Call to strengthen the link between climate funds and local communities that provide ecosystem services

Dear friends and colleagues,

We are all aware of the urgency and importance of combating climate change and helping the populations most affected to adapt. To achieve this, it is essential to mobilize sufficient, effective and equitable climate funds that can reach the real beneficiaries, i.e. the local and indigenous communities that ensure the restoration and preservation of natural ecosystems, sources of life and resilience.

However, we can see that this is not the case. Indeed, climate funds face numerous obstacles to reaching local actors, such as lack of transparency, capacity, participation or coordination. According to some estimates, less than 10% of global climate funds are dedicated to local action, and less than 2.5% of humanitarian aid is devolved to local actors. This is unacceptable and inefficient, because local communities are the first to suffer the impacts of climate change, but also the first to act to cope with them, by mobilizing their knowledge, practices and innovations.

That’s why we’re calling on climate finance institutions, such as the Green Climate Fund, the Global Environment Facility, and others, to take concrete steps to strengthen the direct link between climate funds and local communities that provide ecosystem services. These measures include:

• Accrediting more civil society organizations, including local or indigenous organizations, as implementing entities, simplifying and accelerating procedures, and providing them with technical and financial support.
• Promote direct financing approaches, enabling community organizations to receive climate funds directly, without going through government intermediaries or other entities, and granting them greater autonomy and responsibility in the management of resources.
• Support participatory financing initiatives, which enable community organizations to raise funds from a variety of sources, such as private donors, foundations, businesses or citizens, using online platforms or innovative mechanisms.
• Recognize and value the contributions of community organizations to climate action, by giving them greater visibility, recognition and remuneration for the ecosystem services they provide.

These measures are in line with the principles of local adaptation (or LNA), which were developed following extensive consultation and aim to secure a climate-resilient future guided by inclusion, participation, justice and equity.

We invite you to join our movement for more local, just and sustainable climate action, and make your voice heard by decision-makers and funders. Together, we can do better!

Thank you for your attention and commitment.