Global Environment Facility

The GEF’s Heart of Conservation Initiative and Inclusive Conservation Initiative are led by, and work in partnership with, Indigenous Peoples and local communities, recognizing their leadership and self-determined efforts to safeguard globally significant biodiversity and ecosystems. WWF Conservation International IUCN Learn more: https://lnkd.in/exAZWJYm #ForNature #ConservationFinance

Congratulations to the University of Canterbury, the Government of New Zealand, and the World Adaptation Science Programme for hosting an outstanding Adaptation Futures 2025 in Ōtautahi Christchurch! We were honored to hear perspectives from across generations and borders – from powerful youth advocates like Cynthia Houniuhi, to pragmatic national voices such as Secretary James Palmer and Dame Patsy Reddy, regional champions like Minister Maina Vakafua Talia, and Indigenous leaders like Kiri Allan, Marama Royal and Lisa Tumahai CNZM. At the Global Environment Facility, we’ve listened – and we’re committed to turning learning into action. The Pacific is on the frontline of climate change, and your vision, wisdom, and lived experiences must guide our shared path forward. We look forward to deepening our collaboration as we head toward #COP30 in Belém – and beyond.🌿 #Adaptation #ClimateResilience #GEF #PacificLeadership #Christchurch #COP30

At the IUCN World Conservation Congress 2025 in Abu Dhabi, the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the IUCN co-hosted a pre-launch event for the upcoming GEF Civil Society Organization (CSO) Challenge Program. This pilot initiative, implemented by IUCN in partnership with RTI International and supported with $10 million in GEF funding, will offer grants of up to $300,000 to civil society organizations with proven environmental solutions that are ready to scale. The program will be open to CSOs in all GEF-eligible countries, with a strong emphasis on proposals led by youth, women, and Indigenous Peoples. “For the GEF this is not just about equity, but also about catalyzing transformative change,” said the GEF CEO and Chairperson Carlos Manuel Rodriguez. “The GEF Small Grants Program and the forthcoming challenge program are essential elements of our commitment.” Calls for proposals are expected to be announced in January 2026. Read the press release: https://lnkd.in/dy4q3czi #GEFatIUCNcongress #IUCNcongress #CivilSociety #GEFSGP #SmallGrantsProgramme #CSOs

The Global Environment Facility and UN Environment Programme, together with the CAF -banco de desarrollo de América Latina y el Caribe- and the Asian Development Bank (ADB), have launched the Net-Zero Nature-Positive Accelerator Integrated Programme. Backed by $100 million in GEF funding and $700 million in co-financing, this initiative supports 12 countries in integrating environmental goals into national plans, advancing global commitments including the Paris Agreement and the Kunming-Montreal Framework. The program is designed to deliver measurable impact, including the restoration or improved management of 1 million hectares of land and a reduction of approximately 75 million tons of CO2. Carlos Manuel Rodriguez, CEO and Chairperson of the GEF, stated: “GEF funding helps countries everywhere reduce risks, increase resilience, and address crises. This program will help countries mobilize finance at scale, integrate nature-based solutions into decarbonization strategies, and accelerate the systemic change required for a sustainable future.” Read more about this transformative initiative and its potential to enhance integrated action: https://lnkd.in/eipGtU25

Thank you Amanda Ellis for your excellent moderation and summary at #Adaptation2025 in #Christchurch! Adaptation Futures 2025 This conference has been truly exciting as a space for constructive discussions on the trends and future of adaptation. The Global Environment Facility prioritized strategic support for this event, and it has proven invaluable in connecting so many diverse stakeholders. The panel's key learnings resonate deeply - particularly the emphasis on adaptation as a PROCESS rather than isolated projects, the critical need for patient capital, and the importance of indigenous and local knowledge in design and implementation. These conversations and connections are exactly why bringing together experts, practitioners, and decision-makers matters. Thank you to all the panelists and organizers for creating this important dialogue on building truly sustainable adaptation finance.

Food systems are essential to a thriving planet and thriving people. They feed all 8.1 billion people on Earth and employ 1.3 billion people from farm to table - about 40% of the global workforce. The GEF’s Food Systems Integrated Program, led by the FAO and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), is channeling $282 million in GEF funding and approximately $2 billion in co-financing to support countries in transforming their food systems. This transformative effort focuses on reshaping value chains, business models, finance, policies, institutions, and landscape management to build more sustainable and resilient food systems worldwide. Read the story: https://lnkd.in/eiYQkG5w #BetterFoodsBetterFuture #FoodSystems #WorldFoodDay

Big news for #GenerationRestoration! Four new United Nations World Restoration Flagships have just been announced! We’re celebrating four inspiring initiatives: Collaborative Rangelands Restoration in Jordan, Revitalizing Korea's Forests from Fires, Bamboo-based Restoration, and The Restoration Initiative. From reviving biodiversity and helping ecosystems recover from the devastating effects of wildfires to promoting soil reviving restoration that benefits both nature and communities, these projects are powerful examples of win-win solutions for people and the planet. Congratulations! https://lnkd.in/d8vWq5zC FAO

53 million people depend on high-risk tropical forests for clean water, food, jobs, and protection from natural disasters. Tripling investments to protect, restore, and sustainably manage these forests can unlock long-term economic growth and prosperity. Learn more with these two just-published UN reports and discover how valuing their multiple benefits and smart financing can turn forests into powerful allies against climate change, biodiversity loss, and land degradation: https://lnkd.in/eYD39afn UN Environment Programme #ForNature #Sustainability #UN #UNEP

Protecting black rhinos offers benefits far beyond their survival. As an umbrella species, conserving them helps safeguard entire ecosystems, supporting countless other species and the communities that rely on those ecosystems for food, fuel, income, and tourism. That’s what makes The World Bank-issued, Global Environment Facility -supported “rhino bond” innovative. Launched in 2022, this groundbreaking conservation finance tool directs private capital to nature reserves in South Africa. The size of the bond’s success payment depends on how quickly black rhino populations grow in two parks, creating a direct incentive to deliver real-world impact. This is more than a bond, it’s a model for how private investments can drive conservation and community benefits alike. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/euBCBX7Y #ForNature #RhinoBond #ConservationFinance #WildlifeConservation #GEF #theGEF #GEFImpact