Samarkand — June 5, 2026 — The Global Environment Facility (GEF) has approved nearly US$23 million for a portfolio of projects led by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) across Asia, Africa, and the Pacific. The investments aim to reverse forest degradation, restore freshwater and coastal ecosystems, and strengthen resilience in vulnerable communities.
IUCN Director General Dr Grethel Aguilar emphasized the importance of the funding: “From Himalayan forests to Pacific coral reefs and the globally significant wetlands of North Africa, this latest round of GEF funding will help restore and strengthen the vital ecosystems on which endangered species and millions of people rely.”
In India, a five-year project worth US$7.28 million will focus on forest restoration in Jharkhand and Uttarakhand, improving the management of 300,000 hectares of forests and productive landscapes while benefiting more than 10,000 people. In the Solomon Islands, a four-year US$6 million Ridge to Reef initiative will restore 45,000 hectares of land and improve the management of 155,000 hectares of marine habitats, supporting species from dugongs and turtles to coral reefs.
Additional projects include a US$4.23 million ecosystem risk assessment in Indonesia, a US$3.35 million desertification legacy project in Mongolia, and a US$2 million restoration initiative in Tunisia’s Ichkeul National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
GEF Interim CEO Claude Gascon noted: “Through country-led action, the GEF is helping deliver lasting environmental benefits for communities, ecosystems and the planet.”
The portfolio was approved during the 71st GEF Council and 8th GEF Assembly in Uzbekistan, underscoring the role of global partnerships in tackling biodiversity loss and climate change.
