The 32-member Council will consider a new work program under the GEF’s eighth replenishment cycle (GEF-8) totaling over USD 550 million, which is expected to generate over USD 4 billion in co-financing for projects benefitting people and the planet.

The Plenary launched the Nexus Assessment on the interlinkages among biodiversity, water, food, and health, and the Transformative Change Assessment on underlying causes of biodiversity loss, determinants of transformative change, and options for achieving the 2050 Vision for Biodiversity.

Germany’s PROSOIL program for soil protection and food security goes beyond changes in agricultural practice. Program participants noted that land tenure policies, participatory water budgeting and women-led initiatives all matter for soil health.

Conservation strategies can increase food security—for example, through watershed restoration, and protection of pollinator species. Participants discussed how to upscale approaches to produce wins for both agriculture and the environment.