30 November 2015: At the opening of the Paris Climate Change Conference, eleven donor countries made pledges totaling US$248 million to the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF) of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) to continue financing actions to reduce vulnerability in Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and enable climate-resilient sustainable development and livelihoods.

The pledges were announced during a special event, titled ‘Investing in Resilience: Responding to the Adaptation Needs of the Most Vulnerable,’ which was organized by the GEF on the sidelines of the 21st session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 21) to the UNFCCC. Representatives of the US, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Switzerland and UK announced pledges and stated their priorities in adaptation support.

During a panel discussion, representatives of recipient countries reported on successful adaptation projects, and outlined challenges to build resilience in diverse circumstances. Angola, for the LDCs, reported that 46 of 48 LDCs have submitted intended nationally determined contributions (INDCs), but only one-fifth of the estimated US$5 billion needed has been mobilized to date.

In a joint statement, the donor countries underlined the LDCF’s role in reducing vulnerability in key sectors such as water, agriculture, food security and infrastructure, in accordance with the priorities identified by recipient countries. They also noted that since its inception in 2001, the LDCF has disbursed US$931.5 million in funding for projects, programs and enabling activities, which has mobilized US$3.8 billion in co-financing. [GEF Press Release] [Joint Donor Statement] [IISD RS Coverage of ‘Investing in Resilience’ Event] [IISD RS Coverage of COP 21]