Download Bond DEG timeline and priorities 2015 Contents Purpose Work plan

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Bond DEG timeline and priorities 2015
Purpose
Work plan
Bond DEG structure
Bond DEG Rules of Engagement
1. Purpose
The aim of the Bond Development and Environment Group is to ensure that the UK international
development community recognizes the environmental imperatives underpinning development policy
and related policy areas. Through its themed sub groups as well as the overarching group, DEG engages
with a wide ranging stakeholder base from across government and the environment and development
communities. DEG has a recognized and established role to play in informing UK government decision
making across the agendas that link environment and development.
2. Work plan
Specific areas of focus for Bond DEG this year are:
The UNFCCC process and the Green Climate Fund
Objective
Task
To see the UK promoting an
ambitious 2015 deal on
mitigation and finance ahead
of the Paris COP.
To see the UK call for a
Green
Climate
Fund
portfolio
that
provides
necessary finance to low
income countries and an
even
split
between
mitigation and adaptation,
and has a fair governance
framework in place.
Outcome sought
Maintain regular meetings with DECC
and DFID on the UNFCCC process and
climate negotiations and finance
including advance planning of advocacy
priorities in these meetings.
Long term climate finance
commitments from HMG and
action to develop a roadmap
towards the $100bn climate
finance 2020 target.
Undertake or commission research and
advocacy papers where appropriate on
matters relating to the Green Climate
Fund and the UNFCCC agreement
including on the portfolio spread
between countries and sectors.
To see HMG press for a GCF
portfolio
spread
that
corresponds to the targets
laid out by NGOs.
A deal on mitigation in Paris,
that either puts us on track to
stay below a 2 average
Work with other relevant coalitions such temperature rise or which
To see development of a as TCC to align campaign and advocacy leaves the option for more
roadmap towards achieving objectives.
ambitious mitigation action
the $100bn target for
subsequently.
climate finance flows to
developing countries by
2020.
The Post 2015 Development Framework – Climate Change
Objective
Task
To see a climate change goal Meetings with DECC on ensuring climate
that is measurable and change is ambitiously addressed in the
proportionate to a pathway framework.
for keeping below 2 degrees
of warming.
Explore and develop research &
advocacy projects on climate change SDG
indicators and on the relationship
Outcome sought
Retention of a climate change
goal in the final SDGs
framework and targets and
indicators on climate change
across the goals that are
proportionate
to
staying
below a 2 degree rise in
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between the SDGs and UNFCCC.
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Climate Change Adaptation
Objective
Maintaining
communications
between
the UK NGO sector and DFID
to promote the need for
community
based
approaches to adaptation
within DFID’s programmes
and reduce the focus on
carbon markets in climate
change and agriculture.
average temperatures, and
address
the
growing
Communicating
members
agreed vulnerability of poor people to
advocacy messages to Beyond 2015 and climate change impacts.
Action 2015.
Task
Outcome sought
Increasing communications with DFID
on the Alliance for Climate Smart
Agriculture.
Increased engagement with DFID on
BRACED as it develops
Further plans to emerge as the capacity
of group members improves over the
year.
Additional areas of work to be explored by the group are:
1. Conducting research on how to make development sector organisations more
climate and environment smart and better prepared for the risks and
uncertainties of an increasingly climate and environment impacted future.
2. Further research into how to make all development finance climate proof and
how to ensure that climate finance itself generates additional value.
3. Bond DEG purpose and structure
Bond DEG’s vision is a world of justice and equality, free from poverty, where we all live equitably
within the resource capacity of our planet and where human rights and the environment are respected.
Poverty eradication and sustainable development depend upon ensuring environmental sustainability;
otherwise any gains will be transitory and inequitable. However, within many development contexts,
the environment is associated principally with checks and barriers to development. This is a false
distinction as environmental management can unlock natural resources as the wealth of the poor as
well as acting as a vital buffer for coping with social, economic and environmental shocks.
The group’s goal is therefore to increase understanding of the links between environment and
development within government and civil society; and to influence development policy and related
decision making processes. The group aims to ensure that the UK international development community
recognizes the environmental imperatives underpinning policies that support sustainable development.
The UK plays an important role in shaping international development discourse at a European and
International level. For example how the UK allocates the UK International Climate Fund plays an
important role in informing the sourcing and spending of climate finance by other countries and
institutions in the future. The UK’s retention of the 0.7% of GDP to aid commitment despite the
economic downturn is a further reason why the country has a high profile in the development field
internationally. Both DFID and influential development NGOs based in the UK, are seen throughout the
world as lead organizations with regards to aid and development.
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Further UK stakeholders that are also key target audiences for DEG include other government
departments: Cabinet Office as lead department on the post 2015 development agenda; DECC for its role
in climate change finance; and parliamentarians and civil society in recognition of the influential role
that these audiences play in informing the policies and actions of each other.
DEG is the main vehicle for NGO engagement with the UK Government on development and
environment concerns. DEG has a membership of around 20 organisations, representing a diverse range
of agendas and a support base of millions. It also works more widely in the international development
sector with other networks, organizations and individuals, such as Beyond 2015 and the UK Food
Group.
DEG provides a forum where NGOs working at the interface of development and environment issues can
exchange information, enhance their analysis and coordinate their advocacy towards the UK
Government and other relevant institutions.
The group facilitates engagement with government through convening regular meetings between
members and government representatives from DFID, DECC and DEFRA. These meetings are organized
either through the core DEG group or its sub groups.
DEG is co-chaired by representatives from Christian Aid and WWF and has a part-time Coordinator. The
group has a steering committee made up of representatives from Cafod, Oxfam, Unicef-UK, Care
International, RSPB, Save the Children and Tearfund. This group is responsible for managing the broad
direction of the group and specific areas of work that are not addressed by the existing sub groups. (add
something here about the CEO’s group?)
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DEG’s online resources offer a valuable tool for information sharing amongst members and other
stakeholders. DEG’s Bond site and Google groups support:
Regular updates on relevant UK and international policy developments
Information on upcoming civil society and government meetings and events
Resource sharing e.g. facilitating joint advocacy
Sub group
Climate Change and the Post
2015 Development Agenda
International Climate Change
Negotiations Group
The Green Climate Fund
Climate Change Adaptation
Purpose
To convene joint research and advocacy projects on developing climate
change targets and indicators within the Post 2015 framework; and to
facilitate communications on the agenda within the sector and with
governments, primarily the UK government.
To support NGO advocacy around the development of the UK
negotiating position at UNFCCC negotiations, and to provide a forum for
the exchange of information about developments at the negotiations for
members. To provide a forum for civil society engagement with DECC on
governance of fast start finance, finance sources, and developing a post
2012 regime.
To monitor the development of the Green Climate Fund, maintain
regular communications with DFID and DECC GCF teams and conduct
research and advocacy actions to promote ensuring GCF finance reaches
the poorest people most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change at
sufficient scale.
To facilitate engagement between NGOs and UK government on financial
mechanisms for developing country climate change adaptation, the
governance of these mechanisms, sources of, and delivery of, finance.
Other key concerns are linking ecosystems and adaptation and
advancing coherent agriculture and adaptation policy approaches
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within DFID.
These sub groups also provide a means for non-Bond member organizations, including research
institutions and environmental campaign groups, to contribute to DEG’s work and participate in its
activities.
By enabling and facilitating joint advocacy, DEG gives a common voice to civil society and provides
government with a reliable point of engagement with the sector.
4. Bond DEG Rules of engagement
4.1 Overview
The Development and Environment Group (DEG) of Bond provides a forum where NGOs working at the
interface of environment and poverty issues can exchange information, enhance their analysis and
coordinate their advocacy towards the UK Government and other relevant institutions.
DEG’s sub groups facilitate the development of shared advocacy and government engagement activities
amongst members with an interest in a specific issue or policy agenda. Sub groups also provide their
members with a means to share information, news and knowledge gained from their operations, policy
work and research.
4.2 Membership
i.
Members of a DEG sub group do not have to be a member of Bond but may come from any relevant NGO,
charity, campaign or research organisation.
ii.
There is no fee for joining a DEG sub group though contributions to the DEG Co-ordinator is expected.
iii.
Applications for membership of a sub group must be approved by the sub group’s chair or a co-chair.
4.3 Establishing a new sub group
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New sub groups may be formed for several purposes, including:
To enable improved information sharing between DEG members on an interest area not sufficiently
addressed through existing DEG activities;
To form a coalition of organisations or individuals who wish to pursue a shared advocacy strategy on a
specific issue;
In response to a specific event or policy development meaning the group is formed for a fixed or limited
time period.
ii.
New sub groups must be chaired or co-chaired by a Bond member organisation. Non Bond member
organisations may co-chair and provide secretariat services for a sub group, only when working in
partnership with a Bond member organisation.
iii.
Proposals for new sub groups must be approved by the Development and Environment Group Steering
Group.
iv.
Sub groups may be set up for a specific time period, otherwise the group should be reviewed annually
by its members, to determine whether or not the group should be renewed or its remit altered.
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4.4 Sub group activities and decision making processes
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The activities of sub groups may vary according to the agreed purpose of the group but can include:
Meetings between members and government representatives;
Producing and co-signing correspondence for advocacy purposes;
Member roundtables;
Using online tools such as Google groups to share news, opinions and information, and disseminate
relevant publications.
ii.
Meetings with government representatives should be prepared for by an advance meeting of members,
to agree shared positions on key policy concerns, objectives and outcomes sought from the meeting.
iii.
Decisions over the structure and organisation of sub groups should be taken through consultation with
all members, including decisions on appointing chairs and coordinators, and developing the group’s
strategy and objectives. Consultation may be conducted online or in meetings.
iv.
For the purposes of agreeing the remit and objectives of a group, and addressing changes to the group’s
membership or administration, sub groups should seek to hold a meeting of members annually.
v.
Sub group chairs and members should seek to avoid duplicating the work of other sub groups and the
wider DEG, by following the activities of other relevant groups e.g. through reading meeting agendas
and minutes posted online.
4.5 Reporting
i. All meetings and other communications with government conducted by the sub group, should be
reported to Bond to fulfil Bond’s monitoring needs.
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