To date, only a fraction of climate finance has benefitted sub-Saharan Africa. The availability of finance is not commensurate with current needs and resource deployment has a tendency to be more donor-centric than recipient-focused. This policy briefing explores this issue, focusing on three common barriers to access, namely recipient country capacity, needs assessment and knowledge deficiencies. It argues that the focus has tended to be on reforms within recipient countries, but that donor positions contribute to the root causes of such challenges. It concludes that substantive reform requires the combined efforts of both recipients and donors and recommends various measures within and among donors that would facilitate access to climate finance by sub-Saharan African countries.
