Funding

GEF funding is provided by participating donor countries and made available to developing countries and countries with economies in transition to meet the objectives of international environmental conventions and agreements.

The Council-approved funds are transferred through 18 GEF Agencies to government agencies, civil society organizations, private sector companies, research institutions, among the broad diversity of potential partners, to execute projects and programs in recipient countries.

Contributions

Graph showing GEF replenishment values

Financial contributions by donor countries are provided via several trust funds administered by the World Bank acting as the GEF Trustee and serviced by a functionally independent Secretariat housed at the World Bank.

The Trustee helps mobilize GEF resources through a replenishment process every four years; transfers funds to GEF Agencies; and prepares financial reports on investments and use of resources. The Trustee provides periodic reports to the GEF Council that contain an array of fund-specific financial information.

The GEF Secretariat has provided secretariat services for the Adaptation Fund since its inception; and the World Bank has served as Trustee.

Other Trust Funds

The Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF), established under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), addresses the special needs of the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) that are especially vulnerable to the adverse impacts of climate change. 

The LDCF reduces the vulnerability of sectors and resources that are central to development and livelihoods, such as water, agriculture and food security, health, disaster risk management and prevention, infrastructure, and fragile ecosystems.

Tasked with financing the preparation and implementation of National Adaptation Programs of Action (NAPAs). NAPAs use existing information to identify a country’s priorities for adaptation actions. The LDCF is the only existing fund whose mandate is to finance the preparation and implementation of the NAPAs.

Learn more about the LDCF >>

Financial contributions by donor countries are provided via a trust fund administered by the World Bank acting as the GEF Trustee. The Trustee provides periodic reports to the LDCF Council that contain an array of fund-specific financial information.

The Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF) supports adaptation and technology transfer in all developing country parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), supporting both long-term and short-term adaptation activities in water resources management, land management, agriculture, health, infrastructure development, fragile ecosystems, including mountainous ecosystems, and integrated coastal zone management.

Learn more about the SCCF >>

Financial contributions by donor countries are provided via a trust fund administered by the World Bank acting as the GEF Trustee. The Trustee provides periodic reports to the SCCF Council that contain an array of fund-specific financial information.

As part of the Paris Agreement, Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) agreed to establish a Capacity-building Initiative for Transparency (CBIT). The goal of CBIT is to strengthen the institutional and technical capacities of developing countries to meet the enhanced transparency requirements of the Paris Agreement, as defined in Article 13.

Financial contributions by donor countries are provided via a trust fund administered by the World Bank acting as the GEF Trustee. The Trustee provides periodic reports to the GEF Council that contain an array of fund-specific financial information.

The Nagoya Protocol Fund supports signatory countries, as well as those in the process of signing The Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization (the Nagoya Protocol) and that intend to ratify the Protocol in order to accelerate the ratification and implementation of the Protocol. 

The fund encourages engagement with private sector entities interested in exploring the economic potential of genetic resources and facilitate the transfer of appropriate technologies. Through the implementation of this type of project, countries should be generating additional information that can help to understand their capacities and needs on Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS), with focus on the provisions from existing policies, laws and regulations affecting genetic resources.

Financial contributions by donor countries are provided via trust fund administered by the World Bank acting as the GEF Trustee. The Trustee provides periodic reports to the GEF Council that contain an array of fund-specific financial information.

The Global Biodiversity Framework Fund will scale up financing for the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

The GBFF aims to help countries achieve the Global Biodiversity Framework goals and targets with a strategic focus on strengthening national-level biodiversity management, planning, policy, governance, and finance approaches. The Fund was ratified by 186 countries and launched at the Seventh GEF Assembly in Vancouver, Canada in August 2023. 

Public, private, and philanthropic funding will be disbursed through the GBFF’s streamlined funding procedures. The Fund will provide enhanced support to Indigenous Peoples and local communities, Small Island Developing States, and Least Developed Countries, according to their own priorities.  

Initial contributions totaling more than $200 million from Canada, the United Kingdom, and Germany allow for the operationalization of the GBF Fund. Subsequently, Japan announced a contribution during the COP28 climate talks. Spain pledged further funding during the 66th GEF Council meeting.