Malawi - Develop a National Short-lived Climate Pollutant Action Plan and National Methane Roadmap [MW-23-001]

Overview

This project responds to a request made by the Environmental Affairs Department of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Climate Change of Malawi to launch national short-lived climate pollutant (SLCP) planning efforts. At minimum, the project is expected to contribute to existing policies by producing two policy documents in parallel:

National SLCP Plan
The national planning process and resulting National SLCP Plan should inform Malawi's 2025 revised Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC). This work should also strengthen national capacity to develop an integrated SLCP and greenhouse gas integrated assessment.

National Methane Roadmap
As a Global Methane Pledge signatory, Malawi supports the voluntary commitment to reduce global methane emissions by 30% by 2030 compared to 2020 levels. The National Methane Roadmap should leverage emerging data and techniques to enhance emissions inventories, identify compelling abatement strategies, and define methane related policies, programs, and funding streams for implementation.

The National Methane Roadmap should complement the National SLCP Plan to advance priority measures for climate and clean air and to inform Malawi's 2025 revised Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC). The National Methane Roadmap should also support the update of Malawi’s National Waste Management Strategy by developing priority mitigation measures and mitigation assessments for the waste sector.

Existing data sources that can be leveraged for this project include the Biannual Update Report (BUR), National Communication, National ODS registry, NDC and sectoral plans. Relevant policies should also be considered during the development of the project outputs, including the National Environment Policy, the Environment Management Act, the National Climate Change Policy, the National Waste Management Strategy and Waste Management and Sanitation Regulation, and the National Adaptation Programs of Action and Sanitation Policy.

In addition to developing the above policy documents, the project should include activities to involve government stakeholders at all stages of project implementation and build capacity within the relevant government authorities, affiliated agencies, and private sector stakeholders to drive short-lived climate pollutant mitigation action. Applicants are encouraged to propose additional outputs as needed to ensure these expected outcomes are achieved.

This project is expected to launch in Q1 2024. Guidance on the CCAC’s National Planning Methodology for reducing short-lived climate pollutants is available in the Resource Library. More information on Malawi’s involvement in the CCAC is available on its Partner Page.

More information on Malawi involvement in the CCAC is available on their Partner Page.

Who to involve

This project responds to a request made by the Environmental Affairs Department of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Climate Change of Malawi to launch national short-lived climate pollutant (SLCP) planning efforts. At minimum, the project is expected to contribute to existing policies by producing two policy documents in parallel:

National SLCP Plan
The national planning process and resulting National SLCP Plan should inform Malawi's 2025 revised Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC). This work should also strengthen national capacity to develop an integrated SLCP and greenhouse gas integrated assessment.

National Methane Roadmap
As a Global Methane Pledge signatory, Malawi supports the voluntary commitment to reduce global methane emissions by 30% by 2030 compared to 2020 levels. The National Methane Roadmap should leverage emerging data and techniques to enhance emissions inventories, identify compelling abatement strategies, and define methane related policies, programs, and funding streams for implementation.

The National Methane Roadmap should complement the National SLCP Plan to advance priority measures for climate and clean air and to inform Malawi's 2025 revised Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC). The National Methane Roadmap should also support the update of Malawi’s National Waste Management Strategy by developing priority mitigation measures and mitigation assessments for the waste sector.

Existing data sources that can be leveraged for this project include the Biannual Update Report (BUR), National Communication, National ODS registry, NDC and sectoral plans. Relevant policies should also be considered during the development of the project outputs, including the National Environment Policy, the Environment Management Act, the National Climate Change Policy, the National Waste Management Strategy and Waste Management and Sanitation Regulation, and the National Adaptation Programs of Action and Sanitation Policy.

In addition to developing the above policy documents, the project should include activities to involve government stakeholders at all stages of project implementation and build capacity within the relevant government authorities, affiliated agencies, and private sector stakeholders to drive short-lived climate pollutant mitigation action. Applicants are encouraged to propose additional outputs as needed to ensure these expected outcomes are achieved.

This project is expected to launch in Q1 2024. Guidance on the CCAC’s National Planning Methodology for reducing short-lived climate pollutants is available in the Resource Library. More information on Malawi’s involvement in the CCAC is available on its Partner Page.

Expected results

Applicants are encouraged to propose additional outputs as needed to ensure the expected project outcomes are achieved. Applicants can determine the scope of outputs if not specified. The project is expected to deliver at a minimum:

1. The Government of Malawi endorses a National SLCP Plan by the end of the project or soon after.

Indicator: Number of action plans, roadmaps, strategies, or other future plans with SLCP targets or mitigation measures formally adopted, endorsed and/or implemented.

Output 1.1: A national SLCP Plan that includes at a minimum:

• An integrated SLCP and GHG emissions inventory, emissions projections, and mitigation assessments
• Quantification of benefits of mitigation strategies
• Implementation pathways in priority SLCP sectors that take into consideration existing policies and plans
• A gap analysis of existing policies, regulations, and standards to support the implementation of SLCP reduction strategies
• Cost of implementation and sources of funding
• Policy recommendations for the inclusion of SLCPs into Malawi’s national planning process
• Summary for policy makers

2. The Government of Malawi endorses the National Methane Roadmap by the end of the project or soon after.

Indicator: Number of action plans, roadmaps, strategies, or other future plans with SLCP targets or mitigation measures formally adopted, endorsed and/or implemented.

Output 2.1: A National Methane Roadmap developed in line with a modality agreed with the CCAC Secretariat. Implementers developing methane roadmaps should also participate in the CCAC’s Methane Roadmap Action Programme (M-RAP), which provides virtual workshops on where to find data, tools, and guidelines for analysis. At a minimum, a National Methane Roadmap should include:

• A needs assessment which identifies gaps in existing commitments and policies for methane mitigation
• A mitigation assessment including priority mitigation measures, mitigation potential, and cost-benefit analysis of implementation in high-emitting sectors
• An assessment of the institutional arrangements for implementation
• A monitoring and evaluation framework for identified methane mitigation measures
• Identified fuding sources to support implementation of the measures
• Recommendations for implementing mitigation measures identified in the roadmap
• Recommendations to update the National Waste Management Strategy to include methane
• An outline of how the roadmap will support the government in meeting international climate commitments

3. The Government of Malawi adopts an MRV framework for SLCP emissions from priority sectors by the end of the project or soon after.

Indicator: Number of monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) systems developed or updated that include SLCPs.

Output 3.1: An integrated greenhouse gas and SLCP Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) framework.

4. The Government of Malawi integrates SLCP measures or targets, including recommended methane actions and/or targets, into its 2025 NDC submission.

Indicator: Number of NDCs targeting SLCPs.

Output 4.1: Recommendations to include SLCP emissions reductions measures and/or targets into Malawi’s updated NDC in 2025.

5. The Government of Malawi has a demonstrated increased capacity to assess and address SLCP emissions by the end of the project.

Indicator: Number of government entities with a demonstrated improved capacity for SLCP action.

Output 5.1: Capacity building workshops to relevant government agencies on SLCP analysis, including on monitoring, reporting, and verification.

6. An updated version of Malawi’s National Waste Management Strategy, which includes black carbon and methane, is endorsed by the end of the project or soon after.

Indicator: Number of action plans, roadmaps, strategies, or other future plans with SLCP targets or mitigation measures formally adopted, endorsed and/or implemented.

Output 6.1: An updated National Waste Management Strategy that includes at a minimum:

• An updated version of the strategy that incorporates SLCPs and is aligned with Malawi’s National Methane Roadmap
• Identified specific measures to address black carbon and methane emissions from waste management activities.
• Guidelines for waste management stakeholders on minimizing SLCP emissions.
• Policy and regulatory recommendations to support SLCP integration.
• Recommended programs to enhance knowledge and skills of waste management professionals.
• Collaboration and consultation processes with relevant stakeholders.
• Proposed mechanisms to track progress and report on SLCP reduction efforts

Application process

Eligibility requirements

To be eligible for consideration, project proposals must meet the following requirements:

• Complete and submitted before the deadline
• Submitted by a non-governmental organization (NGO), intergovernmental organization (IGO), or other not-for-profit entity. Governments are not eligible to apply directly for funding in this call.
• Requested funding is within the estimated budget amount, or includes a clear justification for additional expenses 
• Project duration is less than 24 months
• Budget criteria are met and spending caps on expenses are respected. 

Please note that entities will be required to provide the last three (3) audited financial statements to be eligible for CCAC funding. These statements may be provided along with the application for funding or at the request of the CCAC Secretariat during the evaluation process.

For-profit entities may only participate in the project as stakeholders, co-funders, or end users. Applicants are encouraged to include for-profit entities in the development of the project proposal and/or during project implementation if their ownership of the proposed solution is key to the project’s success.  

How to apply

Eligible applicants are invited to apply using the Application Form and Excel Budget Form. Specific instructions on completing these forms are available in both documents. 

Applicants may choose to follow the cost range proposed above OR propose a different budget supported by a clear justification. However, applicants should note that cost efficiency will play a significant role in the selection process.

The completed Application Form and Excel Budget Form should be submitted to secretariat [at] ccacoalition.org (secretariat[at]ccacoalition[dot]org).

Evaluation criteria

Proposals will be evaluated against the following criteria:

• Presents a clear plan to achieve the required outcomes during the lifetime of the project or soon after
• Includes a plan or activities to enable the scaling up of, replication of, or sustained use of project results over time
• Sets out a clear approach for enabling or contributing to SLCP emissions reductions and resulting co-benefits
• Involves relevant stakeholders 
• Approach is grounded in a strong understanding of relevant risks
• Complements other relevant initiatives, funding mechanisms, and existing policy processes
• Applicant demonstrates necessary capacity and experience to perform the work
• A realistic, cost-effective, and clearly justified budget and approach is proposed
• Project meets the minimum requirements for the OECD DAC gender equality marker Score 1

Selection process

• A preliminary review of proposals submitted by the deadline will be conducted by members of the CCAC Secretariat, Funding Task Team, and Board, in consultation with relevant CCAC Partners.  
• Shortlisted applicants will be invited to present their proposals in further detail and to respond to follow-up questions about their application.
• Successful applicants will be invited to develop a Project Implementation Plan and Detailed Budget in consultation with the CCAC Secretariat and relevant CCAC Partners.

The selection process may take up to 6 months after the closing date of the call for proposals. Due to the high volume of requests, the CCAC will not respond to requests for updates or feedback during this time.

Note: Due diligence 

In addition to eligibility criteria outlined above, qualified UNEP/CCAC implementers* must meet the following criteria: 

• Have adequate financial resources to perform the contract and meet all existing commitments (financial health)
• Be able to provide proof of registration, proof of not-for-profit status and audited financial statements for the last three completed fiscal years 
• Have a record of satisfactory performance with UNEP/CCAC, when applicable; and  - Not have been suspended or debarred by UNEP/CCAC or another UN agency. UNEP/CCAC also considers entities included in the Security Council Resolution Lists to be ineligible for UNEP/CCAC agreements.

* (inter)governmental entities/ United Nations are exempt from this requirement

Procurement

As a general rule, Implementation Agreements allow for incidental procurement only, and as such, total costs in the following categories must fall below a certain threshold*:

• Contractual Services
• Equipment, Vehicles and Furniture
• Operating and other Direct costs
• Supplies, Commodities and Materials

*Agreements of $200,000 and below: up to $20,000 or 15% of total budget, whichever is lower.

*Agreements of above $200,000: up to $40,000 or 15%. * United Nations agencies are exempt from this requirement.