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Technology Needs Assessment (TNA)

Introduction

A Technology Needs Assessment (TNA) is a set of activities that identify and analyse technology priorities for mitigation and adaptation to climate change of developing countries such as Lesotho. The TNA project has allowed Lesotho to identify climate technology pathways that assist in the implementation of the Paris Agreement under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The process is country-driven, requiring heavy stakeholder engagement and local capacity building. Thus, stakeholder engagement was the primary tool used during the project. The scope and depth of the Lesotho TNA is well aligned to national development objectives and allows national stakeholders to explore synergies with other national processes, striving towards the implementation of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC). The technologies will contribute to and enhance the Government of Lesotho’s ongoing efforts in ensuring a resilient and low-carbon economy.  Lesotho’s TNA is focused on agriculture and water resources as priority sectors under the adaptation component of the project. The choice of sectors selected for assessment was informed by national policies and selected by the technical team through a series of stakeholder consultations in collaboration with the Lesotho Meteorological Services and the National Climate Change Committee within the context of the Climate Change Policy.   On the other hand, TNA identifies and prioritises mitigation technologies for the identified key sectors of Energy and Agriculture, Forestry and Othe Land Use (AFOLU) based on the country development needs and priorities. Sectors prioritized for GHG mitigation have high GHG emissions, large potential for implementing feasible mitigation options, high potential for applying low-carbon technologies and in compliance with national development goals.

Project Objectives

1. To identify and prioritise mitigation and adaptation technologies for selected sectors.

2. To identify, analyse and address barriers hindering the deployment and diffusion of the prioritised technologies, including the enabling framework for these technologies.

3. To conduct a Technology Action Plan (TAP), which is a medium/long-term plan for increasing the implementation of identified technologies, based on the inputs obtained from the previous two steps.

4. To prepare updated and improved TNA, including TAP, for prioritized technologies that reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, support adaptation to climate change, and are consistent with Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) and national sustainable development objectives.

Project Activities

1. To identify and prioritize through a country-driven participatory process, technologies that can contribute to mitigation and adaptation for selected sector/subsectors, while meeting national sustainable development goals and priorities.

2. To identify, analyse and address barriers hindering the acquisition, deployment, and diffusion of prioritised technologies including enabling the environment for the same.

3. Based on the inputs obtained from the two previous steps, develop Technology Action Plans (TAP) specifying activities and enabling frameworks to overcome the barriers and facilitate the transfer, adoption and diffusion of selected technologies. This step will include the development of specific project ideas for each prioritized sector.

Project Components Project Outcomes Project Outputs
1. Strengthening Lesotho’s capacity to collect and process climate change data into useful information for policymaking and reporting to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). 1. Lesotho uses climate change data and information as input to plan, monitor and report climate change strategies, policies and actions in compliance with the Enhanced Transparency Framework. 1.1. Institutional arrangements and legal framework to collect and manage GHG Inventory data and NDC tracking data drafted and submitted to the government for adoption.
1.2. National GHG Inventory Management System improved and relevant stakeholders trained on IPCC´s latest guidelines and tools for national GHG inventories.
1.3. National MRV system designed, tested and operationalized and Ministry staff/local authorities and other relevant stakeholders trained on tracking Nationally Determined Contributions according to the ETF, including co-benefits for SDGs achievement.
2. Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) 2. Project is effectively monitored and evaluated 2.1 Monitoring and evaluation products are delivered

The GEF Trust Fund constitutes the most popular source of climate finance in Lesotho, having funded over 42 projects, including both national and global/regional initiatives. In terms of focus, GEF funded projects have been geared broadly towards tackling the drivers of environmental degradation. As such, the major focal areas of the fund disbursement in Lesotho have been biodiversity; land degradation; climate change policies, strategies and plans; organic pollution and water – all of which are more or less in line with the fund’s priority globally. Direct climate financing from Global Environment Fund (GEF) is accessible through the Department of Environment, which is a GEF focal point in the Ministry of Defence, National Security and Environment. (Home | GEF)

The Green Climate Fund has the potential to help countries like Lesotho meet their adaptation and mitigation finance needs. Currently, there is one cross-cutting GCF-funded project in Lesotho, among other three recipient countries – South Africa, Eswatini and Namibia. 

The project is geared towards addressing critical market barriers in accelerating private sector climate investments. Lesotho has also accessed five (5) projects under the GCFs Readiness and Preparatory Support Programme. The process for accessing funding under the GCF begin from an assessment of the needs of Lesotho and includes extensive stakeholder engagement. The fund is accessed through the National Designated Authority (NDA) and the Accredited Entity (AE) (Lesotho | Green Climate Fund).

 

Like the Adaptation Fund, the Climate Investment Funds constitutes a climate funding stream that many African countries are not able to access. CIF is an enabler of pioneering climate-smart planning and climate action in low and middle-income economies, many of which are the least prepared yet the most prone to the challenges of climate change. CIF responds to the worldwide climate crisis with large-scale, low-cost, and long-term financial solutions to support countries achieve their climate objectives. In Lesotho, there is only a single project with finance from the fund. The project, entitled “Lesotho Renewable Energy and Energy Access Project”, is geared towards funding renewable energy investments. The fund is accessed through the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning in Lesotho. (The Climate Investment Funds (CIF)).

The Special Climate Change Fund is also being governed by GEF and Lesotho has not accessed funds as the fund is dry majority of the time. Lesotho as an LDC competes with other developing countries to access the funds. (Special Climate Change Fund – SCCF | GEF)

The LDCF, which is governed by GEF, is a vital source of climate funds in the context of Lesotho. It constitutes the most significant finance stream in Lesotho, having funded national projects to the tune of over US$ 36 million as of 2022. Indeed, it is second in significance to the GEF Trust Fund only in terms of the number of nationally funded projects (8 national projects compared to 15 for GEF). Regarding sectoral distribution and focus of LDCF, the data suggests that LDCF resources are geared towards water resources management, enhancing the resilience of agricultural production and food systems, and climate information services and capacity building. (Least Developed Countries Fund – LDCF | GEF)

The Adaptation Fund is one of the least accessed climate funds and Lesotho just accessed funds (count of US$ 10 million) through Word Food Programme as the accredited entity. The project, entitled “Improving adaptive capacity of vulnerable and food-insecure populations in Lesotho”, is being implemented and pertains to agriculture and food security. It is accessed through LMS and Accredited Entity (AF | Adaptation Fund)