Background

The main reference document determining the capacity of Calls for Proposals to address green issues is the Guidelines to Applicants. The following steps indicate how to green its main sections.  Civil society plays a critical role in promoting climate and environmental action and the green transition, as well as social justice, which deserves to be supported.

Entry points for Calls for Proposals

➡️ Inform the context

Briefly explain the rationale for the Call for Proposal, through the following steps:

• Set out the context of environmental and climate and natural hazard risks, vulnerabilities and impacts. To which extent are the intended beneficiaries affected by environmental degradation (e.g. soil degradation) or vulnerable to the adverse current and projected effects of climate change?

The context of vulnerability should be set out using a robust evidence base e.g. existing analyses and reports, as per regional specificities related to climate and environmental impacts, extreme events and disaster risks, climate risk and vulnerability assessment, impacts projected at sector level (such as water resources and agricultural production), economic and/or sustainability impact assessments. Examples of sources that can be used as references are available in Annex 5 - Sources to understand the environment and climate context.

• Communicate the intent to address the identified issues. Which are the expected contributions of the CfP to national or local climate change, environmental, green transition or sustainable development priorities, strategies and plans, including the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC)?

When a CfP focuses on a thematic area (e.g. health, education, migration, human rights) rather than specific geographic locations, it should focus on environmental and climate sectoral opportunities and potential issues, taking existing plans and strategies at thematic level as references.

• Include other relevant reference information useful to increase environmental and climate resilience, or underlining opportunities for positive environmental action. This can include past actions or processes considered good practice in the CfP thematic field or geographical area.

➡️ Formulate green objectives and priorities

In all cases, the objectives and priorities should:

• Reflect the EU’s environmental and climate ambitions, as reflected in the Action Document.
• Address the environmental and climate issues introduced and developed in the context.

Call for Proposals should, wherever feasible, have at least a significant focus on green transition, environmental and/or climate issues, explicitly formulated in the objectives and priorities. As the proposals will indicate which priorities they are addressing in the context of the CfP, this will ensure that the subsequent Grant Contracts can be easily related to the EU’s defined environmental or climate objectives. These contracts will be Rio marked and it is expected that, overall, their Rio scores are coherent with those indicated in the Action Document.

The Priorities will shape the outputs of the CfP. Particular attention should be paid to ensure meaningful outputs despite relatively short project periods. Beyond environmental and climate priorities, all priority areas should integrate environmental sustainability considerations.

✅ Check if the defined priorities include some of the following elements:

• • Strengthening civil society’s role in advocating for-and supporting environmental and climate action, sustainable consumption and production, natural resource governance and the green transition, through advocacy and awareness raising, public participation, policy influence, accountability and equity, knowledge and as implementing agents, as well as “watchdogs” and environmental defenders.
  • Contributions to national or local green transition, climate and/or environmental strategies and plans.
  • Promoting social, climate and environmental justice as a key element of the green transition.
  • The piloting, promotion, development and/or scaling-up of identified good green transition, environmental and/or climate and DRR practices in determined locations or in the context of a thematic support (e.g. agricultural production, local climate governance, ecosystem-based approaches, integrated natural resource management, actions in a context of disaster risk reduction).
  • The development of a local economy that is green, diversified, sustainable and inclusive, particularly for women and young people.
  • The promotion of local partnerships (e.g. between CSOs and local authorities, universities, and the private sector) focused on environmental and/or climate planning and implementation.
  • The physical protection of people, spaces and property against the harmful effects of climate change.
  • The promotion of inclusive dialogues, focusing on vulnerable groups, over climate impacts, environmental and green transition issues, access to and management of local natural resources, and addressing inequalities.
  • Knowledge creation and transfer, strengthened competences and skills, related to identified environmental and climate issues, and a just green transition.
  • Strengthening the capacity to mobilise partnerships and networks, including at financial level, for climate and environment action and the just transition.
  • Increased participation of women, local communities and indigenous peoples in natural resources management and in climate action.
  • Support to information dissemination and communication activities furthering international environmental and climate commitments and European Green Deal objectives.

➡️ Determine which actions should be considered eligible

The list of eligible Actions should allow candidates to demonstrate a clear link between the identified environment and climate issues and their proposed project activities. Proposals should be encouraged to contribute to a positive nature and/or climate agenda and invited to address risks and vulnerabilities emanating from environmental degradation and under current and future climate change.

It is considered good practice to indicate that all proposed activities should respond to issues identified at local (or at thematic) level, with clear identification of climate and environmental challenges and opportunities.

The formulation of the Activities is highly context-specific and can benefit from the suggestions formulated in the Quick Tips for the integration of environment and climate change, available at sector level.

➡️ M&E and implementation

Environmental, climate and green transition issues need to be meaningfully monitored and evaluated. This involves the use of metrics that are specific to the identified issues (e.g. improved water quality; loss reduction due to improved adaptation to climate change) and the assessment of benefits from a beneficiary perspective.

✅ Ensure that indicators related to environmental and climate performance are included in the monitoring systems. Related results should be discussed regularly with stakeholders including the intended beneficiaries of the action.