UNDP-Spain MDG Achievement Fund

Terms of reference for thematic window on environment and climate change

A Request for Proposals (RfP) by the MDG-F thematic window for Environment and Climate Change was launched on April 26, 2007. The RfP closed on 8 June. Of the 57 eligible UN Country Teams, 51 submitted a proposal amounting to some $377 million.

The proposals submitted to the window were reviewed by the Technical Sub Committee for Environment and Climate Change over the period 10 June to 20 July. The Committee was convened by Mr. Achim Steiner, the Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme. It included representatives of FAO, UNDP and the World Bank as well as five independent experts and two experts nominated by the Government of Spain.

The Technical Sub Committee for Environment and Climate Change assessed 18 proposals as suitable for support by the MDG-F. The combined value of these 18 proposals in their original submission was $160 million. The TSC, however, reviewed budgets carefully and proposed revised budget ceilings for some proposals reducing the total to $95 million. 10 other proposals were rated as unsuitable in their present form but worthy of resubmission to a future RfP and 23 proposals were assessed as unsuitable under the current TOR of the thematic window. All applicants received written feedback.

The recommendations of the TSC were reviewed by the Fund’s Steering Committee at its meeting on 26 July 2007. All of the proposals recommended as suitable by the TSC were endorsed by the Steering Committee. A list of the approved proposals, which includes an indicative budget for each, can be viewed on-line clicking here. UN Country Teams submitted their detailed Joint Programme documents which were reviewed by the MDG-F Secretariat with the support of various independent experts. 1 Programme was cancelled. 4 Joint Programme documents have been sent back to the Country Teams with recommendations and adjustments to be made prior to their approval. As of January 2009, 16 Joint Programmes have been approved –Afghanistan, Bosnia & Herzegovina, China, Colombia, Ecuador, Egypt, Guatemala, Jordan, Mauritania, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Senegal and Turkey- with a total budget of $85.5 million approximately out of a $90 million envelope.

Please note this thematic windows is currently closed for applications