As the Global Environment Facility (GEF) ramps up preparations for its ninth replenishment cycle, the GEF Council considered the findings of the Eighth Comprehensive Evaluation of the GEF (OPS8), an independent assessment of the GEF’s progress and performance during the current replenishment period that commenced in July 2022. OPS8 provided evidence on performance, enablers of change, and partnership effectiveness, to inform the ninth replenishment cycle, which is scheduled to begin in July 2026. The final report of OP8 was presented to the Council at its 70th meeting.

The GEF’s primary function is to provide funding to developing countries and countries with economies in transition for projects that address global environmental challenges. The GEF Council is the GEF’s chief governing body and approves funding for projects and programs. At its 70th meeting, the Council also considered the next work program of the GEF, comprising 30 projects and programs spanning the GEF’s Climate Change, Biodiversity, Land Degradation, International Waters, and Chemicals and Waste focal areas. This proposed work program requests a total of USD 290.6 million from the GEF Trust Fund and is expected to generate USD 1.8 billion in co-financing.

The Council also considered the evaluation of GEF-funded food systems programs, which covered five such programs from GEF-6 to GEF-8 and their 84 child projects, along with 21 stand-alone food systems projects.

The Council met in a virtual format in back-to-back Council meetings of the GEF Trust Fund, Global Biodiversity Framework Fund (GBFF), Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF), and Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF), from Monday, 15 December, to Friday, 19 December 2025.

The Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) writers for this meeting were Tomilola Akanle Eni-ibukun, Ph.D.; Kate Helfenstein-Louw; and Mike Muzurakis. The Digital Editor was Ángeles Estrada. The Editor was Leila Mead.