of communities on which people depend, including infrastructure like buildings, roads and bridges, and natural land and water ecosystems that enable activities like agriculture, forestry and fisheries. Social capital refers to the connections that people rely on.  These include social networks, social safety nets to ensure access to food and cash in times of crisis, and other ways in which people build mutual trust.

Adaptive capacity

This is the current or potential ability of people and systems to adapt to the impacts of climate change (without having to resort to unsustainable practices like selling off assets or having a spouse move elsewhere for work). Examples of things that increase adaptive capacity include access to climate and weather forecasting information, support to prevent damage and recover from disasters, more diverse and resilient food systems, climate-sensitive land and water management and strong local, national and regional institutions whose mandates include supporting climate change adaptation.

While all countries are vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, some countries—including Small Island Developing States—are more vulnerable than others (see ReliefWeb’s Climate Change Vulnerability Index 2017).  As well, there are often significant local differences in climate vulnerability within a country.  It is also the case that, in general, marginalized people and communities, including women, girls, Indigenous Peoples, people living in extreme poverty and others with limited access to decision-making, rights and resources, are more climate vulnerable than other members of the societies in which they live.

The impacts of climate change differ from place to place and person to person and will evolve over time. For this reason, adaptation solutions need to respond to the unique contexts of the individuals, communities and countries in which they are applied. They also need to reflect regionally specific climate forecasts like those provided by the U.S government’s Climate Prediction Center. For this reason, a vulnerability assessment is required for all climate change adaptation proposals.

Similarly, success in climate change adaptation planning and solutions also requires that project proponents involve, are guided by and secure the engagement and support of:

• relevant local, national and regional governments
• public and private sectors
• civil society
• other affected actors

Respecting and learning from Indigenous approaches

Indigenous communities have spiritual, cultural, social and economic connections with lands and resources. Many have developed ways to mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change while respecting and protecting the natural environment. Indigenous Peoples around the world often act as stewards of the environment, sharing their traditional ways and knowledge.

In addition to the $300 million of funding to support NbS for adaptation in Sub-Saharan Africa, a further $15 million will be available to support Indigenous Peoples in Canada to partner with Indigenous Peoples in developing countries (including but not limited to Sub-Saharan Africa) to achieve their climate action objectives. Please see the 2022 call for concept notes—Indigenous Peoples Partnering for Climate (international.gc.ca).

Climate change adaptation in Sub-Saharan Africa

The African Union’s Agenda 2063: The AFRICA We Want recognizes climate change as a major challenge for the continent’s development.  The impacts of climate change in Africa, including rising temperatures and sea levels, changing rain patterns and more extreme weather, are rolling back decades of development advances while contributing to food insecurity, the increased potential for conflict over resources, poor health outcomes, population displacement and stress on water resources.^{Footnote iii} This is particularly harmful to women and girls across the continent who are more vulnerable than men and boys to these changes. In 2021, Sub-Saharan Africa faced devastating floods, invasions of desert locusts and widespread drought, with the human and economic toll exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.  For the foreseeable future, the impacts of climate change will continue to harm the social, cultural and economic well-being of millions across the continent.  Because of its location and challenging economic circumstances, Sub-Saharan Africa as a region (including its Small Island Developing States) is disproportionately at risk from these impacts, with its most vulnerable communities and groups, including women and girls, being the hardest hit.

In general, most countries in Sub-Saharan Africa also face serious challenges in achieving their climate change objectives.  This is due to significant limits on the human, financial, and technical resources that countries can mobilize as they try to achieve multiple social and economic development objectives while dealing with increasingly damaging and disruptive impacts of climate change.  These challenges are exacerbated by the urgent need to address COVID-19, poverty and conflict, and to continue to promote women’s empowerment and leadership (two pillars within Agenda 2063). This makes it all the more important that Canada help address the funding gap facing the region’s governments, communities and people in their efforts to adapt to climate change.  Many of these efforts are described in their Nationally Determined Contributions  and National Adaptation Plans, as well as in the African Union Green Recovery Action Plan 2021-2027 and other continental programs.

Some of the ways that Sub-Saharan African countries, communities and people are adapting to the impacts of climate change include building flood defences (for example, by sea walls) and drought management systems, setting up early warning systems for extreme weather, and establishing community shelters and cooling centres.  Many Sub-Saharan African farmers are changing which crops they grow and how they grow them.  Similarly, pastoralists are changing how they manage their livestock. Some of these climate change adaptations, and many others being applied at the local level, are particularly well suited to integrating NbS.

Climate trends across Sub-Saharan Africa

From north to south—from the Sahara Desert to the coastal forests of Eastern Africa —the African continent is widely recognized as a hot spot for climate variability and climate change impacts.^{Footnote iv} Sub-Saharan Africa needs an estimated USD$30 billion to US$50 billion each year until 2030 and beyond to support climate change adaptation.^{Footnote v} In Western Africa and the Sahel, water availability is a particular challenge, with extreme weather events such as droughts leading to humanitarian crises associated with periodic famines, food insecurity, population displacement, migration and conflict and insecurity.^{Footnote vi} Central Africa, for the most part, is landlocked, with high climate variability and dependency on rain-fed agriculture. It is a part of Africa that is expected to experience longer and more frequent heat waves and an increase in both too much and too little rainfall.^{Footnote vii} In Eastern Africa, warming temperatures and changing rain patterns are expected to decrease the productivity of both subsistence and cash crops, which remain a critical source of livelihoods and economic activity across the region.^{Footnote viii} Finally, changing climate conditions are putting much of Southern Africa’s unique and diverse terrestrial, freshwater and coastal ecosystems, and forests—which cover 41% of the total land area of the 16 Southern African Development Community member states —at risk.

Climate change adaptation nature-based solutions

In the case of Partnering for Climate, NbS are “solutions” for the challenges of climate change adaptation. In other words, by supporting and enhancing the benefits that nature and natural systems provide, NbS can:

• increase resiliency to the impacts of climate change
• conserve or enhance biodiversity
• provide social, cultural, and economic benefits to local communities

For example, a coastal mangrove restoration project can help protect local communities from tidal surges, increase bird and fish populations and provide natural resources that can be harvested for sale.

However, NbS are not a substitute for the changes needed in international, national, business and individual behaviours and structures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions quickly and permanently and to increase people’s resiliency to the impacts of climate change. For NbS to be truly successful, they must be accompanied by just, inclusive and environmentally sustainable social, cultural, economic and other systems.

Climate change adaptation nature-based solutions: Governance

In Sub-Saharan Africa, many climate change adaptation-targeted NbS will focus on:

• river basins, lakes, wetlands and watersheds
• coastal environments, including mangroves, sand dunes, and coral reefs
• woodland forests
• food systems including crop-based agriculture, pastoral activities, and fisheries

Each of these ecosystems is important in different ways to various members of society. Similarly, NbS are particularly important to the lives of marginalized and vulnerable people, including women, girls and Indigenous People. They are disproportionately affected by climate change, and at the same time, have essential knowledge and leadership roles to play in informing, designing, and implementing climate change solutions.

It is for these reasons that GAC supports the IUCN Global Standard for NbS and its emphasis on inclusive, transparent and empowering governance processes.  These include appropriate consultations and participatory processes enabling effective local participation and leadership in project design, implementation and monitoring and/or evaluation.

This rights-based, gender-responsive and intersectional approach also reflects the commitment of Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy to support the poorest and most vulnerable and to amplify the voices—as well as the traditional and ecological knowledge—of all groups.  This includes but is not limited to Indigenous Peoples, local grassroots organizations and women’s rights organizations.

Biodiversity

Biological diversity (biodiversity) refers to the variety of life at genetic, species and ecosystem levels including terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological systems of which they are a part.  This includes diversity within species, between species and of ecosystems. Biodiversity is also what enables ecosystems to flourish as different species live and work across various interconnected ecosystems to maintain natural balance. When biodiversity is reduced or otherwise harmed, ecosystems become less resilient and the ecosystem services on which human and other species depend can be reduced or lost altogether.

Canada has committed to allocate at least 20% of its $5.3 billion in climate finance to projects that leverage nature-based climate solutions and contribute to biodiversity co-benefits. This acknowledges that climate change is one of the key drivers of biodiversity loss and that protecting, conserving and restoring biodiversity are crucial to addressing climate change.  As such, all NbS projects receiving Partnering for Climate funding will need to explicitly support biodiversity conservation or enhancement while still being principally focused on climate change adaptation.

The section below provides examples of NbS that are focused on climate change adaptation.  These NbS all increase the resiliency of people, places and things to impacts of climate change. At the same time, they improve conditions for biodiversity and provide economic livelihood opportunities.  For specific examples of outcomes of climate change adaptation associated with terrestrial, forest and coastal ecosystems, see Annex.

Nature-based climate solutions with biodiversity co-benefits in Sub-Saharan Africa

• The conservation and restoration of wetlands, riverbanks or coastal and marine areas (for example,  shorelines, mangroves, seagrass, coral reefs) to increase protection against increasingly frequent and severe storm and tidal surges, provide habitat for marine species and generate economic benefits to coastal communities
• The replanting of climate-resilient mangroves and coral species to allow coastal ecosystem and biodiversity recovery and improve the viability of coastal fisheries
• Land-sharing and land-sparing strategies like community forests, mixed use forests for recreation and small-scale harvesting of mushrooms or fire wood to increase the resiliency of existing production on those lands, reduce or reverse habitat destruction and provide access to food and wood for consumption or sale
• Gender-responsive community and household innovations such as reforestation or riverbank rehabilitation to build resilience to flooding and grass-roofs or garden-top roofs and urban and peri-urban forest canopy to create natural cooling in the face of increasing heat waves
• Sustainable management practices for crops, pasture and rangeland and livestock, including conservation agriculture and optimized grazing that increase crop and livestock resilience to climate impacts, decrease destructive pressures on biodiversity and improve economic returns to farmers and pastoralists.

Gender-responsive climate change adaptation nature-based solutions

Climate change and biodiversity loss disproportionately affect women and girls.^{Footnote xi} However, because of the essential roles they play in their families and communities, women and girls also have valuable knowledge and leadership capabilities that can help advance locally suited adaptation approaches. For this reason, all projects funded by Partnering for Climate- must be gender responsive by deliberately acknowledging and addressing gender norms and structures that marginalize the voices of vulnerable groups, including women and girls.

In the context of NbS for climate change adaptation, gender power dynamics are often most apparent in areas of decision-making and leadership, access to and control over natural resources (for example,  land titling and tenure), access to finance, and household and social responsibilities.

To be considered gender responsive, Partnering for Climate projects should:

• take into account existing structures and relations of gender inequality
• identify and bring attention to the contributions of groups, including women and girls, that are affected by climate change and that have a direct or indirect interest in climate change adaptation solutions and biodiversity conservation
• actively highlight and enhance women’s and girls’ roles as agents of change and leaders

Nature-based climate solutions that are gender responsive in sub-Saharan Africa

• Support for women’s rights and women’s groups in engaging in consultations on climate change adaptation-related nature-based solutions (NbS) and policy and program design and implementation
• Technical, financial and business development support for women-led businesses and women entrepreneurs providing climate change adaptation NbS such as growing and selling local tree seedling varieties or heat-resistant and drought-resistant tree seedlings, providing bio-alternatives to fertilizers and pesticides, providing biofuel alternatives for wood or kerosene cook stoves and providing NbS-related technical assistance and data services
• Supporting women in mixed farming (namely, growing crops and raising livestock), agroecology and permaculture within perpetual forest or ground cover of fruit trees, bamboo, tubers, medicinal plants, pineapples, and so forth
• Supporting women-led sustainable forest management and restoration to simultaneously generate jobs, create non-timber income-generation opportunities (through products such as wicker furniture, herbs and medicines, wood carvings and eco-tourism) and improve habitat health

Annex: Examples of outcomes of climate change adaptation

To understand some of the different ways to describe climate change adaptation program outcomes, please see the following examples based on the Guidebook for Monitoring and Evaluating Ecosystem-based Adaptation Interventions, published by the Government of Germany.

Terrestrial, forest and coastal outcomes from climate change adaptation programs

Terrestrial (agricultural and pastoral land)

Outcomes:

• Reduced impacts of climate change on ecological interactions (e.g. pest and disease regulation, pollination) that affect crop and livestock production for subsistence or cash income
• Reduced negative impacts of climate change on livestock and crop production for subsistence or cash income (mainly through avoided physical damage)
• Increased incomes within communities, especially of women and girls, from terrestrial ecosystems

Forests (restoration, protection and new forests)

Outcomes:

• Reduced impacts of climate change on water quality and quantity for human use under extreme events (e.g. droughts, flooding, heatwaves, changes in precipitation through time)
• Reduced loss of assets of communities and infrastructure due to extreme weather events (e.g. hurricanes, typhoons and storms, flooding, landslides, heatwaves, fires)
• Reduced loss of lives in communities due to extreme weather events (e.g. hurricanes, typhoons and storms, associated flooding, landslides, extreme heat, fires)
• Reduced negative health effects (e.g. respiratory distress and heat stroke) due to extreme temperature and fires
• Increased incomes within communities relying on forest-related products and services, especially incomes of  women and girls

Coastal (e.g. fisheries, coral reefs, mangroves)

Outcomes:

• Reduced loss of assets of coastal communities and infrastructure due to storm surges following extreme events (e.g. hurricanes, typhoons)
• Reduced loss of lives, especially of women and girls, in coastal communities due to extreme weather events
• Reduced impacts of climate change on ecosystems that maintain livestock production, marine and freshwater fisheries, and natural products for household consumption or commercial harvesting
• Increased incomes within communities relying on coastal ecosystems, especially incomes of women and girls