Access to Climate Finance by Women and Marginalised Groups in the Global South

Abstract

This paper examines the issue of management of climate finance in the Global South. It acknowledges the efforts made by the various stakeholders so far but seeks to advance a clarion call for a more inclusive and targeted approach in dealing with climate change. The authors highlight the limited role played by least developed countries and small island developing states in contributing to the conversation on climate change. The authors emphasize the need for enhancing the role of the most vulnerable countries, marginalized groups, and indigenous peoples in the management of climate change. This rapid review focusses on the access to the Green Climate Fund by local civil society organisations (CSOs), indigenous peoples, and women organizations within the Global South. The authors observe that there still exist barriers to climate finance by local actors in the Global South. The authors note the need for more significant engagement of all local actors and the need to devolve climate finance to the lowest level possible to the most vulnerable groups. Particularly, climate finance should take into consideration gender equality in any mitigation measures. The paper also highlights the benefits of engaging CSOs in the engagement of climate finance. The paper argues that local actors have the potential to deliver more targeted, context-relevant, and appropriate climate adaptation outcomes. This can be attributed to the growing movement for locally-led adaptation, a new paradigm where decisions over how, when, and where to adapt are led by communities and local actors. There is also a need to build capacities and strengthen institutions and organisations. Further, it is important to ensure transparency and equitable use and allocation of climate finance by all players.