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Overview

Project Title

Facilitating Access to Green Finance for SMEs in Bangladesh.

About UNCDF   

Founded by the UN General Assembly resolution in 1966, the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) is the United Nations' flagship catalytic financing entity for the world’s 46 Least Developed Countries (LDCs).  With its unique capital mandate and focus on the LDCs, UNCDF works to invest and catalyze capital to support these countries in achieving the sustainable growth and inclusiveness envisioned by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Doha Programme of Action for the least developed countries, 2022–2031. 

UNCDF builds partnerships with other UN organizations, as well as private and public sector actors, to achieve greater impact in development; specifically, by unlocking additional resources and strengthening financing mechanisms and systems contributing to transformation pathways, focusing on such development themes as green economy, digitalization, urbanization, inclusive economies, gender equality and women’s economic empowerment.

A hybrid development finance institution and development agency, UNCDF uses a combination of capital instruments (deployment, financial & business advisory and catalyzation) and development instruments (technical assistance, capacity development, policy advice, advocacy, thought leadership, and market analysis and scoping) which are applied across five priority areas (inclusive digital economies, local transformative finance, women’s economic empowerment, climate, energy & biodiversity finance, and sustainable food systems finance).

UNCDF’s expertise is in three primary areas of work: (1) development and financing of inclusive digital economies through a market development approach, largely driven by digital finance and innovation; (2) local development finance through fiscal decentralization (including local climate adaptation finance), municipal finance and structured project finance, to drive market transformation in local economic development; and (3) investment finance, to drive capital accumulation and market transformation in financially underserved areas, including investment sourcing, due diligence, de-risking, deployment of loans and guarantees, and crowding in of investment capital from domestic and international investors.

Project Description 

Bangladesh is one of the most vulnerable countries to the impacts of climate change due to its low-lying geography, high population density, and exposure to natural disasters. The country experiences a range of climate change impacts, including sea-level rise, increased frequency and intensity of cyclones, flooding, salinity intrusion, and changes in rainfall patterns. These impacts have significant implications for agriculture, water resources, infrastructure, and human livelihoods. To address these challenges, Bangladesh has been taking proactive measures to mitigate and adapt to climate change. The government has developed the Bangladesh Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan (BCCSAP) and established the Bangladesh Climate Change Trust Fund (BCCTF) to finance climate change projects and programs.

Renewable energy plays a crucial role in Bangladesh's efforts to combat climate change and reduce its reliance on fossil fuels. The country has invested in renewable energy sources, particularly solar and wind power. Solar home systems have been widely adopted, providing electricity to millions of households in rural areas. Bangladesh is also developing solar parks and wind farms to increase its renewable energy capacity. Additionally, the country has initiated projects for biomass-based power generation and is exploring the potential of hydropower and tidal energy. The government has also introduced policies and incentives to attract investment in the renewable energy sector.

Furthermore, energy efficiency measures and conservation efforts are being promoted to reduce energy demand and improve energy access sustainably. These initiatives include promoting energy-efficient appliances, adopting energy-efficient building designs, and implementing energy conservation awareness campaigns. Bangladesh is also actively engaged in international climate change negotiations and has committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions. It has set a target of generating 40% of its total electricity from renewable sources by 2030. While significant progress has been made, challenges remain in scaling up renewable energy deployment and adapting to climate change impacts. Adequate financing, technological capacity building, and policy support are crucial to achieving sustainable development and resilience in Bangladesh in the face of climate change.

Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) play a vital role in Bangladesh's economy, contributing to employment generation, poverty reduction, and economic growth. However, SMEs are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change due to their limited resources, lack of adaptive capacity, and dependence on climate-sensitive sectors such as agriculture, fisheries, and manufacturing. By supporting the climate resilience of SMEs, Bangladesh can help protect livelihoods, promote sustainable economic growth, and build a more resilient business sector in the face of climate change. 

In this regard, UNCDF, in partnership with Truvalu, One to Watch, implementing a multi-year enterprises programme “The Access to Green Financing (A2GF)” to facilitate capacity development, technical assistance, and access to green financing for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) across all sectors in Bangladesh. This programme is supported by the Embassy of Switzerland in Bangladesh. The A2GF programme will actively engage with SMEs, Financial Institutions (FIs), Impact Investors (IIs), and Policymakers to facilitate access to green financing for SMEs, aiding them in adapting to and mitigating the risks associated with climate change. This programme addresses the critical need for green financing among SMEs in Bangladesh, recognizing their pivotal role in driving economic growth and climate resilience.

To address the need, the programme proposes several strategic recommendations. First, regulatory reform is essential, including developing SME-focused green financing policies and updating the SME Policy 2019 to include specific goals related to green finance. Second, there is a need for research to formulate a strategy integrating green transition within the Green Taxonomy. Third, monitoring support should be enhanced by improving green finance reporting templates and developing digital tools for real-time data collection and reporting. Fourth, capacity-building efforts should facilitate cross-border learning for policymakers and effective implementation of Environmental and Social Risk Management (ESRM) guidelines. Finally, policy enforcement is crucial, involving the promotion of refinancing schemes and green financing initiatives, establishing an 'SME Green Transitions Working Group' for collaborative support, and participating in regional and global events to showcase the programme's outcomes. Overall, the policy interventions roadmap focuses on interventions encompassing regulatory reform, research support, capacity building, monitoring support, and policy enforcement.

This initiative will make use of the ecosystem and incentivize collaboration between the financial sector actors in Bangladesh, the impact finance sector, the development community, and international partners. It will mobilize money needed to fund efforts to adapt to and mitigate climate change and its impact and contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 5, 7, 8, 13 and 17.

Scope of Services

Given this background, the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) is seeking a consultant (IC) to enhance the accessibility of the Green Climate Fund (GCF) for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Bangladesh. Because, after hindering Bangladesh's graduation from the category of least developed nations (LDC) in 2026, climate funds such as GCF will be the principal source of sustainable donor funding. The IC will gather information from and make necessary recommendations to GCF officials, national designated authority (NDA), direct access entities (DAEs), implementing entities (IEs), and local financial institutions (LFIs). This will involve reviewing existing guidelines and procedures related to grants, loans, guarantees, and equity.

To assess the current state of readiness, barriers, and ease of GCF financing for SME, the IC will conduct formative research. This research will involve engaging with NDA, DAEs, IEs, other impact investors, development organizations, SMEs, climate-focused entrepreneurs, regulators, and policymakers, etc. Through these efforts, the IC will provide recommendations to UNCDF on how to effectively advocate for greater accessibility to GCF financing for SMEs in Bangladesh. And the IC will conduct advocacy activities in collaboration with UNCDF Bangladesh.

Under the supervision of the Digital Economies Expert, IDE Bangladesh and in close coordination with the Regional Manager for IDE Asia the Green SME financing specialist will:

1. Prepare a work plan outlining key deliverables and timelines to complete the assignment according to the requirements.
2. Review existing GCF-linked country guidelines and procedures, focusing on improving GCF financing accessibility for SMEs. Conduct a preliminary review of key regulatory frameworks and guidelines related to current GCF financing in Bangladesh. This includes examining regulations, policies, incentives, and support mechanisms for green financing for SMEs. Identify gaps or limitations that hinder SMEs' access to green financing, such as inadequate incentives, lack of clarity, restrictive eligibility criteria, or limited availability of green financing options. In close coordination with IDE Bangladesh team, the Consultant will conduct stakeholder consultations with relevant government institutions, NDA, DAEs, IEs, LFIs, civil society, academia, private sector, SME foundation, Bangladesh Bank, and UN organizations to gather insights and information on the current constraints affecting SME access to GCF financing.
3. Refer practices from other GCF-designated countries, especially those in comparable markets, to highlight regulatory, policy, or implementation strategies that support SME financing. These countries will be identified in consultation with key Government stakeholders (at least 3 global examples to be looked into).
4. Develop strategic and practical recommendations for the NDA and DAEs based on the research and stakeholder consultations. Prior to finalizing the recommendation, the consultant will present the findings, identified gaps, stakeholder inputs, advocacy needs, and potential advocacy strategies to enhance SME access to GCF funding in a validation workshop with key stakeholders.
5. Conduct advocacy activities in close coordination with IDE Bangladesh team, engaging with GCF, UNFCC, NDA, and DAEs (and other stakeholders identified during the initial project work) to make the fund more accessible for SMEs.
6. Submit the final report to the Digital Expert & IDE Country Lead with recommendations and tools for optimal GCF access for SMEs.

Expected Outputs / Deliverables and Payment Terms

This section should be presented in the following manner:

Please refer to the attached TOR for more information. All requested documents including the Letter of Confirmation of Interest must be submitted to uncdf.procurement@uncdf.org

For any clarification please write to kullawan.arphasrirat@uncdf.org