The Global Environment Facility (GEF) has approved a new US$77.6 million funding package aimed at scaling environmental and climate solutions across 11 projects in 10 countries, with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Announced on June 3, 2026, in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, the investment is expected to unlock more than US$400 million in additional co-financing. The projects span Africa, Asia-Pacific, and Central Asia, focusing on biodiversity protection, land restoration, climate resilience, and sustainable natural resource management.
A significant portion of the funding—about US$23 million—will be directed toward countries highly vulnerable to climate change through the Least Developed Countries Fund and the Special Climate Change Fund. These include initiatives in Guinea-Bissau and Senegal aimed at strengthening climate resilience systems.
Other projects will support biodiversity conservation in Malaysia, climate resilience in the Philippines, land restoration in Eritrea, and integrated landscape management in India. Additional initiatives include strengthening ocean conservation financing in Niue and improving water resource management in Kyrgyzstan.
The program also includes biodiversity-focused efforts in Zimbabwe and Botswana, along with joint initiatives involving the World Bank and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to advance nature-positive development goals.
UNDP officials said the funding builds on long-standing partnerships with the GEF dating back to 1991 and is designed to accelerate progress on global climate and biodiversity targets. The organization noted that its broader portfolio already leverages over US$3 billion in grants to mobilize nearly US$18 billion in co-financing worldwide.
GEF leadership described the investment as a strong signal of continued global commitment to multilateral environmental action and emphasized the importance of accelerating progress toward the 2030 sustainable development agenda.
The new funding round also marks the completion of the GEF-8 cycle, with donor pledges of US$3.9 billion already made for the upcoming GEF-9 cycle (2026–2030), which will prioritize integrated programming, blended finance, and support for vulnerable countries, Indigenous Peoples, and local communities.
