The Adaptation Fund (AF) announced its support to the 2023 GCA Local Adaptation Champions (LAC) Awards, which recognize individuals and organizations from across the globe that are at the forefront of delivering innovative, inspiring, and scalable locally led efforts to build effective climate resilience among vulnerable communities.
AF will support the LAC Awards by collaborating with the GCA team and engaging Awardees at future AF events. The winners of the 2023 LAC Awards will be sponsored by AF and invited to prominent speaking engagements at upcoming AF readiness events, including the Fund’s annual seminar for its national implementing entities, which is an interactive forum for capacity building, as well as other learning-and-sharing events that bring together accredited implementing entities of the Fund. These events will provide the Awardees opportunities to share their experience and knowledge with an international audience of professionals who design and implement adaptation projects in vulnerable communities in developing countries globally.
Anju Sharma, the Global Lead on Locally Led Adaptation at GCA said, “I commend the Adaptation Fund for its work on making climate finance more accessible to those who need it most, and for its endorsement of the LLA Principles. The Fund clearly recognizes the importance of supporting local adaptation Champions, and we look forward to working with them to spotlight exemplary efforts and providing key opportunities for Awardees that will help them expand their initiatives and increase their impact in their communities.”
Since 2010, AF has committed over US$ 1 billion for climate change adaptation and resilience projects and programs. This has included 150 concrete, localized projects in the most vulnerable communities of developing countries around the world, and its work has reached over 38 million total beneficiaries. The Fund has been a leader in providing finance for LLA initiatives through its pioneering Enhanced Direct Access and Adaptation Fund Climate Innovation Accelerator (AFCIA), and the Fund’s Medium-Term Strategy for 2023–2027 is enhancing its support for LLA while its projects and programs deliver direct benefits at the local level.
The LAC Awards are open to any individual, organization, or group of partners worldwide who have implemented or are implementing climate change adaptation or resilience interventions that follow one of the eight Principles of Locally Led Adaptation. This year, after their success in 2022, the Awards have been relaunched with new categories to expand their reach and continue to highlight exceptional locally led efforts around the world. This year’s categories are capacity building, business adaptation solutions, innovation in devolving finance, and women in leadership. A Technical Advisory Group will create a shortlist of candidates before a high-level jury selects the ultimate winners. Four winners will receive €15,000 and 20 nominees will benefit from publicity around their nomination for the Awards.
Applications for this year’s Awards close on August 31, and the four winners will be presented with their awards during an awards ceremony at COP28 in Dubai in November.