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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.
Final report
Summary report 17–20 June 2024
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The first-ever projects financed by the newly established Global Biodiversity Framework Fund (GBFF) will be discussed during the 67th Global Environment Facility (GEF) Council Meeting. These significant and diverse projects total USD 736.4 million in funding from the GEF family of funds for environmental initiatives in developing countries. The GBFF, operationalized less than a year after it was launched at the Seventh GEF Assembly in Vancouver, Canada, already has financial commitments from Canada, Germany, Japan, Luxembourg, Spain, and the United Kingdom.
The Council will consider funding for projects and programs focused on land health, chemicals, and sustainable cities, including:
- USD 495.6 million for 25 projects and programs through the GEF Trust Fund;
- USD 37.8 million for the GBFF’s first three projects in Brazil (two) and Mexico (one); and
- USD 203 million for 14 climate adaptation initiatives through the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF)—the largest work program in its history.
The proposed GEF Trust Fund financing package, unlocking USD 5.8 billion in co-financing and covering 65 countries, includes 25 initiatives and programs for:
- land restoration through the Great Green Wall Initiative, along with the LDCF;
- industrial chemicals in Brazil and Bolivia;
- sustainable cities globally; and
- a “coral bond” to be issued by the World Bank that builds on the “rhino bond” issued in 2022.
The LDCF will support 12 national projects and two multi-country programs addressing urgent climate change adaptation priorities in 17 least developed countries.
The GBFF will fund:
- Mex30x30, a project to conserve Mexican biodiversity through communities and their protected areas;
- the Caatinga Protected Areas Program in Brazil; and
- Biodiversity Conservation in Indigenous Lands in Brazil.
The Council will also consider:
- the report from the Working Group on the Streamlining Process on streamlining the GEF Project Cycle;
- the Gap Analysis of GEF Policies and Key Social Inclusion Issues; and
- the evaluation of GEF efforts to Combat Illegal Wildlife Trade.
The Council will meet in back-to-back Council meetings of the GEF Trust Fund, GBFF, LDCF, and Special Climate Change Fund, from Monday, 17 June, to Thursday, 20 June 2024 in Washington, DC, US. It will be preceded on Friday 14 June by the virtual GEF Consultation with Civil Society.
The Earth Negotiations Bulletin writers for this meeting are Tanya Rosen; Dina Hestad, Ph.D.; and Lynn Wagner, Ph.D. The Digital Editor is Ángeles Estrada. Video production by Tasha Goldberg and Felipe Ruiz. The Editor is Leila Mead.
View past and future events
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1st GEF Assembly
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2nd GEF Assembly
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3rd GEF Assembly
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4th GEF Assembly
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40th Meeting of the GEF Council
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41st Meeting of the GEF Council
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42nd Meeting of the GEF Council
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43rd Meeting of the GEF Council
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44th Meeting of the GEF Council
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45th Meeting of the GEF Council
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46th Meeting of the GEF Council and 5th GEF Assembly
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47th Meeting of the GEF Council
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48th Meeting of the GEF Council
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49th Meeting of the GEF Council
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50th Meeting of the GEF Council Meeting
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51st Meeting of the GEF Council Meeting
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52nd Meeting of the GEF Council Meeting
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53rd Meeting of the GEF Council
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54th GEF Council Meeting and 6th GEF Assembly
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55th Meeting of the GEF Council
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56th Meeting of the GEF Council
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57th Meeting of the GEF Council
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58th Meeting of the GEF Council
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59th Meeting of the GEF Council
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GEF Consultations with Civil Society
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60th Meeting of the GEF Council
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GEF CSO Consultations on Youth-led Advocacy and Solutions
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61st Meeting of the GEF Council
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GEF Consultation with Civil Society on Inclusive Microfinance
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62nd Meeting of the GEF Council
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63rd Meeting of the GEF Council
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64th Meeting of the GEF Council
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7th GEF Assembly
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65th Meeting of the GEF Council
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GEF Consultation with Civil Society on the Role of CSOs in Building Sustainable, Resilient, and Inclusive Cities
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66th Meeting of the GEF Council
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GEF Consultation with Civil Society - Conversation on GEF initiatives and approaches to Civil Society
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67th Meeting of the GEF Council
Upcoming event
68th Meeting of the GEF Council
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