Highlights and images for 4 June 2025

Venezuela has just become the second nation to lose all its glaciers; the Birch Glacier above the Swiss village of Blatten recently collapsed causing a landslide that has buried most of the village; clown fish are shrinking to cope with increasing heat waves; and, in 2024, forest fires were the biggest cause of tropical forest loss for the first time ever. These were some of the recent impacts of climate change that the Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel (STAP) reported to the 69th meeting of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Council on Wednesday.

Presenting the STAP report, STAP Chair Rosina Bierbaum reviewed new science, recent STAP activities, key messages from recent STAP reports, and STAP’s observations on the GEF Work Program. On recent STAP activities, she highlighted consultations with Indigenous Peoples to inform a STAP information note on strengthening GEF Support for Indigenous Peoples, as well as training for GEF Agencies on how to develop systems-based theory of change and clarify risks with an emphasis on innovation risks.

On other agenda items, the Council adopted policy amendments needed to implement previously-considered measures to streamline the GEF project cycle. The Council also accepted the offer by the Government of Uzbekistan to host the 8th GEF Assembly and 71st Council meeting, which will take place in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, during the week that begins on 31 May 2026.

Immediately following the closure of the 69th GEF Council Meeting, at 3:07 pm, the 38th Meeting of the Least Developed Countries Fund/Special Climate Change Fund (LDCF/SCCF) Council opened.  GEF CEO, Chairperson, and Council Co-Chair Carlos Manuel Rodríguez noted least developed countries (LDCs) and small island developing States (SIDS) are the countries that are most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and face the greatest challenges. However, he highlighted that they are building their resilience with nature-positive solutions. He said GEF funding is catalytic and strategic, and is linking adaptation to energy access, gender equality, and early warning systems.

Evans Njewa, Chair of the LDC Group, highlighted that projects in the proposed LDCF Work Program focus on innovation and whole-of-society approaches. However, he expressed deep concern with regards to the gap between demand and supply of funding, noting that seven technically-cleared proposals are not included in the Work Program due to a lack of sufficient resources.

Presenting the LDCF Work Program, Chizuru Aoki and Olusola Ikuforiji, GEF Secretariat, explained that it comprises three projects and one program, and includes proposals to be implemented in three fragile and conflict-affected countries. They further clarified that the Work Program does not include SCCF projects, as the Secretariat did not receive any concept notes for SCCF support. The Council adopted the Work Program, which amounts to USD 39.55 million and is expected to mobilize USD 511.18 million in co-financing. The Work Program includes national projects in Madagascar, Solomon Islands, and Uganda, and a regional program covering Chad and Mali. The projects and program will address urgent climate change adaptation priorities in these five LDCs, including one LDC-SIDS (Solomon Islands).

The Council also approved the Administrative Budget and Business Plan for the LDCF and SCCF for fiscal year 2026.