Observer Seats

Civil Society Organization (CSO) Observers Seats
Civil society observer organizations will be selected for the CTF, the three SCF technical committees, and the Global Sub-Committee described above. There are four CSO Observer seats per committee and sub-committee, one for each of four regions: Africa/Middle East, Eastern Europe/Central Asia/Asia/Pacific, Latin America/Caribbean, and Donor Countries. In addition, there will be one local community organization observer (from a community dependent upon adaptation approaches to secure livelihoods) selected as an observer to the PPCR.

Private Sector Entities (PSE) Observers Seats
Private sector observer organizations will be selected for the CTF, the three SCF technical committees, and Global Sub-Committee described above, with two PS Observer seats per committee and sub-committee. For each committee and sub-committee, the selection committee will strive to identify one observer from a donor country and one observer from a borrower country. If necessary, the selection committee will decide whether a candidate observer organization is primarily based in a donor or borrower country.

Indigenous Peoples Organizations (IPO) Observers Seats
IPO observers will be selected for the CTF, the three SCF technical committees, and Global Sub-Committee describe above. There are two IPOs Observer seats per committee and sub-committee. The specific observer seats for each committee are allocated based on the CIF programs being implemented in recipient countries per region, to ensure engagement of observers at the national and local level, in addition to their global and regional observer responsibilities. In addition, IPO observers and observers representing local communities are selected to serve on the board of the Dedicated Grant Mechanism for Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (DGM).

OBSERVER TERMS, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND MEETINGS

Observers from the CSO, PSE, and IPO constituencies carry out several key roles at the CIF: constituency representation, policy advocacy, program monitoring, and outreach/communication. These are carried out on three levels: actively participating on CIF’s decision-making bodies at the global level; participating in the formulation and monitoring of climate strategies at the national level; and participating in the selection and monitoring/reporting and evaluation of climate project implementation at the local level. In order to carry out these roles, observers are expected to actively communicate and liaise with their local, national, regional, and/or global constituencies to ensure that their actions and decisions as observers are guided by their constituency views and interests.

More specifically, as active observers on CIF’s decision-making bodies they are responsible for: i) preparing for meetings and consulting with other stakeholders in their constituency on issues scheduled to be discussed at the CIF meetings; ii) representing the interests of their constituency, not just of their own organization; and iii) following good practice standards in terms of consulting, liaising, and keeping their constituencies informed of their CIF activities. Observers will be expected to identify and invite subject experts to the committees and subcommittees. Observers will also produce and disseminate regular reports on their policy advocacy, program monitoring, constituency networking, and communications activities.

Observer organizations will serve a 3-year term, beginning in January 2021. Observers are eligible to serve two (2) consecutive terms. Observers wishing to serve a second consecutive term must participate in the selection process.

Individuals representing observer organizations will be expected to attend and participate actively in three CIF committee meetings (virtual or in person) each year in 2021, 2022, and 2023. They will be expected to participate in an orientation session, approximately 12 teleconferences and ‘virtual’ meetings, and a Partnership Forum during the course of their term. They will also be expected to contribute productively to the work of the CIF by responding to requests for input on documents and, when their term is completed, by possibly serving on the selection committee to determine the next set of observers.

Generally, costs associated with travel for committee and sub-committee meetings are covered for IPOs and CSO observers from the Global South. If due to the implications of the covid-19 pandemic, observers would have to attend meetings virtually, provision could be made on a case by case basis to facilitate internet connectivity. For PSE and observers from the Global North, costs associated with travel and or internet connectivity will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

OBSERVER ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

The following eligibility criteria apply to CSO, PSE, and IPOs observer organizations as well as the individuals identified to serve as the organization’s primary and alternate representatives.

1. Organization Type – Observers must be established, not-for-profit, non-governmental organizations. Eligible organizations include, but are not limited to, private sector associations, research/think tanks, advocacy groups, community based organizations, aid organizations, and youth movements.
2. Country Membership – Observer organizations would preferably be based in a country which is a member of the CIF either as a ‘donor’ or ‘borrower.’ There are currently 72 member countries of the CIF and we expect this number to increase in the future.
3. Institutional Track Record – Observer organization is established and has proven track record of promoting policy advocacy, providing services, undertaking research/training, and/or constituency networking.
4. Representational Capacity – Observer organizations will be asked to demonstrate linkages with groups and networks at the local, national, and regional level. Individuals representing observer organizations must be willing and committed to consult with their constituency and represent the concerns and interests of their constituents – not only their own views and/or members of their own organizations, but also the larger community to whom they are accountable.
5. Technical Knowledge – Observer organizations and the individuals representing those organizations must have an understanding of climate change, environmentally sustainable development, social justice issues, as well as the role and work of the climate funds. Ideally, individual observer should demonstrate knowledge of and/or expertise on issues that are central to the specific committee or sub-committee for which they are applying.
6. Conflict of Interest – In order to avoid conflicts of interest, observer organizations must disclose the scope of their organizations’ financial engagement with the multilateral development banks, export credit agencies, and governments in areas relevant to CIF activities and programming.  If an observer organization applies to the CIF for funding during their term, the observers will refrain from meetings in which this funding application is discussed.
7. Language Preference – While provision is made for translating official meetings and documents into Spanish and French, the working language of the CIF is English. Individuals representing observer organizations must therefore have at least a working knowledge of English.
8. Communications Capability – Individuals representing observer organizations must have the capacity to communicate and interact actively via the Internet and telephone. [Note: On a case-by-case basis, the CIF may provide some support for communications access.]
9. Primary and Alternate Representation – Each observer organization will be expected to appoint one primary representative who will attend CIF meetings, and one alternate who can prepare for and actively participate in CIF meetings in the event the primary representative is unable to attend.

OBSERVER SELECTION AND BALANCE CRITERIA

The following criteria will be applied to the CSO, PSE, and IPO observer organizations to ensure greater balance and equanimity among the observers in terms of geographic coverage, gender balance, institutional diversity, and constituency inclusion. This process leads will conduct targeted outreach to encourage applications from organizations meeting these criteria and the criteria will be applied when the Joint Observers Selection Committee (JOSC) is making final selection decisions.

1. Geographic Coverage – The goal is to have all regions (e.g. Asia, Africa) and sub-regions (e.g. South Asia, East Africa) of the world represented across the selected set of observer organizations. In additional special effort will be made to have observers representing organizations located in CIF countries.
2. Gender Balance – The goal is to have an equal number of men and women among the observers.  For this reason, special effort will be made to recruit and select observer organizations that are represented by women and/or that focus on women’s involvement in addressing the challenges of climate change.
3. Institutional Diversity – The goal is to have different types of organizations from all three constituency sectors represented. This includes organizations of different types (e.g. NGOs, community groups, networks, associations, companies), activities (e.g., policy advocacy, research, service provision, financing, training), sizes (e.g. large, small), and which work on different levels (e.g. global, regional, national, and local).
4. Constituency Inclusion – The goal is to ensure that less represented and marginalized sub-constituencies (e.g. women, youth, indigenous, people with disabilities) are represented. In addition to seeking balance across the selected observers to ensure these constituencies are represented, after the selection process concludes, focal points will be nominated for gender, youth, inclusion, and DGM. Observers may self-nominate to be the focal point for these constituencies and nominations will be backed by demonstrated expertise.
5. Networks – Across the selected observers, the goal is to have connections to key local, national, regional, and global networks, including links to other climate funds and climate-related processes (e.g., UNFCCC).
   

   SELECTION CRITERIA FOR SPECIFIC CONSTITUENCY

   CSOs

   1. Regional Linkages – During the voting process, selected observer organizations must receive votes from outside their home country.

Apply here: https://www.resolve.ngo/cif-observer-info.htm#