The LIFE-AR Board approved a timebound transition for LIFE-AR to become an independent organisation. After six years of incubation within the International Institute for Environment and Development, the LIFE-AR Facility is set to become fully operational by April 2027.
A crucial milestone
This is an incredible milestone for the Least Developed Countries Initiative for Effective Adaptation and Resilience (LIFE-AR). The Board met on September 14th and 15th and decided to give a green light for the LIFE-AR Facility to finalise its transition out of IIED in April 2027.
The creation of the Facility represents a natural phase in the evolution of LIFE-AR. The objective to become an independent organisation was set out in the LDC 2050 Vision back in 2019. It follows carefully sequenced planning with rigorous milestones and touchpoints, and robust oversight from the Board. As the LDC Group Chair said, “The Facility will be seen as a new tool for facilitating locally led adaptation and for engaging partners to support meaningful implementation at local level.”
IIED and LIFE-AR partners confirmed their continued support, both financial and technical, to the successful establishment of the LIFE-AR Facility. Dr Tom Mitchell, IIED Executive Director confirmed: “IIED cares a lot about LIFE-AR, and we want to make sure that the Facility has the best possible start in life.”
Building on the proof of concept
The change in hosting will ensure LIFE-AR continues to deliver on the principles of the LDC Vision. It will build on proven delivery, strong country leadership, strengthened national systems, and trusted partnerships to scale impact and influence the global climate finance landscape.
Over the years, LIFE-AR has demonstrated a different way of delivering climate finance to the local level.
At the institutional level, whole-of-society, whole-of-government national platforms have been set up. The financial, fiduciary, governance, participatory, monitoring and evaluation and gender and social inclusion structures needed to channel at least 70% to the local level have been established. And several countries have already succeeded in reaching that objective.
At local level, countries went through a well-planned phase of trainings and community participatory meetings, which led to investments identification, selection and prioritisation. Investments now span a diverse portfolio of sectors which could improve resilience for over 140,000 individuals.
The right moment to scale up ambitions
With LIFE-AR’s proof of concept established, this decision comes at a critical moment for the initiative. For the past two years, political momentum is building. All COP30, COP31 and COP32 Presidencies expressed strong support for LIFE-AR. Financial support is increasing with new partners showing interest in engaging in conversations. The initiative adopted a revised, more agile strategy aiming to grow, sustain and influence to address new challenges in the climate finance. Countries implementing LIFE-AR are ready for the next round of community-led investments and scale up. This is now the right time to equip LIFE-AR with the means to fulfil its ambition to deliver climate adaptation funds where it makes an actual difference and support all LDCs to be on climate resilient pathways.
For Permanent Secretary Dr Alfred Okidi Akot, Uganda, “For the LDC, we really want to see this partnership grow, and grow in terms of the financial commitment, so that we are able to sustain implementation. We'll be doing a lot of justice to the people who are actually on the very edges, facing the brunt of climate change. So the ambition really should be in hundreds, if not billions of dollars to have meaningful impact across the LDCs.”
