The role of the Global Environment Facility (GEF), which supports country-driven sustainable development initiatives around the world and generates global environmental benefits, is increasingly important as the international community tries to tackle the triple environmental crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution. The GEF, acting as the financial mechanism of several critical environmental conventions, plays a key role for sustainable development, as adequate and predictable financing has long been identified as both a prerequisite and a catalyst for a sustainable future.

The 65th meeting of the GEF Council is the culmination of an important series of GEF meetings, particularly for biodiversity. Earlier this year, amongst its other work, the GEF Council approved at its 64th meeting (26-29 June 2023, Brasilia, Brazil) the establishment of the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund (GBFF), which was ratified and launched during the Seventh GEF Assembly a couple of months later (22-26 August 2023, Vancouver, Canada). The GBFF, in the words of David Cooper, Acting Executive Secretary, Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), sends “a clear signal that we are all determined to succeed” in our efforts to halt and reverse biodiversity loss, protecting endangered species and their ecosystems globally.

During the 64th GEF Council meeting in June, Council Members agreed to defer three agenda items to an intersessional Council meeting to allow time for continued substantive negotiations on other agenda items, following a relevant proposal by GEF CEO and Chairperson Carlos Manuel Rodríguez. Thus, the 65th GEF Council meeting will focus on the following agenda items:

• GEF Strategy for Knowledge Management and Learning;
• Enhancing Policy Coherence Through GEF Operations; and
• Relations with the Conventions and Other International Institutions.

The Council, the GEF's main governing body, comprises 32 members appointed by constituencies of GEF member countries (14 from developed countries, 16 from developing countries, and two from economies in transition). Council members rotate at different intervals determined by each constituency. It meets twice annually to develop, adopt, and evaluate the operational policies and programmes of the multilateral fund and the activities it finances around the world. It also reviews and approves the work programme (projects submitted for approval), making decisions by consensus.

The 65th meeting of the GEF Council  will take place virtually on 10 October 2023.  

The Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) will be providing a summary and digital coverage of the Meeting.

The ENB writers for this meeting are Asterios Tsioumanis, Ph.D., and Daniel Bertram. The Digital Editor is Mike Muzurakis. The Editor is Leila Mead.