Tracking and analyzing results achieved through climate finance is crucial to ensure we continue to progress towards our goals. For an issue as multifaceted and context dependent as climate resilience, putting forward the right approach is essential. CIF’s Pilot Program for Climate Resilience (PPCR) deploys a unique, country-led monitoring & reporting (M&R) system using a participatory approach that brings together projects and partners to make monitoring and reporting results comprehensive, iterative, and inclusive. On an annual basis, each PPCR recipient country convenes national and local stakeholders to monitor progress on national climate resilience mainstreaming efforts and PPCR investments, discuss shared climate resilience issues, and generate feedback. After over ten years of experience with this innovative M&R system, CIF and MDB partners are collaborating with country focal points to update strategies for capturing the results of completed projects and to meet the needs of a new generation of climate resilience investments.
As part of this work, CIF and Asian Development Bank (ADB) experts teamed up on 15-17 February 2023 to hold a PPCR M&R Dialogue and Strategy Workshop for the Asia-Pacific Region at ADB Headquarters in Manila, Philippines.
Country representatives from Bhutan, Cambodia, Kyrgyz Republic, Nepal, Philippines, Samoa, and Tajikistan, and CIF civil society observers participated in the workshop to bring their M&R challenges to the table and walk away with solutions. The event provided a platform to discuss and support the updating of country-level M&R after a temporary reporting suspension during the COVID-19 pandemic. With the PPCR program reaching maturity, countries, CIF and ADB discussed the implications of some investment plans reaching a new, more mature, stage in implementation and how best to capture results. Countries also shared knowledge, experiences and lessons implementing the PPCR M&R system to date. Finally, countries had the opportunity to discuss mainstreaming women’s leadership in resilience programs from investment planning through project implementation.
“Overall, the workshop was a great success in terms of refreshing the awareness of country participants on the PPCR M&R System. We loved the thought-provoking questions, and I think everyone adheres to the value of a participatory approach, despite some challenges that were identified during our dialogue.” said Loreta Rufo, CIF’s Pilot Program for Climate Resilience Lead. “We are excited to renew our commitment to support countries in their M&R journey in partnership with our MDB colleagues.”
The dialogue also provided an occasion for countries that are newer to PPCR implementation to learn how a participatory approach to climate resilience monitoring could benefit them. Ruslan Iliasov, Director at the Kyrgyz Republic’s Climate Finance Center under the Ministry of Natural Resources, Ecology, and Technical Supervision, said: “[The workshop] was an enriching experience to be part of [and] was very informative. I learned a lot that I can apply in my future work. The speakers were well-informed and provided valuable insights, which I believe will help improve our overall interaction. I am truly grateful for the knowledge and insights I have gained.”
Under ADB’s leadership, countries also had an opportunity to brainstorm on the future of climate resilience finance. They expressed interest in applying their learning and experience from PPCR to a new pipeline of climate resilience investments and see the value of providing adaptation finance support at scale. According to workshop participants, concessional financing is notably well suited for adaptation and resilience investments in agriculture, water, energy, biodiversity, forestry, and natural resources management.