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48th Global Environment Facility (GEF) Council Meeting

2-4 June 2015 | Washington, DC, US


Highlights for Wednesday, 3 June 2015

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Daily Web CoverageAbout | 1 Jun | 2 Jun | 3 Jun | 4 Jun | Summary

Participants at the 48th meeting of the GEF Council

On the second day of the 48th meeting of the GEF Council, discussions focused on the report of the Chairperson of the Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel, a Knowledge Management Approach Paper, the Work Program, Relations with the Conventions and Other International Institutions, and the new GEF Agencies joining under the pilot accreditation program, among other agenda items.

Rosina Bierbaum, Chair, Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel (STAP), presented the Report of the STAP Chairperson and said future STAP plans include considering the science of integrated approaches and addressing topics that cross focal areas, such as green chemistry, climate resilience and sustainable intensification of agriculture. On the Knowledge Management (KM) Approach Paper, Council Members welcomed the focus on improving KM, reiterated its importance for the GEF, and inquired about the KM approach’s budget, among other issues.

On the Work Program, the Council considered the largest proposed Work Program in the history of GEF financing, involving a total of US$709 million of GEF trust fund resources, plus an indicative amount of US$4.81 billion in co-financing. The Work Program encompasses: integrated Approach Programs (IAPs) on sustainable cities, food security in sub-Saharan Africa, and taking deforestation out of commodity supply chains; two global programs, one on illegal wildlife trade and poaching and the other on biodiversity; three projects in the Non-Grant Instrument Pilot (NGI) that expand the opportunities for GEF strategic engagement with private sector initiatives seeking to deliver global environmental benefits, namely the Equity Fund for Independent Power Producers in Southern Africa, the Moringa Agro-Forestry Fund for Africa, and Impact Investment in Support of the Implementation of the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing; and 32 other project concepts.

At the end of the day, GEF Council Members engaged in an informal discussion with the new GEF Agencies. Representatives from Foreign Economic Cooperation Office – China (FECO), Brazilian Fund for Biodiversity – Brazil (FUNBIO), Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA), Development Bank of Latin America (CAF) and West African Development Bank (BOAD) made short presentations about their respective institutions’ experience and areas of focus, following which the representatives and Council Members continued their discussion during a reception.

IISD Reporting Services provided daily web coverage and a summary the GEF Council Consultation Meeting with Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), the 48th meeting of the GEF Council and the LDCF/SCCF 18th Council Meeting. Our summary report from these events is available in HTML or PDF format.


Report of the Chairperson of the Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel (STAP)

Presentation of GEF STAP Report


Rosina Bierbaum, STAP Chair


Greg Filyk, Canada

Faizal Parish, Central Focal Point, GEF-CSO Network


L-R: Thomas Hammond, STAP Secretary; Rosina Bierbaum, STAP Chair; Naoko Ishii, GEF CEO and Chairperson;
and Co-Chair Leander Treppel, Austria; and William Ehlers, GEF Secretariat

Knowledge Management Approach Paper

L-R: Yasemin Biro, Senior Environmental Specialist, GEF Secretariat; and Elwyn Grainger-Jones, Director, Policy
and Country Relations, GEF Secretariat


Usua Aize Azqueta Quemada, Spain

Judy Garber, US


L-R: Nana Janashia, Caucasus Environmental NGO Network; and Hamed Moshiri,
PLAN4theLAND on behalf of the GEF-CSO Network

Work Program

Gustavo Fonseca, Director of Programs, GEF Secretariat


Maher Abdelrahim, Jordan

Caroline Leclerc, Canada

Stefan Schwager, Switzerland


Josceline Wheatley, UK

Edas Muñoz, GEF-CSO Network

Wensong Guo, China


L-R: Chizuru Aoki, Lead Environmental Specialist, GEF Secretariat; and Gustavo Fonseca,
Director of Programs, GEF Secretariat

Semi-Annual Evaluation Report June 2015 and Management Responses


L-R: Carlo Carugi, GEF Independent Evaluation Office; Neeraj Kumar Negi, GEF Independent Evaluation Office;
and Juha Uitto, Director, GEF Independent Evaluation Office

Relations with Conventions and Other International Institutions

Rolph Payet, Executive Secretary of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions


L-R: Yibin Xiang, Convention on Biological Diversity Secretariat; Kent Nnadozie, International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and
Agriculture (ITPGRFA); and Melchiade Bukuru UN Convention to Combat Desertification Secretariat


Fernando Lugris, Chair of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Mercury


Godwin Gondwe, Zambia

Lisbeth Loddewykx, Belgium



Rolph Payet, Executive Secretary of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions, reported on the outcomes of the recent COPs of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions.

Progress Report on the Pilot Accreditation of GEF Project Agencies

Yasemin Biro, Senior Environmental Specialist, GEF Secretariat, presenting the progress report to the council.


Welcome for New Agencies

L-R: Chen Liang, Director General, FECO; Mohale Rakgate, General Manager of Project Preparation Funds, DBSA; Sy Traore, General Controller of BOAD; Almamy Mbengue, BOAD; Luis Enrique Berrizbeitia, Executive Vice President of CAF; Fabio Leite, GEF Coordinator,
FUNBIO; and Elwyn Grainger-Jones, Director, Policy and Country Relations, GEF Secretariat


Center: Luis Enrique Berrizbeitia, Executive Vice President of CAF, presented an overview on CAF.





Funding for coverage of the 48th meeting of the GEF Council
and LDCF/SCCF 18th Council Meeting has been provided by the GEF
GEF
Daily Web CoverageAbout | 1 Jun | 2 Jun | 3 Jun | 4 Jun | Summary