Grants for the Application of ICAT Policy Assessment Guides

Deadline: 27-Nov-23

The Initiative for Climate Action Transparency, managed by UNOPS on behalf of the Donor Steering Committee (DSC), has issued a call for proposals from organizations to apply for series of policy assessment guides.

The ICAT series of policy assessment guides provides a stepwise and integrated approach for estimating the greenhouse gas, sustainable development and transformational impacts of countries’ climate policies and actions. The guides are free to use and accessible on the ICAT website, and include:

• five guides to assess GHG Impacts in different areas and sectors (agriculture, renewable energy, transport pricing, forestry, and buildings efficiency);
• three cross-cutting impact assessment guides (sustainable development, transformational change, and non-state and subnational actions), and;
• two process guides (stakeholder participation, and technical review).

The Initiative for Climate Action Transparency was established in 2015 at the COP that adopted the Paris Agreement to support implementation of the Agreement’s Enhanced Transparency Framework. The Initiative works with over 50 developing countries ranging from large countries, like Nigeria, to small islands, such as Antigua & Barbuda.

ICAT provides countries with tailored support and practical tools and methodologies to build robust transparency frameworks needed for effective climate action in sync with national development priorities. The projects ICAT supports relate to: building or enhancing transparency frameworks for mitigation; building a monitoring and evaluation approach for adaptation; building or enhancing frameworks to track progress in implementing nationally determined contributions; assessing the impacts of climate policies; estimating or enhancing projections of greenhouse gases; integrating and/or aggregating climate actions at the subnational level and by non-State actors; building a tracking system for just transition processes; establishing or enhancing a climate data system; and putting in place a framework to track climate finance.

To support these areas, ICAT offers a suite of practical, open-source tools and methodologies to provide effective support to the transparency efforts of countries around the world.

Objectives and Scope of the Grant/Funding

• Objectives
  • ICAT is seeking organizations (governmental entities or non-governmental organizations, such as research institutions or grass roots organizations) to apply one or more of the above-mentioned guides to individual projects in developing countries over a six-month period, starting no later than Q1 2024. This would include:
    • undertaking an assessment using the chosen guide(s). This may include assessing the expected and/or achieved change in terms of greenhouse gas emissions/removals, sustainable development impacts, and/or extent of transformational change resulting from a policy or action. It may also include the assessment of impacts of non-state and/or subnational actions. The assessment can involve a focus on engaging stakeholders in the assessment process and/or conducting a technical review on the assessment results. The assessment can apply to the adopted policies or actions and/or to those under consideration; and
    • based on the assessment, providing feedback on the role that the guide(s) can play in the development of policies, enhancing the NDC update and/or implementation process, other climate action, or other relevant aspects of the Paris Agreement, and/or the use of the assessment results to raise resources. Feedback should also be provided on the usability and practicality of the guide(s).
• Based on the above objectives, the project may contribute to the following key impacts in the country of application, as per ICAT’s monitoring, evaluation, learning and uptake framework:
  • improved quality of reporting to the UNFCCC (biennial transparency reports (BTRs) and national communications);
  • new or refined policies and measures in support of a collective 2/1.5-degree ambition in nationally determined contributions (NDCs);
  • improved climate and/or sustainable development policies;
  • early signs of transformational change, linked to:
    • increased political will and local ownership;
    • increased access to finance as a result of improved climate action transparency;
    • improved knowledge and awareness of climate action transparency;
    • increased capacity for climate action transparency;
    • evidence of effectiveness is shared and/or replicated; and/or
    • sustainability of activities.
• For the organizations selected to apply the guides, multiple benefits are expected, including:
  • a better understanding of the impacts of policies and actions (for example, on greenhouse gas emissions and a range of sustainable development impacts) to inform decision making and planning;
  • support for domestic and/or international reporting such as BTRs, the implementation of NDCs, and meeting other domestic and international objectives;
  • improved local capacity on policy assessment methods and processes; and
  • a chance to influence the future development of the guides through feedback given during the process

Funding Information

• The grant funding available under this Call for Proposals is up to USD 45,000 per grant.
• The expected duration of the grant/funding is four – six months.

Activities under Grant/Funding

• Activity 1: Plan the assessment process
  • Plan the assessment process according to the chosen guide(s). This includes identification of relevant stakeholders and identification of data needs and impacts; and
  • Secure sufficient resources to carry out piloting (e.g., secure staff time and data availability, leveraging related processes or initiatives).
  • Expected Outputs:
    • Production of a short report that provides an overview of the assessment process.
  • Estimated timeline:
    • 1 month
• Activity 2: Carry out the assessment and develop an assessment report
  • Collect the necessary data (e.g., from national statistics, government agencies, companies, international sources, etc.);
  • Implement the relevant methodological steps outlined in the chosen guide(s); and
  • Develop a detailed report that describes the assessment process and results, as described in the chosen guide(s). The report should be of a high standard and include proofreading and copyediting. The report must additionally include:
    • A description of how the results could be used. For example, in domestic policy making, national/ international reporting, the implementation of NDCs, and/or mobilizing finance;
    • Lessons learned; and
    • Feedback on the usability of the guide(s).
  • Expected Outputs:
    • Production of a detailed assessment report.
  • Estimated timeline:
    • 2-3 months
• Activity 3: Outreach and communications
  • The following activities should be done in parallel with Activity 2:
    • Develop a case study/case studies highlighting key lessons learned in the assessment process. Case studies may be made available on the ICAT website and other communication channels, and may be included in future updates of the guide(s) as examples. ICAT partner organizations and the ICAT Secretariat are available to assist in the development of the case study;
    • Participate in progress calls, as needed, to share experiences and seek technical support from the ICAT Secretariat and/or partner organizations; and
    • Make at least one virtual presentation to ICAT stakeholders (there may be an opportunity to be invited to a physical meeting of ICAT partners in 2024, with travel expenses covered by ICAT).
    • Expected Outputs:
      • Production of a case study/case studies based on the assessment process;
      • Presentation of the case study to ICAT stakeholders;
      • Timely provision of progress reports;
      • Outputs developed under this project ensure ICAT visibility and maximize lessons learnt.
    • Estimated timeline:
      • 1-2 months

Target Beneficiaries

• Developing country governments and their partners that are planning and implementing policies, and/or assessing their impacts in the context of developing and implementing their NDCs, national or subnational low carbon strategies, nationally appropriate mitigation actions, and other mechanisms.

Eligibility Criteria

• The following categories of applicants are eligible to apply under this Call for Proposals:
  • government agencies;
  • university, academic or research organizations;
  • NGOs; and
  • civil society organizations.

For more information, visit UNGM.