The nearly USD 700 million Work Program approved focuses heavily on chemicals and waste at a time when the GEF hopes to prove to the multilateral community it has the capacity to serve as the financial mechanism for a global plastics treaty and that it could play a significant role in realizing the vision of the Global Framework on Chemicals.

Members reaffirmed the central role of sustainable tropical timber trade in meeting global environmental and development objectives. Yet, despite high global funding levels for forests, clarity on how these ambitions will be financed remains limited.

Delegates approved recommendations on the Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) work on urban forestry, forestry’s contribution to FAO’s work on climate change and integrated water management, agriculture and forestry linkages, a forest-based bioeconomy, and integrated wildfire management.

Council concluded deliberations on a heavy agenda, confirming key decisions taken throughout the four days of meetings including the first ever work program for the newly established GBFF, and the largest ever LDCF work program.