UNDP-supported National Adaptation Plan project in Bosnia and Herzegovina benefits from US$2.5 million Green Climate Fund grant

The Government of Bosnia and Herzegovina with the support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) launched today a new project today financed by the Green Climate Fund (GCF) with a US$2.56 million grant to advance the National Adaptation Plan process and reach goals outlined in the Paris Agreement and 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

UNDP in partnership with government institutions on all levels will implement the four-year project “Advance the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) process for medium-term investment planning in climate sensitive sectors in Bosnia-Herzegovina.”

At the Inception Workshop held in Sarajevo, the project was presented to the representatives of the state, entity, cantonal and municipal level authorities.

“Green Climate Fund financing will be used to enable the government to integrate climate change-related risks, coping strategies and opportunities into ongoing development planning and budgeting processes,” said Sukhrob Khoshmukhamedov, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Extreme climate events are becoming more frequent in Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H). In the past 16 years, drought was experienced during seven seasons and years with floods are very common.

The project will advance adaptation planning in B&H with a focus on sectoral approaches, upgrading the knowledge base for adaptation, prioritising adaptation interventions for the medium term, building institutional capacities for integrating climate change adaptation, and demonstrating innovative ways of financing adaptation at sub-national and local government levels.

Proposed activities will result in the compilation of a National Adaptation Plan and an implementation strategy focused on scaling-up adaptation in key sectors for the medium-term.

Assistant Minister of Spatial Planning, Civil Engineering and Ecology of Republika Srpska, Miloš Jokić, pointed out that the development of a National Adaptation Plan is extremely important given that the planning documents will be developed within the project, which will provide concrete guidance on how to act in terms of climate change mitigation and adaptation actions.

“This documentation should help us in ensuring additional grants in the forthcoming period so as to increase investment in this area, especially in the water and agriculture sectors, where it is crucial to adapt to climate change impacts,” said Jokić.

Through the project, the Government of Bosnia-Herzegovina will also develop municipal-level investment financing instruments with public and private sector engagement, and build national, sub-national and sectoral capacity to integrate and mainstream risk informed planning and budgeting.

The Green Climate Fund-financed project will be implemented in the partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ministry of Spatial Planning, Civil Engineering and Ecology of Republika Srpska, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management of Republika Srpska, Ministry of Agriculture, Water Management and Forestry of Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Ministry of Environment and Tourism of Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Please check the following link for more photos http://bit.ly/GCFProjectsinBiH