Highlights and images for 18 June 2024

The second day of the 67th meeting of the GEF Council opened with a dialogue between Council Members and executives from international conventions. The heads of conventions were asked to reflect on recent and upcoming activities related to the GEF and to identify ways the GEF-9 replenishment could support their conventions’ implementation. Synergies among conventions, support for achieving upcoming objectives and targets set by the conventions, and the need to simplify funding application procedures were among the topics raised during this session.

Ibrahim Thiaw, Executive Secretary, UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), addressed the Council through a video link and stressed the importance of large-scale restoration through multi-country actions that build resilience for drought, secure food for all, and reduce tensions.

Miguel de Serpa Soares, UN Legal Counsel and Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, noted that the international agreement on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement) already has 90 signatories and seven ratifications (Federated States of Micronesia, Mauritius, Monaco, Seychelles, Belize, Chile, and Palau).

Rolph Payet, Executive Secretary, Basel, Rotterdam, and Stockholm Conventions, suggested continuing to mobilize resources, fostering coordination among multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) and UN agencies, and keeping the Stockholm Convention’s deadlines and goals in mind.

Monika Stankiewicz, Executive Secretary, Minamata Convention on Mercury, emphasized a role for the GEF in promoting synergies, including between mercury and biodiversity action. She stressed the importance of supporting governments to produce documents that are “living guides” for implementation.

David Cooper, Acting Executive Secretary, Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), outlined four areas where major achievements need to be made during CBD COP 16, namely:

• demonstrating that the GBF is being implemented and countries are setting targets aligned with it;
• negotiating a multilateral mechanism for fair and equitable sharing of benefits from digital sequence information on genetic resources (DSI), including a new fund that will have resources from uses of DSI;
• a new program of work on how Indigenous Peoples and local communities (IPLCs) will support the GBF; and
• mechanisms to mobilize resources and continue the GEF’s role as a financial mechanism.

In a video message, Daniele Violetti, Senior Director, UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), highlighted a role for the GEF in building capacity, said access to financial resources must be simplified, and noted the GEFs role in funding adaptation.

During a discussion on the multilateral climate funds (MCFs) action plan on complementarity and coherence, which was prepared by the Adaptation Fund, the Climate Investment Funds, the GEF, and the Green Climate Fund (GCF), GEF CEO and Chairperson Rodríguez shared that the final action plan will be published by the heads of the MCFs at UNFCCC COP 29. He reported that, through closer collaboration, the funds aim to: enhance access to climate finance through promoting efficiencies and streamlining processes; increase the impact of MCF support for developing countries’ climate goals; and play an enabling role in the international climate finance architecture. Many Council Members welcomed the draft action plan and commended the GEF for leading this work amongst the MCFs.

Additional agenda items discussed on Tuesday included an Evaluation on Co-financing in the GEF, the Eighth Comprehensive Evaluation of the GEF (OPS8) Approach Paper, an Evaluation of the Global Wildlife Program, an assessment of Portfolio-Level Risk at the GEF, and the Independent Evaluation Office’s 2025 Work Program and Budget.

At the close of the second day, Members were reminded of the dates and locations for the next three Council meetings. The 68th meeting will be held virtually during the week of 16 December 2024; the 69th meeting will take place in a hybrid format in Washington, DC, at the World Bank the week of 2 June 2025; and the 70th meeting will be held virtually during the week of 15 December 2025.