Search our archived site
We updated our website in 2021 to better share our reports from events covered since 1992. It also includes full coverage – including photography and highlights of proceedings – from more recent events.
While we manually migrate some elements, you can still find them on our archived site using a Google custom search.
Search the site
All results
Showing 37451 - 37460 of 42543 results
Highlights and images for 19 September 2022
2022 SDG Moment
Joaquín Salzberg, Argentina - ITPGRGB9- 19Sep2022 - Photo
Joaquín Salzberg, Argentina
Benoit Girard, Canada - ITPGRGB9- 19Sep2022 - Photo
Benoit Girard, Canada
Gabriela Romanciuc, Republic of Moldova - ITPGRGB9- 19Sep2022 - Photo
Gabriela Romanciuc, Republic of Moldova
Mario Marino, ITPGRFA Secretariat - ITPGRGB9- 19Sep2022 - Photo
Mario Marino, ITPGRFA Secretariat
Highlights and images for 18 December 2018
55th Meeting of the GEF Council
A view of the room during the opening of the GEF Council meeting
Naoko Ishii, GEF CEO and Chairperson, opened the 55th meeting of the GEF Council on Tuesday morning, 18 December. She highlighted that this would be the first Council meeting since conclusion of the seventh replenishment of GEF (GEF-7), and therefore commences a new phase for the GEF. She stressed the need to urgently address global environmental challenges, citing recent scientific reports that reveal that “we are not winning the war against global degradation.” She also highlighted: the increased enthusiasm for adaptation, including the growing interest of the private sector in the adaptation agenda; the GEF’s commitment to work with the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) to build a coalition for a successful adoption of a post-2020 framework; and the role that GEF-7 can play in catalyzing transformational changes for food and land use systems, sustainable cities, and the energy transition, while protecting key biomes. She looked forward to the Council’s efforts during the three-day meeting to discuss ways to improve the GEF’s efficiency, transparency and safeguards, in order to deliver results as soon as possible.Also on Tuesday, Abdul Bakarr Salim, Sierra Leone, was elected Co-Chairperson of the meeting, and Council Members proceeded through agenda items on: Annual Portfolio Monitoring Report 2018; Policy Measures to Enhance Operational Efficiency, Accountability and Transparency; Updated Policy on Environmental and Social Safeguards; Updating the GEF’s Minimum Fiduciary Standards Related to Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism; Harmonizing the Rules and Requirements for all Agencies; and Work Program.At the close of the day, the Council adopted the first Work Program of GEF-7, which comprises 18 projects in 25 recipient countries, and amounts to US$157.8 million, including GEF project financing and Agency fees. The Work Program is expected to leverage US$819.7 million in co-financing.
IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB+ Meeting Coverage, provided daily web coverage from the 55th Meeting of the GEF Council. In addition, IISD Reporting Services has published a summary report of the meeting in HTML and PDF.
Photos by IISD/ENB | Leila Mead
For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page
Naoko Ishii, GEF CEO and Chairperson
Council Member Peter Elder, Australia, with GEF CEO and Chairperson Naoko Ishii
GEF Council Members Paul Ralison, Madagascar, and Yannick Ongonwou, Gabon
GEF Council member Josceline Wheatley, UK
GEF Council Members during the morning session
L-R: William Ehlers, GEF Council Secretary; GEF Council Co-Chair Abdul Bakarr Salim, Sierra Leone; and Naoko Ishii, GEF CEO and Chairperson
GEF Council Members applaud the election of Abdul Bakarr Salim, Sierra Leone, as Co-Chair
GEF Council Member Stefan Schwager, Switzerland
Francoise Clottes, Director of Strategy and Operations, GEF Secretariat, introduced the agenda item on Policy Measures to Enhance Operational Efficiency, Accountability and Transparency
Council Member Pierre-Olivier Chotard, France
GEF Council Member Aparna Subramani, India
GEF Council Member Carola Van Rijnsoever, the Netherlands
GEF Council Member Laura Bermudez, Colombia
Members of the GEF Secretariat
GEF Council Member Gabriel Yorio Gonzalez, Mexico
GEF Council Member Jozef Buys, Belgium
Francoise Clottes, Director of Strategy and Operations, GEF Secretariat
GEF Council Members consulting
GEF Council Member Seyad Alimohammad Mousavi, Iran
Around the Venue
Civil society representatives meet to discuss financing
Highlights and images for 19 December 2018
55th Meeting of the GEF Council
A red-shanked lengur, sometimes called the "costumed ape" for its extravegant appearance, is native to Southeast Asia.
On Wednesday, 19 December 2018, the GEF Council meeting opened with a presentation from Rosina Bierbaum, Chairperson of the Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel (STAP), on the STAP’s recent and upcoming activities, including:
her role as a science advisor to the new Global Adaptation Commission and work that is expected during 2019 on adaptation issues;
phase 3 of STAP work on climate risk screening, looking at how Agencies screen and develop appropriate guidance;
recently completed papers on novel entities and on innovation and GEF, noting the latter has resulted in STAP recommendations to the GEF Partnership regarding defining their risk appetite;
issues that STAP will cover in a forthcoming paper on local commons for global benefits;
how lessons learned from the Integrated Approach Pilots (IAPs) are being used in the design and review of the GEF-7 Impact Programs (IPs) documents that will be submitted to the June 2019 meeting of the GEF Council; and
possible future STAP work, including: an advisory on the use of Earth observation data to improve project planning and programming; further work on land degradation neutrality (LDN); work with the scientific community and Global Adaptation Commission to develop adaptation metrics; an examination of issues in aquaculture; and guidance on multi-stakeholder engagement.
During a discussion on Relations with the Conventions and Other International Institutions, representatives from the multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) for which the GEF serves as a financial mechanism reported on recent or upcoming decision-making events related to the GEF and its programming directions. Members highlighted the role of the GEF in identifying synergies among the Conventions, as well as the importance of cooperating with the Green Climate Fund (GCF).
The Council also discussed the: GEF-7 Non-Grant Instrument Program; Semi-Annual Evaluation Report November 2018 and Management Response; Options for a Responsible Investment Strategy; Policy on Access to Information; Report from the Ad-hoc Working Group on Governance; and Strengthening Consultations with Civil Society: Proposed Topic for Discussion at the Consultations of the 56th GEF Council Meeting.
IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB+ Meeting Coverage, provided daily web coverage from the 55th Meeting of the GEF Council. In addition, IISD Reporting Services has published a summary report of the meeting in HTML and PDF.
Photos by IISD/ENB | Leila Mead
For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page
STAP Chair Rosina Bierbaum (center)
New STAP members
Screen shot during STAP Chair Rosina Bierbaum’s presentation
A view of the room during the presentation of STAP Chair Rosina Bierbaum
Jan Petter Borring, Norway
Anar Mamdani, Canada
GEF CEO and Chairperson Naoko Ishii addresses the Council.
GEF Council Co-Chair Abdul Bakarr Salim, Sierra Leone
Dan Bakoye Chaibou, Niger
Juho Uitto, Director, Independent Evaluation Office (IEO), GEF
A screen shot on mainstreaming biodiversity during the presentation of the IEO
Gustavo Fonseca, Director of Programs, GEF Secretariat
Brian Doherty, US
Jozef Buys, Belgium
Rossana Silva, Executive Secretary, Minamata Convention on Mercury
GEF Council Member Nuritdin Inamov, Russian Federation
GEF Council Member Yannick Ongonwoul, Gabon
Hyunwoo Kim, UNFCCC Secretariat
Juan Carlos Mendoza, Managing Director of the Global Mechanism, UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)
Frank Moser, Stockholm Convention
Swiss delegates consulting
Jyoti Mathur-Filipp, Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) Secretariat
Gilbert Bankobeza, Senior Legal Officer, Ozone Secretariat
Around the Venue
Family photo of GEF Council Members and Alternate Council Members with GEF CEO and Chairperson Naoko Ishii and members of the GEF Secretariat