Associated Bodies

Abstract

Global Environment Facility (GEF): c/o United Nations Development Programme, 304 East 45th St, 9th Floor, New York, NY 10017, USA; e-mail gefinfo@undp.org; internet https://www.thegef.org; f. 1991, by UNEP, the World Bank and UNDP; aims to support the implementation in developing countries of projects in the six thematic areas of climate change; the conservation of biological diversity; the protection of international waters; forests; arresting land degradation; and addressing harmful chemicals and waste. Capacity building to allow countries to meet their obligations under international environmental agreements, and adaptation to climate change, are priority cross-cutting components of these projects. UNEP services the Scientific and Tech-nical Advisory Panel, which provides expert advice on GEF programmes and operational strategies. Funding is channelled through a GEF Trust Fund, GEF Least Developed Countries Fund (LDC-F—established to address the special needs of the LDCs in relation to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, with a particular emphasis on financing the preparation and implementation of NAPAs), and a Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF, established in 2001). In April 2022 29 donor countries pledged US $5,250m. for the 8th periodic replenishment of GEF funds (GEF-8), covering the period July 2022–June 2026; by 2022 the programme, since its inception, had supported more than 20,000 community-based projects worldwide; it acts as the financial mechanism for the following major international environmental conventions: the Minamata Convention on Mercury, the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollu-tants, the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, the UN Convention to Combat Desertification, and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change; the GEF has 18 partner agencies; Chair. and CEO Dr Carlos Manuel Rodriguez (Costa Rica).