The Global Environment Facility (GEF) has announced a major financial injection exceeding $372 million to combat pressing environmental challenges across the globe, with Nigeria and other African nations set to benefit. The approval, granted during recent Council meetings, will fund 36 innovative programmes and projects aimed at safeguarding ecosystems and promoting sustainable development.
Breaking Down the Funding and Key Focus Areas
The substantial funding package is drawn from several GEF-managed funds. The largest share, $291 million, comes from the GEF Trust Fund. It is supplemented by $49 million from the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF), $3 million from the Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF), and $29 million from the relatively new Global Biodiversity Framework Fund (GBFF).
These resources are earmarked for integrated actions against the triple planetary crisis: biodiversity loss, climate change, and pollution. Specific initiatives will target:
- Combating illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing.
- Protecting and managing vital marine habitats.
- Reducing dangerous mercury and persistent organic pollutants.
- Advancing regenerative agriculture and large-scale landscape restoration.
The GEF Council stressed the pivotal role of civil society organisations, Indigenous Peoples, and local communities in designing and implementing these projects, especially under the GBFF which emphasises community stewardship and rights-based approaches.
Catalytic Impact and Leadership Transition
A key strength of GEF financing is its ability to attract significant additional investment. Projects approved since July 2022 are projected to leverage $8.50 in co-finance for every single GEF dollar, including an impressive $8.1 billion from private sources. For blended finance operations, the ratio is even higher at 19-to-1.
The Council meetings also saw a leadership change. Carlos Manuel Rodríguez stepped down as GEF Chief Executive Officer and Chairperson with immediate effect. Claude Gascon, the GEF Director of Strategy and Operations, has been appointed as the interim CEO.
In a show of continued confidence, donor nations announced new pledges of nearly $39 million to the LDCF and SCCF during the meetings. Contributions from Belgium, Germany, Ireland, and Sweden will bolster climate adaptation efforts in the world's most vulnerable nations.
Track Record and Future Ambitions
Representatives from the GEF's 186 member countries reviewed progress towards the 2022-2026 targets. The latest monitoring report highlights a strong record of delivery over the past four years, including:
- Mitigating over one billion tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions.
- Supporting the conservation of 118 million hectares of protected land areas.
- Placing 15 million hectares of land under restoration.
- Eliminating 60,000 tonnes
"The progress made towards achieving our targets reflects an unprecedented record of delivery, scale, and ambition," stated interim CEO Claude Gascon.
Looking ahead, discussions have begun for the next funding cycle, GEF-9, which starts in July 2026. The goal is to create a more streamlined and effective process. The current cycle, GEF-8, with a total of $5.3 billion in grants and blended finance, will conclude in June 2026. The process will culminate at the Eighth GEF Assembly in Uzbekistan in June 2026, where the agenda for accelerating action towards 2030 goals will be set.
