Brasilia, 26 June 2023 – The world’s largest funder of environmental action has announced its backing for over $321 million in UN Environment Programme initiatives to tackle the triple planetary crisis of climate change, nature and biodiversity and waste and pollution.
The announcement comes in the context of a record GEF work programme, with $1.4 billion committed to targeting the root causes of environmental damage across 136 countries.
Meeting in the Brazilian capital, the Council of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) approved 46 new UNEP-led projects, which will deliver urgent action including:
-
The creation or improved management of over 800,000 ha of terrestrial protected areas and 31 million ha of marine protected areas
-
The mitigation of over 137 million MT of direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions (CO2e)
-
The reduction of over 10,000 MT of chemicals of global concern and their waste
Due to directly benefit almost 1.8 million people across 77 countries, more than half of them women, the new projects span developing countries, Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States and include support for four new UNEP-led GEF integrated programs – the Circular Solutions to Plastic Pollution Integrated Program, Congo Basin Integrated Program, Elimination of Hazardous Chemicals from Supply Chains Integrated Program, and the Net-Zero Nature-Positive Accelerator Integrated Program – targeting the drivers of environmental degradation across borders and sectors.
UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen said the latest series of GEF-supported initiatives underline the importance of environmental multilateralism in overcoming the leading challenges of our time.
“From slowing climate change to fighting a growing tide of plastic pollution to halting and reversing biodiversity loss, achieving a world in which we live at peace with nature is only possible through working together,” Andersen said. “The GEF partnership shows what is possible when we act together. It has offered us a chance to make real difference for people and for planet Earth.”
GEF CEO and Chairperson Carlos Manuel Rodríguez described the large work programme, which comes amid significant momentum for environmental diplomacy, following recent breakthrough deals on biodiversity, the high seas, and plastics, as a major boost for global efforts to end species loss this decade.
“The Global Environment Facility has a clear role to play in getting resources where they need to be as countries look to put nature first in their planning. The game-changing programs and projects in this record work program reflect that mandate,” the former Costa Rican energy and environment minister said.
For more information on UNEP and our work with the Global Environment Facility, reach out to us at unep-gef@un.org.
To discuss partnering with UNEP on projects under the GEF-8 Integrated Programs, contact:
-
Circular Solutions to Plastic Pollution Integrated Program – Isabelle Vanderbeck
-
Elimination of Hazardous Chemicals from Supply Chains Integrated Program – Ludovic Bernaudat
-
Net-Zero Nature-Positive Accelerator Integrated Program – Ruth Coutto
