Global Environment Facility

Website

www.thegef.org

Services

In app support

The Global Environment Facility (GEF) operates as the largest multilateral trust fund dedicated to empowering developing countries in their investments towards nature conservation and sustainable environmental management. Established in 1992, on the eve of the Rio Earth Summit, the GEF was founded with the critical objective of addressing the planet's most pressing environmental challenges. It plays a pivotal role in supporting the implementation of major international environmental conventions, covering crucial areas such as biodiversity, climate change, chemicals, and desertification.

Through its extensive operations, the GEF has provided over $114 billion in grants and successfully mobilized more than $70 billion in additional co-financing, supporting over 4,000 projects globally. This robust financial mechanism enables significant interventions across a broad spectrum of environmental topics, including climate change adaptation and mitigation, biodiversity conservation, management of chemicals and waste, sustainable forest management, protection of freshwater ecosystems, combating land degradation, and promoting ocean health.

The GEF functions as a broad international partnership, encompassing 184 countries, various international institutions, civil society organizations, and private sector entities. It actively engages with diverse stakeholders, including Indigenous Peoples and youth, and integrates considerations of gender equality into its strategies. Furthermore, the GEF manages specialized funds like the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF), the Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF), and the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund (GBFF), providing targeted financial support for specific environmental priorities and vulnerable regions.

Locations

• Washington, District of Columbia