Tehran – During the last 12 months and despite challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent restrictions and lockdowns, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) remains committed to supporting Iran in addressing the increasing climate change challenges and further boost the national running’s efforts to preserve the environment and biodiversity and build resilience among millions of rural families across the country.

In this respect, FAO, in collaboration with Iran’s Department of Environment (DOE), pushed forward with implementing a project funded by the Green Climate Fund (GCF) to strengthen the country’s capacities to access and efficiently manage, track and guide climate financing with particular attention to adaptation and mitigation measures in all relevant sectors at country level.

Eyeing to provide enabling environment and establish facilitating procedures for climate action, FAO and DoE, hand in hand, conducted studies, developed reports and organised training and consultative sessions to detect existing gaps, obtain insider opinions, formulate solutions and mentor stakeholders to engage in climate change adaptation and mitigation measures. 

To provide a baseline for establishing an effective coordination mechanism within DOE, FAO performed gap analysis, outlined its recommendations, and craft work plans envisaged to strengthen two vesting governmental bodies, the National Designated Authority (NDA) and the National Climate Change Finance Committee (NCCFC).

Further to consultative meetings organised by FAO with a broader range of stakeholders and the supports received from DOE, the Organization finalised the mapping of climate change stakeholder’s initiative and investment in Iran. Based on this deliverable and ensuing workshops, FAO shall developed a stakeholder engagement strategic framework to secure the involvement of authorities, institutions and interest parties from the public, private and civil society sectors in NDA’s and NCCFC’s procedures.

The Organization is also developing a knowledge-sharing web-based portal for NDA to disseminate guidelines and other GCF’s related information among stakeholders and interested national entities.

Experiencing the pandemic-induced challenge of physical distancing, FAO managed to provide intensive training opportunities for NDA’s and NCFFC’s affiliated experts and managers, equipping them with the critical visions, concepts, tools and criteria to formulate project proposals for climate financing.

To secure a nation-level endorsement for the submitted proposals and built on consultative and training workshops organised by FAO for Iranian stakeholders, the Organization drafted a No-Objection Procedure (NOP) arrangements for NDA Office aimed at streamlined provisions to evaluate, assess, score and priorities the prospective projects.

Concluding 12 months full of challenges and expecting the Iranian New Year, Nowruz, in less than one week, FAO carries on with its commitment to support the country to improve its national climate change investment planning and decision-making mechanisms.

Being the lead UN agency in promoting climate-smart approaches in agriculture and natural resource management, FAO supports member countries to develop and implements climate change adaptation and mitigation policies and measures.