GEF Council Unveils Major Funding Surge to Tackle Pollution and Prioritize Global Challenges in New Replenishment Round

The governing body of the Global Environment Facility has sanctioned close to $700 million in funding aimed at enhancing chemical and waste management, strengthening water and urban resilience, and safeguarding biodiverse regions in developing nations that are striving to fulfill international environmental objectives, in collaboration with civil society.

During a virtual meeting, GEF Council representatives from 186 nations agreed to initiate the process early next year for the ninth replenishment of the Global Environment Facility Trust Fund. This upcoming four-year funding phase, which runs from July 2026 to June 2030, coincides with the final drive towards fulfilling critical targets within the multilateral environmental agreements supported by GEF.

“The alarm bells for our planet are ringing loud – immediate action is required to prevent the collapse of the global ecological framework that sustains life on Earth. The 2030 targets demand our complete focus, and we are dedicated to swiftly advancing through GEF-9 to address priority environmental challenges inclusively,” stated GEF CEO and Chair Carlos Manuel Rodríguez.

“Tackling environmental issues is intricate and necessitates a methodical approach and collective accountability, both for ourselves and for forthcoming generations,” remarked Dawda Badjie Banjul, Co-Chair of the 68th Council and Council Member from The Gambia.

During their meetings spanning a week, Council members allocated $554 million from the GEF Trust Fund, $93.6 million from the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF), and $12.6 million from the Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF). They also assessed the progress of the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund (GBFF), which includes setting aside $91 million for future funding of new initiatives in 17 countries that have received project preparation grants.

The family of funds under the Global Environment Facility, encompassing the GEF Trust Fund, GBFF, LDCF, SCCF, Nagoya Protocol Implementation Fund, and Capacity-building Initiative for Transparency, operate to meet needs in a cohesive, inclusive, and effective manner, utilizing the expertise of the GEF Secretariat and its policies to ensure optimal impact.

Collectively, these funds assist countries in achieving the objectives of the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Agreement, Convention on Biological Diversity, Minamata Convention on Mercury, Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, UN Convention to Combat Desertification, and UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

The latest work program of the GEF Trust Fund encompasses 31 projects and programs across 133 countries, covering 98 percent of the globe’s Least Developed Countries and 95 percent of all Small Island Developing States. A significant portion is directed towards managing chemical pollutants and waste, including strategies focused on agrochemicals, tourism, and PCB elimination, as well as a facility for financing chemicals and waste management.

Click here for a comprehensive list of approved projects and programs >>

This includes an expansion of support for Indigenous and community-led environmental management through two flagship initiatives: the Inclusive Conservation Initiative and the GEF Small Grants Program.

The second phase of the Inclusive Conservation Initiative (ICI) will be executed by WWF-US. This expansion will enhance the GEF’s direct assistance to Indigenous Peoples and local communities, providing funding for the management of their lands, territories, and waters.  

By facilitating direct access to funds, the ICI underpins Indigenous Peoples and local communities in advancing self-determined initiatives that could encompass monitoring for mercury and illegal mining, forming co-management agreements for national parks, and securing legal recognition of land rights. The first phase of ICI, implemented by Conservation International and IUCN, has allocated $14.5 million in direct access financing to Indigenous-led organizations across thirteen nations, with backing varying from $1 million to $2 million per initiative.

For the GEF Small Grants Program, two new agencies – Conservation International and the Food and Agriculture Organization – will collaborate with UNDP to enhance financing and technical support for community-driven environmental actions. The Council has also given the green light to a new CSO Challenge Program managed by IUCN, which is aimed at bolstering local environmental solutions, including initiatives led by women, Indigenous Peoples, youth, and individuals with disabilities.

Additionally, Council members reviewed progress made during the initial two years of GEF-8, with insights guiding the forthcoming funding cycle where speed and efficiency will remain crucial. 

A monitoring report prepared for the Council indicated that from fiscal years 2022 to 2024, GEF funding has facilitated the creation of more than 130 million hectares of terrestrial and marine protected areas, improved sustainable land management practices across 25 million hectares of productive landscapes, and prevented the emission of 840 million tons of greenhouse gases. The Corporate Scorecard demonstrated that programming during the GEF-8 period is on track to meet all 10 environmental results targets, with three already exceeded. 

Representatives from governments approved additional reforms to further streamline funding processes to ensure efficiency and impact throughout the GEF-9 funding cycle, reviewed recent findings from the GEF Independent Evaluation Office, and listened to insights from the GEF Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel based on recent research findings. 

The GEF was established ahead of the 1992 Rio Earth Summit to provide financial resources for developing nations to address urgent challenges related to biodiversity, climate change, and pollution, while generating global environmental benefits. Over the past three decades, its scope has expanded to address issues concerning mercury, persistent organic pollutants, and marine biodiversity in regions beyond national jurisdiction. 

During the meeting of the LDCF/SCCF Council, government representatives endorsed seven projects and two programs for the LDCF, along with one project and one program for the SCCF, continuing the targeted climate adaptation support that these GEF-hosted funds offer. Initiatives include projects aimed at enhancing urban infrastructure in Central African Republic, improving water resource management in Pacific islands, and bolstering agricultural resilience in Yemen.

Lastly, while convening as the 3rd Global Biodiversity Framework Fund Council, representatives evaluated recent advancements in programming for biodiversity initiatives and the governance of the new fund that was established at the behest of parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity two years ago in Montreal. 

The Council meetings were held following the latest Convention on Biological Diversity Conference of the Parties in Cali, as well as the COPs for climate change in Baku and for desertification in Riyadh, in addition to ongoing negotiations regarding a new global plastics agreement. In 2025, the Minamata Convention on Mercury and the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants are scheduled to hold their next COPs in Geneva, and the Convention on Biological Diversity is set to recommence.