The Adaptation Fund (AF) has accredited the Royal Society for Protection of Nature (RSPN) of Bhutan as a National Implementing Entity (NIE) to the Fund. The decision will enable Bhutan to identify, develop, and implement AF-funded projects under the AF’s pioneering Direct Access modality that empowers country ownership in adaptation.
With this milestone, Bhutan becomes the first country in Asia-Pacific to have two accredited NIEs, RSPN and Bhutan Trust Fund for Environmental Conservation (BTFEC). It strengthens Bhutan’s direct access to climate finance as the country faces growing risks such as glacial lake outburst floods and erratic weather patterns. It also supports implementation of Bhutan’s National Adaptation Plan (2023), which prioritises resilience across sectors.
The AF Board enables countries to accredit up to two NIEs to strengthen national adaptation capacity and expertise to accelerate the response to climate change. Bhutan marks the third country to have two NIEs accredited with the Fund, following Kenya and Senegal.
RSPN is further accredited under the AF’s streamlined accreditation process – a modality designed for institutions with demonstrated specific capacity, allowing faster access to funding at smaller scales while maintaining the Fund’s core fiduciary, environmental, social, and gender standards.
Founded in 1987, RSPN is Bhutan’s oldest environmental NGO, working to conserve the country’s rich biodiversity and promote sustainable natural resource management. It has a long track record in conservation, community-based adaptation, and effective project delivery, working closely with local communities and national partners to advance environmental conservation.
The accreditation follows a rigorous assessment of RSPN’s financial management, procurement, safeguards, gender policies, and monitoring systems. The Panel along with the secretariat staff visited RSPN offices earlier this year as part of their on-site inspection, which sped up the accreditation process for the entity. A readiness grant previously granted to RSPN through the Fund had also supported improvements to key institutional systems required under the AF’s accreditation standards.
“This accreditation marks an important step in advancing Bhutan’s climate resilience and national priorities,” said Wangchuk Namgay, Director, Department of Programme Coordination and Climate Change at RSPN. “This achievement reflects the dedication of our team and the strong support of the AF and the Royal Government of Bhutan. We are committed to delivering impactful, community-driven adaptation solutions.”
“This milestone reflects the strength of the direct access approach and the role of strong national institutions in leading climate action,” said Mikko Ollikainen, Head of the AF.
“Having two NIEs in Bhutan further strengthens their national capacity in adaptation. RSPN’s commitment throughout a rigorous accreditation process shows true country ownership, and we are pleased to welcome them to the Adaptation Fund community. We are also pleased to see new NIEs accessing resources through the Fund’s streamlined accreditation process, which creates important opportunities for smaller states that may otherwise face barriers to accessing climate finance,” added Ollikainen.
