53rd GEF Council Meeting

The Global Environment Facility 53rd Council wrapped up after approving a work program of more than $500 million that puts a strong emphasis on support for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and Least Developed Countries (LDCs).

The work program, one of the largest in the current GEF funding cycle (GEF-6), spans all GEF focal areas and regions and comprises 83 projects and one programmatic approach. 101 recipient countries are set to benefit from GEF support, including 38 LDCs and 28 SIDS.

The GEF Council meeting included updates from the Secretariat on plans to review the GEF’s social and environmental safeguards and fiduciary standards, and a new vision to enhance civil society engagement with the GEF. The GEF also presented the Annual Portfolio Monitoring Report, and the CEO presented a report on the status of the GEF-7 replenishment.

There was also a session on the non-grant instrument (NGI), and a panel discussion on GEF’s relations with the Conventions, including Rolph Payet, Executive Secretary of the Basel, Rotterdam, and Stockholm Conventions, and Jacob Duer, Principal Coordinator of the Interim Secretariat of the Minamata Convention on Mercury.

23rd LDCF/SCCF Council Meeting

Back-to-back with the GEF Council meeting, the 23rd Meeting of the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF) and the Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF) Council took place. In her opening remarks, Naoko Ishii highlighted recent momentum around building resilience and catalyzing adaptation finance given the dire effects of recent extreme weather events around the world.

At the opening of the Council meeting, Switzerland announced new contributions to the LDCF and SCCF. More information can be found in the joint summary of the chairs.

The GEF Council was preceded by a one day consultation with CSOs on November 27.