UNDP is a recognized leader in capacity development and sustainable development. UNDP's role in these fields complements the GEF Secretariat’s desire to focus special attention on increasing the capacity of developing countries to address global environment issues. Acknowledging this, in January 2000 the GEF Secretariat and UNDP launched the Capacity Development Initiative (CDI). The assessment phase of the CDI resulted in (a) a series of regional assessment reports on the needs and priorities of countries, and (b) a proposed strategic framework for putting into effect the recommendations that emerged from the initiative. More recently, these efforts to respond to the importance placed globally on capacity development have produced the GEF Strategic Approach to Enhance Capacity Building and A Proposed GEF Approach to Adaptation to Climage Change papers.

The Capacity Development and Adaptation group of the UNDP-GEF team was established to oversee Enabling Activities (see GEF Grant Opportunities) that are directly linked to capacity development and adaptation from the perspective of the global environment. Cross-cutting environmental issues are central to efforts under the National Adaptation Programme of Action, National Capacity Self Assessments and climate change enabling activities. These activities are described below in greater detail.

Background information and documentation on the CDI are available for consultation:

In addition, the UNDP-GEF Monitoring & Evaluation unit has prepared a Capacity Development Indicators Resource Kit. Another source of information is the UNDP Capacity Development Group.

National Capacity Self Assessment (NCSA)
Drawing on the conclusions from the first phase of the Capacity Development Initiative, in May 2001 the GEF Council approved the new national capacity self assessment (NCSA) process, the first outgrowth of the CDI's second operational phase. NCSAs are a type of enabling activity (EA) that specifically focus on capacity development. The overall aim of NCSAs is to provide countries with the opportunity to identify priority capacity needs in order to effectively address cross-cutting global environmental issues. Countries are encouraged to then develop a plan of action to achieve global environmental management objectives in the context of the three Conventions relevant for NCSAs: the Convention on Biological Diversity, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification. In addition, Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and Least Developed Countries (LDCs) are able to access additional funding resources in order to prepare NCSA proposals.

The following serve as basic guidelines for preparing NCSA proposals:

NCSA Operational Guidelines (English, Spanish, French)
Operational Programme 12
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

UNDP-GEF also recommends that countries implementing NCSAs consult in particular two complementary reference documents. The documents provide step-by-step explanations for each stage of the process and suggestions on methodologies to be applied.

 National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA)
NAPAs are a recent form of enabling activity for climate change activities. NAPA EAs are designed specifically to assist Least Developed Countries (LDCs) to build capacity for addressing urgent and immediate adaptation needs, as well as for the preparation of their national communications to the UNFCCC. For more information, please consult the NAPA Operational Guidelines (English, French). The annotated guidelines for the preparation of NAPAs (English, French), approved at the 7th Conference of the Parties, are also available. The National Communications Support Programme provides further guidance on getting NAPA proposals ready to be submitted to the GEF for approval, as well as on the preparation of NAPAs after obtaining approval.

Climate Change
Enabling activities in climate change assist recipient countries to prepare to meet their commitments under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). EA grants assist countries with the development of national strategies, plans or programmes, and help with activities in the country to address climate change issues, such as reducing levels greenhouse gases. CC EAs lead to the preparation of national communications to the UNFCCC, as well as involve other types of preparatory activities. Climate change ‘Add Ons’ are also EAs, but the focus of activities is on fulfilling commitments to the Convention that have arisen subsequent to the original GEF EA eligibility guidelines. The National Communications Support Programme provides additional guidance on applying for climate change EAs.