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.

It is time to rethink the role of wildlife and food transformation in tackling the global climate crisis. From wildlife protection and conservation to innovative policies on food production, this event highlighted policy actions that integrate biodiversity and food systems in country’s climate plans.

The adoption in June 2023 of the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement signified a change in tides, not only for ocean governance in areas beyond national jurisdiction, but also for biodiversity conservation. With the expectation that the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) and ratification of the BBNJ Agreement will soon come into fruition, stakeholders are becoming increasingly aware of the possible opportunities and challenges that it may bring. This side event considered how the BBNJ Agreement can work in synergy with efforts undertaken by the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), including the GBF.