Overview
The Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF) is an international platform for cooperation, coordination, advocacy and knowledge-building among developing countries that face significant insecurity due to climate change and are determined to catalyze more effective and broad based action for tackling the global climate challenge, internationally and nationally.
With membership as of 25 September 2012 of 20 countries, the CVF is designed to raise awareness on the dangers of climate change and the imperatives and benefits of collective actions. The Forum was the first international entity to adopt the climate stabilization goal of 1.5 °C, which was subsequently adopted by the Alliance of Small Island States, a UNFCCC negotiating group of more than 40 members.
For countries disproportionately vulnerable to climate change, socio-economic constraints are paramount. Within a highly complex international development environment, competing policy agendas sap at the already limited capacities to engage in systematic political organization and coordination. Policies shaped by this group could yield dividends for all. The marginal costs of reducing emissions in developing countries are significantly lower and technologically less challenging than domestic actions in developed economies. An effective advocacy and supporting research will ultimately help achieve the UNFCCC’s objective by supporting transformation at both the international and domestic levels.
Participating UN Organizations have agreed to support the initiative of the current and incoming CVF Chairs, respectively Bangladesh and Costa Rica, to establish a Climate Vulnerable Forum Trust Fund (CVFTF). The purpose of the CVFTF is to ensure adequate, predictable and flexible finance to support the Forum’s activities.
The current members of the Forum are: Afghanistan, Bangladesh (Incumbent Chair), Barbados, Bhutan, Costa Rica (Designate Chair), Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Kiribati, Madagascar, Maldives, Nepal, Philippines, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Tanzania Timor-Leste, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, and Vietnam.
CVF Documents
Assistance Strategy
The aim of the Climate Vulnerable Forum Trust Fund (CVFTF) is to facilitate the administration and management of activities and to ensure sustainable resource flows now and in the future so that the Forum can achieve its overall goals. Specifically:
- Unity and Consensus Promotion – Development of common approaches to policy questions of mutual interest/concern, promoting consensus and increasing opportunities for favorable outcomes in critical international fora or with respect to key actors (multi-lateral and bi-lateral).
- Awareness Raising – Enhanced quantitative and qualitative contributions to the public debate on climate change, articulating collective or complementary viewpoints.
- Increased Accountability – A greater degree of accountability on major emitters and all countries through improved tracking of progress and heightened visibility, analysis/scrutiny and political attention for headline policy concerns.
- Knowledge Building – Enhanced knowledge of best practices through a cross-fertilization of member experiences as well as targeted research and policy analysis that empower the Forum/members.
Governance
The Forum is guided in its activities by reference provisional operational modalities agreed at the 2011 full Forum meeting at Dhaka. The Forum agrees common priorities in group format among its members, which form the basis for any activities subsequently undertaken or policies established, including as a part of the annual work plan and for the eventual allocation of resources of the CVFTF.
Trust Fund Steering Committee
The CVFTF would be governed by a Steering Committee (SC) comprised of a representative group of key stakeholders, including Forum and Contributing Partners representatives and implementing agencies and chaired on a rotational basis by the incumbent Forum chair. The SC is responsible for approving the annual (and as appropriate periodic) work plans and progress reports. It supervises the overall programme implementation. Decisions on activity approval, resource allocation and institutional partnerships are to be taken by consensus.
Advisory Panel
An Advisory Panel (AP), an independent body of high-level policy-makers and experts will provide strategic advice and guidance on Forum activities including the Climate Vulnerability Monitor Report
Project.
Technical Secretariat
The Technical Secretariat (TS) provides secretariat support to the Forum’s Chairs and Members in the implementation of Forum activities. The TS works in close association with the Administrative Agent and in liaison with the SC, the Advisory Panel, the Peer Review Committee, other Implementation Partners and contracted agents as necessary. Its functions among others include:
- Preparing and consolidating work plans for approval by the SC;
- Guiding, reviewing and recommending submissions for SC approval and allocation of funds;
- Developing the CVFTF resource mobilization strategy for SC approval and supporting its implementation;
- Organizational and logistical support of Forum activities, including for meetings of all kinds, Task Forces, communication initiatives, and in relation to analytical tools;
- Organizing the preparation of substantive documentation and communications;
For the initial phase of work under the programme, the TS function will be fulfilled by DARA.
Administrative Agent
The Multi-Partner Trust Fund Office (MPTF Office) provides the Administrative Agent (AA) function. The AA is responsible for, receiving, administering and managing contributions from donors; disburse funds to Implementing Partners, based on SC approved work plans, consolidating annual and final financial reports; transmit annual/final Consolidated Reports to donors through the TS and SC.
Implementing Partners
Implementation Partners (IPs) include all UN Organizations that have signed an MOU with the MPTF Office and are involved in activities in support of the Forum’s work.
Decision-Making Process
Resources will be allocated to the Implementing Partners against work plans in alignment with the programme Framework and Forum priorities. The Technical Secretariat will assist with guiding and reviewing the submission of proposals to be submitted for approval and allocation of funds by the Steering Committee.
