with the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development for the Republic of Mauritius 14 June 2016 NDA Strengthening & Country Programming
PAGE 1 OF 8 (Please submit completed form to countries@gcfund.org) Executive Summary (in one page) Country (or region) Republic of Mauritius Submission Date March 2016 NDA or Focal Point Contact Point (both NDA/FP and delivery partner) Ministry of Finance and Economic Development NDA/FP contact Name: Mr Gerard Bussier, Ministry of Finance and Economic Development Position: Director Email: gbussier@govmu.org Tel: +230 201 2339 Full Office address: Development Cooperation Directorate, Ground Floor, Government Centre, Port Louis, Mauritius Alternative Contact Name: Ms R. Ramsurn Position: Analyst Email: rramsurn@govmu.org Tel: (+230) 2012485 Full Office address: Development Cooperation Directorate, Ground Floor, Government Centre, Port Louis. Readiness Area/s 1. Establishing and strengthening National Designated Authorities (NDAs) or Focal Points 2. Strategic frameworks for engagement with the Fund, including the preparation of country programmes 3. Selection of implementing entities or intermediaries, and support for accreditation As a Small Island Developing State, the Republic of Mauritius (Mauritius) is particularly vulnerable to the adverse impacts of climate change. Mauritius is currently ranked as the 14th country with the highest disaster risk in the world and also 7th on the list of countries most exposed to natural hazards worldwide. The potential threats and risks from climate change are thus causes of grave concern to Mauritius. Request Summary (in 200 words) The Mauritius GCF Readiness & Preparatory Support programme (the Readiness Programme) seeks to enhance the institutional capabilities of the country in achieving a low carbon, climate resilient development in line with national objectives and strategies. The initial phase of the Readiness programme will focus on Activities 1 and 2: Strengthening of the National Designated Authority (NDA) and Development of Strategic Frameworks for engagement with the GCF. The Readiness programme is intended to provide technical and management support to the NDA in view of building the operational and strategic mechanisms and capacity, necessary for the NDA to fulfil its role and responsibilities in relation to the Fund. The programme will also focus, through national stakeholder engagement, on developing a country programme that will highlight the key priority areas and pipeline of projects that may be further developed for investment by the GCF. In addition, work will be undertaken to identify potential entities for implementation of such priority areas and to conduct initial gap analysis in terms of their suitability for accreditation to the Fund. Anticipated Duration 1 June 2016 31 May 2017 (12 months) Estimated total cost Up to US$ 300,000
PAGE 2 OF 8 SECTION A: RATIONALE FOR REQUEST A.1 Background Please provide country overview including initiatives related to climate finance e.g. NAMAs NAPs etc. Mauritius, as a Small Island Developing State, is highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. As per the World Risk Report 2014, Mauritius is ranked as the 14 th country with the highest disaster risk and 7 th on the list of countries most exposed to natural hazards worldwide. The effects of climate change are already being felt in the country; occurrence of flash floods, frequent flooding and landslides severely affecting public infrastructures, significant beach erosion around the island eroding the country s most prominent tourist attraction and decreasing trend in annual rainfall exacerbating the water stress situation in the country and impacting negatively the agricultural sector, amongst others. It is worth noting that the mean temperature in the country has risen by 0.74 o C 1.1 o C and is expected to increase by 2 o C by 2070 while sea level has risen by about 5.4 mm/year on average since 2003. Recognising the critical challenges posed by climate change to its population, environment and economy, Mauritius has been fully supportive of international initiatives to combat and alleviate the impacts of climate change. The country has signed the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 1992 and ratified the Kyoto Protocol in May 2001. More recently, Mauritius has submitted its Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) highlighting the mitigation and adaptation options and needs of the country. With the technical and financial support of the international community, Mauritius will be able to abate its greenhouse gas emissions by 30% by 2030. All in all, Mauritius will require over USD 1.5 billion for mitigations measures and USD 4 billion for adaptation measures across all sectors of the economy in the form of finance, investment, technology development and transfer, and capacity building. In gearing up its actions against climate change, Mauritius has developed in 2012 a National Climate Change Adaptation Policy Framework (NCCAPF) under the Africa Adaptation Programme (APP). The main objectives of the NCCAPF are to foster a climate resilient development and to mainstream climate change adaptation into national development policies, strategies and plans. The NCCAPF comprises namely of i) a National Climate Change Adaptation Policy, ii) a Climate Change Adaptation Strategy and Action Plan; iii) a Climate Change Adaptation Investment Plan; and v) selected Project Concepts. A Technology Needs Assessment (TNA) and Action Plan has also been developed and prioritises key areas for enhanced climate change mitigation in the energy sector and adaptation in the agriculture, water and coastal zone sectors. Currently, a Low Carbon Development Strategy and Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMA) is being developed with a view of mainstreaming climate change mitigation in the institutional framework. The country is also preparing its Third National Communications (TNC) that covers its GHG inventory for the period 2007 2013 and will provide a basis for national planning and policy formulation. Furthermore, a Climate Change Bill is also under formulation. The Bill would provide for the legal framework to facilitate, inter alia, the implementation of the relevant obligations under the UNFCCC and its Kyoto Protocol and to address adverse effects of climate change towards making Mauritius climate change resilient and achieve a low emission and green economy. In response to its vulnerabilities to climate change, Mauritius has over the years implemented a number of climate related activities with both government financing, and financial and technical assistance from international donors. For instance, the Climate Change Adaptation Programme in the coastal zone of Mauritius project financed by the Adaptation Fund focuses on combating beach erosion and flood risk in three coastal areas of the country by applying climate adaptation measures. An early warning system for storm surges has been developed and implemented under the project as well as a series of capacity building exercise in the area of coastal engineering. In its endeavour to put the island on a low carbon pathway, Mauritius is implementing the project Removing Barriers to Energy Efficiency and Energy Conservation in Buildings funded by the GEF. Under this project, Mauritius has developed and enacted the Energy Efficiency act, and established an Energy Efficiency Management Office. A software tool for energy auditing of energy intensive industries is being developed as well as the implementation of capacity building exercises to energy auditors. A small-scale grid code to promote the connection of small scale independent auto-producers to the national grid has also been elaborated. Mauritius is currently in the process of securing funds from the European Union under its Global Climate Alliance + (GCCA+) flagship initiative to support climate smart agriculture. The GCCA+ project will namely seek to increase the capacity of governmental institutions to provide climate smart agricultural advice and services to small holders as well as assess best climate smart practices and projects. The project will also be supporting the implementation of a series of activities that will inter alia help to promote watershed management, improve soil and water conservation, spur the use of innovative irrigation techniques, develop sustainable farming practices for crop production and preserve agricultural lands under food crop cultivation from erosion. Furthermore, Mauritius is hosting the Commonwealth Climate Finance Access Hub which is to be fully operational by mid- 2016. The main objective of the Climate Finance Access Hub is to build the capacity of small states including SIDS and LDC s in view of helping unlock climate finance for adaptation and mitigation. Mauritius expects to fully benefit from the activities of Hub which shall facilitate inter and intra regional sharing of skills, knowledge and expertise to secure climate
PAGE 3 OF 8 financing. The Hub may provide substantial support to the country in the smooth implementation of projects through a rooster of climate experts. A.2 Justification for request Please explain how the readiness request will have an impact in your country and align with the goals of the readiness program. Please also discuss how the proposed activities are aligned with country priorities and strategies, and how link with existing climate finance initiatives in country. Although Mauritius has a good track record in accessing funds (from the GEF and the Adaptation Fund namely) to successfully implement climate/environment related projects, there are still some gaps to be addressed at the institutional level to effectively develop the operating capacity needed by the NDA to fulfil its roles and responsibilities in relation to the GCF. Mauritius is currently liaising with the GCF with regards to a project submitted for funding entitled Accelerating Transformational Shift to a Low Carbon Economy in the Republic of Mauritius. One of the key lessons learned from this first engagement with the GCF is that there is a definite need for awareness raising of the Fund s guidelines and procedures among stakeholders in Mauritius to smoothen the process. In order to review and ensure the bankability of projects submitted to the GCF, a good knowledge of the set of rules and procedures of the Fund is of upmost importance given that the GCF is a new mechanism. This Readiness programme will thus seek to strengthen the institutional capacity of the NDA by developing the proper structures and procedures to plan, access, mobilise and track GCF related activities in the country. The programme will also seek to provide technical assistance to the NDA to enhance its capacity to effectively support stakeholder coordination and engagement, and also provide the overall monitoring and oversight of GCF activities. In addition, NDA and institutions dealing with climate change (CC) in relation to project preparation need to be well versed in the different funding mechanisms supported by the GCF and in project formulation as per GCF guidelines and criteria. Mauritius has developed climate strategies and plans and has conducted various studies in view of better assessing its vulnerability and priority areas for action. However, there is great need for a synthesis of those, strategies, plans and studies, and their respective recommendations in order to assess and identify the strategic investment priorities of the country consistent with the GCF s results and investment frameworks. Such a time-consuming exercise would require the mobilisation of appropriate manpower and resources which unfortunately the NDA cannot do due to limited human capacity, and other commitments and responsibilities. This Readiness Programme will thus seek to collate and review the different plans and strategies of the country, assess their adequacy and prioritise their transformational potential. The Readiness programme will also identify the gaps that need to be addressed in order to define and develop a comprehensive country programme in line with the GCF framework and national development priorities as defined in the INDC of Mauritius. In addition, the Readiness programme will also raise awareness of the Fund s accreditation process, fiduciary standards, and environmental and social safeguards for potential NIE s in the country while conducting a preliminary identification and assessment of potential institutions that are ready for accreditation. The request facilitates the ultimate objective to develop a comprehensive suite of interventions, and thereby enable Mauritius to become an exemplar pathfinder for low-carbon development among Small Island Developing States (SIDS). SECTION B: SCOPE OF WORK Description of activities (Please provide detailed logical framework as an annex. See Annex I B.1 for content to build from). If consultancy service is required to undertake proposed activities, please also include a brief terms of reference of the service in this section or as an annex. The NDA will hire short term consultants or a team of consultants for a period of up to (12) months to carry out the following: Under Activity 1: Strengthening the NDA capacity to undertake the Fund s related roles and responsibilities, to build the capacity of the NDA and support the latter in undertaking the following tasks: i) Building the knowledge and capacity of the NDA in terms of mobilisation of climate finance from the GCF, programme and project appraisal, monitoring and evaluation, assessment of potential accredited entities, planning and alignment with national priorities and reporting on climate change matters. These may be based on best practices in other countries. ii) Capacity building of NDA dealing with climate change in relation to project preparation needs so as to be well versed with the different funding mechanisms supported by the GCF and in project formulation as per GCF guidelines and criteria. iii) Recommendations on the most effective operational procedure of the NDA based on international best practices,
PAGE 4 OF 8 iv) Recommendation on an appropriate coordination mechanism at the NDA level, with other relevant Ministries and stakeholders on the Fund-related matters, and MRV Framework ; v) Develop a National Awareness Programme; this will provide a platform for the dissemination of information on the operational procedures of the Fund and sharing of experiences. These would be delivered through workshops, seminars and conferences and training materials. Sect oral trainings to key Ministries and public bodies such as the Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Energy of Public Utilities, Ministry of Agro-Industry, Central Water Authority and Central Electricity Board may also be conducted on the formulation of project proposals including monitoring, evaluation and reporting mechanism as well as the Fund s accreditation process for Direct Access Entities, fiduciary standards, and environmental and social safeguards; vi) Supporting ongoing engagement of stakeholders at national and sub-national level including government, civil society and private sectors actors Under Activity 2: Strategic Engagement Framework with the Fund, to develop a country programme that includes or takes into account: i) Mauritius development priorities with respect to the existing strategies and policies such as NCCAPF, amongst others and the prioritised sectors for intervention, that are susceptible to climate change; ii) Strategic framework including programmes on priority climate change mitigation and adaptation measures for the Republic of Mauritius; iii) Opportunities to engage the private sector, including micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, and leverage their capacity to implement programming priorities; Identifying and developing programmes and projects concepts, including public-private partnerships, consistent with the Fund s Initial investment framework; and iv) On how the GCF can build on the ongoing work of other development partners in the country, and deliver its support in a manner complementary to the efforts of other partners. v) The identification of potential institutions that may act as accredited entities, in line with the priorities outlined in the Country programme and institutional gaps. A preliminary institutional gaps and needs analysis of these potential institutions would be carried out including recommendations on how to address any gaps identified relative to the Fund s Fiduciary standards and Environment and Social Safeguards. B.2 Expected results Provide a statement on how the readiness support for Activities 1, 2 and 3 would improve the institutional capacity of the NDA it may be useful to provide sense of gap that the funding allows the NDA to fill (note that this sense of gap should be presented in Section A.2, so an option is to make references to this section as you see fit). The consultant/team of consultants will be responsible for the preparation and submission of the following deliverables. These deliverables would contribute to addressing the institutional gaps identified in section A2 and are aimed at strengthening the NDA to enable it to fulfil its roles and responsibilities in relation to the GCF: i) An assessment report of the capacity, capabilities and needs of the NDA as well as activities carried out to strengthen the institutional and operational capacity of the NDA to fulfil its roles and responsibilities towards the Fund. It will also include a review of the best practices and operational procedures of NDAs in other countries as well as recommendations, based on the latter, on how the NDA can be fully capacitated to mobilise climate finance from the GCF. ii) A National Awareness raising programme and a report on its implementation including activities carried out to disseminate information about the Fund and its operational procedures to key stakeholders including public officials, civil society and private sector. Topics to be covered may include, but is not limited to project formulation and preparation, NIE accreditation, Fiduciary standards, Environmental and Social Safeguards as well as the Fund s mechanisms and systems; iii) A Country Programme including priority climate change investment areas for Mauritius, programme/project concepts, in-country mechanism for submission of funding proposals inter alia; iv) Report on the identification of potential accredited entities and institutional gaps and needs report for the potential accredited entities in the country, in line with the priorities identified in the Country Programme. v) Recommendation on an appropriate coordination mechanism and MRV Framework. vi) Training sessions and materials to the NDA and relevant stakeholders on, inter alia, operation procedure of NDA, project appraisal, mobilisation of climate finance, assessment of potential accredited entities, planning and alignment with national priorities, formulation of project proposals including monitoring, evaluation and reporting mechanism as well as on setting up of Direct Access Entities SECTION C: BUDGET (include total cost and share of GCF funding) The budget for Activities 1 and 2 is aligned to the standard budget provided for Activities 1 and 2 as offered by the GCF:
PAGE 5 OF 8 Category Activity Activity area 1 area 2 Total (USD) GCF Share (USD) Consultancy 65,000 65,000 130,000 130,000 Travel 14,000 15,000 29,000 29,000 Workshop and Training 43,800 44,000 87,800 87,800 Project Management 14,000 13,000 27,000 27,000 Other Operating Costs 7,000 6,000 13,000 13,000 Contingency 7,000 6,200 15,000 13,200 Grand Total 150,000 150,000 300,000 300,000 Note: please refer to the Fund s guide on indicative budgets for the standardised packages for activity 1 and activity 2. SECTION D: IMPLEMENTATION PLAN D.1 Implementation arrangements Please include information on delivery partners. The Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, the Fund s NDA, will be responsible for the overall implementation and execution of the project. The NDA will manage the Readiness Programme through the direct access modality of the GCF, subject to a satisfactory Financial Management Capacity Assessment (FMCA) which will be conducted by the Secretariat The Readiness programme will be governed through a Technical Committee comprising the key relevant stakeholders of the programme. The Technical Committee will be set up and chaired by the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development. The Technical Committee comprises inter alia (additional details will be provided in the Inception Report): (i) Ministry of Finance and Economic Development (ii) Ministry of Environment, Sustainable Development, Disaster, and Beach Management (iii) Ministry of Agro-Industry and Food Security (iv) Ministry of Energy and Public Utilities (v) Ministry of Public Infrastructure and Land Transport (vi) Ministry of Ocean Economy, Marine Resources, Fisheries, Shipping and Outer Islands (vii) Rodrigues Regional Assembly (viii) NGO s (ix) Academies (x) Private Sector D.2 Disbursement and implementation schedule See Annex II. The funds will be transferred and managed through the NDA in three (3) tranches: i) The first disbursement, which amounts US$ 120,000, will be transferred upon the submission of an inception document from delivery partner and the NDA, in form and substance acceptable to the Fund, which includes detailed implementation plan, procurement plan and budget; ii) The second tranche of US$ 130,000 will be transferred upon submission of an interim progress report and financial report, in form and substance acceptable to the Fund, including an expenditure statement; and iii) The final disbursement of $50,000 will be made upon submission of a completion report and financial report, including an audited expenditure statement. Further detail would be provided during the Inception Document preparation to support completion of Annex II. D.3 Procurement plan Please provide detailed procurement plan including methods. The NDA will competitively procure services consistent with its procurement policies for:
PAGE 6 OF 8 i) Technical support services and logistics, through recruitment of international and/or national consultants as per Terms of Reference (ToRs) developed under the guidance of the NDA. The NDA may also add other tasks to the ToRs of the consultants in accordance with the Fund s defined scopes of work and within the resource envelopes for this proposal and any supplementary resources secured from other sources, and ii) Conferencing facility services. Further information on the process and the results of procurement to be undertaken will be included in the Inception Document where such information can be provided in advance, and in any case, in interim progress or completion reports once such procurement has been undertaken and completed. SECTION E: MONITORING & REPORTING PLAN Please describe the frequency and responsibility for monitoring the indicators, the source of information that will be used to measure the indicators and the timing for submitting the interim and final reports of the activities implemented and outputs and outcomes achieved. The reports to be submitted will observe the presented disbursement and implementation schedule presented in Section D.2 and will include reporting against the logical framework included in Annex I. Additional indicators may be added by the NDA during the preparation of the Inception Document. SECTION F: RISK & MITIGATION MEASURES Please describe the expected risks (external and internal) that could influence the timing and quality of the deliveries. Highlight if there might be critical risks that could compromise the overall implementation. For each risk, identify the possible early corrective measures that will be in place to avoid or mitigate any negative impact. Project Risks Organisational: Institutional Arrangements (Lack of collaboration and participation from the relevant stakeholders) Operational: Delay in the execution of activities due to lengthy governmental procedures. Mitigation Measures Through the Project Technical Committee, the relevant stakeholders will be made aware of the various activities under the Readiness programme as well as their respective tasks and responsibilities. Close coordination and consultation by the NDA will also ensure that inputs and required information from the relevant stakeholders are provided in a timely manner. Proper project planning will be ensured by the Project Technical Committee as per the Implementation Schedule and monitoring of same will be done through the progress reports.
PAGE 7 OF 8 Annex I. Logical Framework OUTCOMES PROJECT SUMMARY INDICATORS BASELINES 1. NDA capacity to undertake Fund-related responsibilities and engage national stakeholders strengthened 2. Strategic framework for engagement with the Fund developed 1.1 Capacity to coordinate across stakeholders and facilitate effective consultation and communication 1.2 Knowledge on climate and finance priorities strengthened 1.3 System for reviewing proposals and issuing recommendations (or noobjections) established 1.4 Capacity and systems to monitor, evaluate and report on the activities of the Fund and other relevant finance mechanisms and institutions established 1.5 Information on procedures of the Fund to disseminate to country stakeholders 1.6 Capacity to conduct an assessment of potential NIE s in accordance to the Fund accreditation requirements and procedures 2.1 Engagement of private sector, civil society, government and local government stakeholders on priorities for engagement with the fund 2.2 Priorities for project and concepts to be developed for accessing the fund 2.3 Country programming document developed and published in adherence with the initial guidance from the Fund 2.4 Assessment of the gaps and needs of potential NIE`s in the country undertaken in line with the Country Programme
PAGE 8 OF 8 OUTPUTS 1.1 A process for supporting coordination across stakeholders and facilitating engagement (including periodic meetings / workshops) 1.2 Annual report on activities of the Fund and other relevant funding mechanisms and institutions in the country 1.3 Information materials on the operational procedures of the and distribution lists of recipients 1.1.1 Write up of the coordination process, and convening schedule 1.1.2 Meeting minutes and participant lists documenting engagement of at least 5 sector groups 1.2.1 Electronic copy of the annual report, and details of public dissemination channels 1.3.1 Links to electronic copies of presentations, information materials, climate and development information disseminated to distribution lists where relevant. 1.3.2 At least 2 information materials on the fund developed and disseminated to at least 500 people 2.1 Country programme, including elements provided in the Fund s Initial Guidelines for Country Programmes 2.2 Summaries of meetings of multistakeholder engagement, including list of participants 2.3 Assessment of institutional gaps and needs of potential NIE s 2.1.1 Copy of country programme, completed using the initial guidance on country programmes prepared by the GCF secretariat 2.1.2 Background documentation on the programme, and links to public dissemination channels 2.2.1 Agendas and summaries from workshops convened as part of the country programme process 2.2.2 Short note on lessons learned from country programming, and good practices in stakeholder engagement 2.2.3 Copy of report on institutional gaps and needs of potential NIE s