SANBI re-accredited as National Implementing Entity for the Adaptation Fund in South Africa

The South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) has been formally re-accredited as South Africa’s National Implementing Entity (NIE) for the Adaptation Fund, reaffirming its role in enabling locally driven climate adaptation initiatives that directly respond to the needs of communities who are vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.

The decision, taken by the Adaptation Fund Board, extends SANBI’s accreditation for a further five years, until January 2031. SANBI was first accredited as an NIE in 2011, after being nominated by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment in its capacity as the National Designated Authority of the Adaptation Fund in South Africa, and previously re-accredited in 2019.

Re-accreditation follows a comprehensive assessment by the Adaptation Fund’s Accreditation Panel, which confirmed that SANBI continues to meet all fiduciary, governance, environmental, social, and gender standards required to directly access and manage international climate finance. The review considered SANBI’s institutional governance, financial management systems, procurement processes, risk controls, and performance across all aspects of SANBI’s work , including the completed Adaptation Fund projects and other projects that SANBI implements.

Speaking on the announcement, Shonisani Munzhedzi, Chief Executive Officer of SANBI, said, “This re-accreditation affirms SANBI’s role as a trusted national partner for climate adaptation finance and our commitment to ensuring that resources reach the communities and ecosystems that need them most. As climate impacts intensify, particularly for under-resourced communities vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, the ability to design and deliver locally grounded adaptation responses becomes ever more critical.”

The Adaptation Fund supports concrete, on-the-ground projects that help communities adapt to the impacts of climate change, including increasing climate variability, extreme weather events, water scarcity, and ecosystem degradation. It places a strong emphasis on country ownership by enabling developing countries to access finance directly through accredited national institutions, rather than solely through international intermediaries.

In South Africa, SANBI has played a central role. Since its initial accreditation, SANBI has mobilised nearly USD 10 million in Adaptation Fund resources to support two pioneering projects focused on ecosystem-based adaptation and community resilience. These initiatives, implemented in KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, and the Northern Cape, have strengthened catchment management, supported local adaptation responses, and generated valuable learning for future climate programmes. SANBI is currently working with partners to design two further Adaptation Fund projects worth a combined USD 30 million.

Re-accreditation also strengthens SANBI’s position within the broader international climate finance landscape, alongside its role as an accredited entity of the Green Climate Fund. Indeed, accreditation with the Adaptation Fund underpins SANBI’s accreditation as a Direct Access Entity with the Green Climate Fund. In July 2025, SANBI’s first Green Climate Fund project was approved, the USD40 million Ecosystem-based Disaster Risk Reduction project, and SANBI is working with partners to develop a rolling pipeline of Green Climate Fund proposals. This accreditation across both funds enables SANBI to support the development and implementation of adaptation initiatives that integrate biodiversity, climate resilience, and social inclusion.

“As a national institution, SANBI is uniquely positioned to align global climate finance with South Africa’s development objectives,” Munzhedzi added. “This re-accreditation allows us to continue working with government, communities, and partners to build resilience where it matters most, grounded in science, accountability, and local priorities.”

The re-accreditation underscores South Africa’s continued commitment to country-led climate action and reinforces the importance of strong national institutions in addressing the growing challenge of climate adaptation.