The objective of the Cross-cutting Capacity Development (CCCD) projects is to address those important capacity needs that will enhance a country’s ability to meet its obligations under international conventions by creating synergies, while at the same time catalyzing the mainstreaming of multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) into national policy, management or financial and legislative frameworks. To this end, Cross-cutting Capacity Development projects focus on the environmental governance system and mainstreaming global environmental issues into national development programs.
Cross-cutting Capacity Development projects will provide resources for reducing, if not eliminating, the institutional bottlenecks (e.g., barriers to data gathering) to the synergistic implementation of the Rio conventions. The expected outcomes of these projects are therefore to strengthen multi-sectoral processes that promote policy harmonization, realize cost-efficiency, and enhance operational effectiveness in Convention obligations.
As of mid-2012, 7 CCCD projects were completed and 13 projects - with total grant funding of US$ 5.7 million from the GEF Trust Fund and US$ 4.6 million in co-financing - are under implementation, while more than 20 new projects have been endorsed by countries and are under development.
Bangladesh’s flat topography, low-lying delta ecosystem and tropical climatic features, combined with its population density and socio-economic environment, make it highly vulnerable to climate change and variability.
Water resources are one of the most vital aspects of Niger’s rural economy and are among the natural resources most affected by climate change. It is now urgent for the country to take radical action in the water sector considering the challenges increasing water scarcity and floods are posing in the context of climate change.