The Adaptation Fund had a very busy week at the UN Climate Summit and parallel Climate Week 2014:

— AF CERs used to offset carbon footprint of Climate Summit: the UN estimated that the Summit created 18,639 tons of CO2. They purchased the equivalent in Adaptation Fund Certified Emmissions Reductions (CERs, or ‘carbon credits’) to offset the Summit’s carbon footprint.

The initiative is part of the UN’s efforts to work toward climate neutrality in its operaions. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon noted that, as the world addresses the climate challenge and strives towards a new universal and meaningful agreement, “the organization must lead by example.”

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— The Swedish government, through its Permanent Mission to the UN, hosted a lunch seminar, “The Adaptation Fund, 2010-2014: Achievements, Lessons learned, Challenges and Opportunities.” The luncheon, hosted by H.E. Ms. Lena Ek, Minister for the Environment of Sweden, and H.E. Ms. Anna Lindstedt, Swedish Climate Ambassador. The attendees, from governments spanning the globe, engaged in lively dialogue about accessing the Fund’s resources, and furthering the future sustainability of the Fund itself.
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— Packed audiences attended the Rockefeller Foundation & BBC Media Action‘s panel “Innovative Strategies for Living with Climate Change”—a discussion of creative, context-sensitive solutions for coping with changing weather across Africa and Asia. Dethie Soumare Ndiaye of Senegal’s Centre de Suivi Ecologique (CSE) described community-level activities and successes of our first project proposed and implemented through direct access by a National Implementing Entity (NIE)— Adaptation to Coastal Erosion in Vulnerable Areas. Key local activities of this project include community input at every stage of the project, and the ricefield restoration project effected by Dynamique Femmes, a local womens’ cooperative.

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— The Centre de Suivi Ecologique (CSE) of Senegal won the 2014 ND-Gain Corporate Adaptation Prize for its implementation of the Adaptation Fund-financed project “Adaptation to Coastal Erosion in Vulnerable Areas.” The annual award reflects contributions to awareness, science or action in creating resilience to climate change and applies to multinational and local corporations working on projects in countries ranked below 60 on the ND-GAIN climate adaptation index. The CSE was the first National Implementing Entity (NIE) accredited by the Adaptation Fund to tap into our direct access climate adaptation financing. The prize was accepted by CSE’s Dethie Soumare Ndiaye at a New York City event at Baker & McKenzie.

Mamadou Honadia, chair of the Adaptation Fund Board, said of the Senegal project, “We’re working to increase resiliency along the coast, thereby improving livelihoods for thousands and enhancing the investment environment.” CSE’s Ndiaye noted, “Through the ND-GAIN prize, we show the world that local collaborations can help protect vulnerable populations.”