The HECO GCF project is the cornerstone of that PFP.
HECO GCF
consists of a US $145M investment under Phase 1 of the HECO National
Initiative and PFP, including a US $43M investment by Green Climate Fund
(GCF). WWF-US proudly serves as Accredited Entity (AE) for the HECO GCF
work. In pursuit of global climate goals, the project will generate
significant mitigation and adaptation benefits through a
paradigm-shifting landscape approach in Colombia, executed in tandem
with a proven model for securing long-term financing for the effective
management of large-scale landscape management.
The five landscape mosaics in this GCF project will contribute 6.6
million ha to the HECO National Initiative's terrestrial conservation
goal, representing more than 5.8% of Colombia’s territory. The
mosaics—Caribbean, San Lucas, Central Andes, Orinoco Transition and
Heart of the Amazon—represent the diversity of Colombia’s ecosystems and
climate challenges. They include both Protected Areas (PAs)—already
under or designated to be included in the system of national,
sub-national, and local protected areas—and ecologically connected
productive lands under other forms of tenure.
Workshop Overview
A tool employed with all GCF projects, the inception workshop signals
the formal launch of the project, bringing together all partners to
review GCF implementation requirements and serving as the kick-off point
to officially transfer implementation ownership to the Executing
Entities (EEs)—in this case, WWF-Colombia and Fondo Patrimonio Natural.
Staff training was a consistent focus throughout the four-day workshop,
with sessions teaching WWF-US and GCF policies, documentation
processes, safeguards, necessary technical skills, and reporting
requirements. It was also an opportunity to meet with different project
stakeholders, such as research institutions and government entities.
Because HECO is a PFP, the first day of the workshop highlighted the
broader HECO PFP and HECO National Initiative to ensure the project’s
alignment with national government goals. The day began with remarks
from important implementing partners, such as Colombia’s Ministerio de Ambiente y Desarrollo Sostenible, Departamento Nacional de Planeación, Parques Nacionales Naturales de Colombia (PNNC), both Executing Entities (WWF-Colombia and Fondo Patrimonio Natural), and the Accredited Entity (WWF-US).
Days 2-4 of the workshop were comprised of presentations from WWF-US
to familiarize the Executing Entities and project stakeholders with the
implementation modalities of the AE, EEs, and project partners—as well
as to review key GCF requirements, roles, responsibilities, and the
technical requirements and policies related to:
- Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E)
- Environmental and Social Safeguards (ESS)
- Gender Mainstreaming
- Financial Management
