Update to Progress Report November 2011
Australia Delivering on Fast-Start Commitments
The momentum of Australia's A$599 million fast-start finance continues. Australia is pleased to announce new initiatives and provide further details of new programs to assist countries most vulnerable to climate change.
Australia has announced new initiatives in the lead up to and at the Durban Climate Change Conference, in addition to those outlined in Australia's Fast-start Finance Progress Report November 2011. These initiatives focus on adaptation, measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) and other capacity building, including support for new initiatives to empower developing countries to access further climate finance.
New announcements at Durban include further support for the
Pacific and the Caribbean. To tackle issues such as coastal erosion and food security, Australia is providing an additional A$1.5 million (total fast-start contribution $6 million) to support small–scale, community-based adaptation projects in small island developing states (SIDS) through the Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme. To unlock further finance streams to countries vulnerable to climate change, Australia has also allocated $500,000 to support innovative accreditation workshops with the UNFCCC and the Adaptation Fund. These workshops are designed to build capacity in developing countries to use the 'direct access' channel under the Adaptation Fund.
Further support for Asia, as part of the broad adaptation allocations announced in Cancun, includes A$15 million to support the management and protection of coastal systems in the Mekong Delta, working with partners in the German Government. Another A$15 million will support work with local communities and NGOs in South East Asia. Australia has also allocated A$500,000 to support the lighting standards development program lites.asia.
New announcements at Durban also include
further support for Africa. Supporting a range of capacity building actions in low carbon growth, Australia will provide up to A$1 million for collaborative work with South Africa, including to support the Cato Manor Project with the Green Building Council of South Africa. This project, which retrofits houses in underprivileged areas, demonstrates the strong links between development outcomes and energy-efficient, low-carbon futures. Africa will also benefit from Australia's A$5 million contribution to the Low-emissions Capacity Building Program. A number of African countries are already benefiting from this program, including Kenya, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda and Zambia.
Also in Africa and South East Asia, Australia is providing A$3 million for new MRV initiatives, including A$1 million to the UNFCCC regional MRV capacity building programs and A$2 million to support improved measurement and reporting of national greenhouse gas emissions in Africa and South East Asia.
With these announcements, Australia has now allocated A$544 million or 90 per cent of its fast-start package. Australia is in the process of finalising the remaining allocations and will complete this process in 2012. Australia is on track to have invested $380 million or two thirds of its fast-start package by 30 June 2012 (coinciding with the end of Australia's second fast-start year). For more information on Australia's fast-start finance see
www.faststartfinance.org [external site].
Australia's global fast-start finance
Fast-start finance of A$599 millon
- 52% to adaptation
- 24% to REDD+ (mitigation)
- 24% to other mitigation
Bilateral funding
- Bangladesh
- Cambodia
- Cook Islands
- Timor-Leste
- Federated States of Micronesia
- Fiji
- Indonesia
- Kiribati
- Nauru
- Niue
- Palau
- Republic of Marshall Islands
- Samoa
- South Africa
- Sri Lanka
- Tokelau
- Tonga
- Tuvalu
- Vanuatu
- Vietnam
Regional funding
- Afghanistan
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Barbados
- Belize
- Cape Verde
- Comoros
- Cuba
- Dominica
- Domnican Republic
- East and Horn of Africa region*
- Grenada
- Guinea Bissau
- Guyana
- Haiti
- India
- Jamaica
- Laos
- Maldives
- Maritius
- Nepal
- Pakistan
- Sao Tome and Principe
- Seychelles
- Southwestern Africa region*
- St Kitts and Nevis
- St Lucia
- St Vincent and Grenadines
- Suriname
- Trinidad and Tobago
- West Africa region*
* Australia's Africa regional funding is currently being programmed with further detials to be releases in future reports.
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