How can countries accelerate the implementation of their climate goals? One powerful tool is the exchange of best practices. At UNITAR, we believe that learning from peers and solving problems together can make a real difference, and that’s why we have partnered with the NDC Partnership to organize the Facilitators Exchanges, a series of interactive online workshops designed to support the Partnership’s in-country Facilitators.
NDC Partnership’s in-country Facilitators play a pivotal role in advancing the implementation of countries’ Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) by facilitating coordination among key national stakeholders and mobilizing resources for climate action.
The Facilitators’ Exchanges aim to promote peer learning, share real-world experiences, and support practical problem-solving, empowering Facilitators to deliver on their complex and demanding mandate.
This event series was strategically designed to meet the needs of Facilitators. Between February and April 2024, a learning needs assessment was carried out, highlighting a range of challenges faced by in-country Facilitators, including resource mobilization, consistently cited as a top priority across all regions. In light of this, UNITAR and the NDC Partnership co-designed a series of virtual, 90-minute workshops to address these needs following a methodology focused on process improvement, co-creation, and collaboration.
Each round of the FE features two complementary sessions: the first focuses on surfacing and discussing context-specific and regional challenges, inviting Facilitators to identify the root causes and symptoms of a problem. The second one is dedicated to collaboratively developing and co-creating tailored solutions for the challenges identified.
To date, the Facilitators Exchanges have been rolled out across various regions, including Anglophone and Lusophone Africa (which has already completed two rounds), Francophone Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, and Asia, with Eastern Europe and Iraq. While most sessions have centered on resource mobilization, a key pillar for implementing NDCs, the second round in Anglophone and Lusophone Africa zoomed in on strategies for engaging the private sector for resource mobilization.
Through this initiative, the NDC Partnership and UNITAR are equipping Facilitators with new insights and peer support to unlock climate action solutions in their countries. Facilitators support governments in accessing climate finance and align funding opportunities with national priorities. The Facilitator Exchanges aim is to strengthen these capabilities and promote shared learning across the Facilitators’ community.
By creating dedicated spaces for Facilitators to reflect on shared challenges and co-create actionable solutions, this initiative is directly supporting more effective and resilient NDC implementation worldwide.