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News from Namibia: protected areas pay

26 JANUARY 2010 | Protected areas have long been the cornerstone of conservation efforts throughout the world and the GEF has been a major investor in protected areas since its inception. The global community’s achievement of protecting 10% of the earth’s terrestrial surface area within protected areas is arguably the signature accomplishment of the Convention of Biological Diversity. However, creating and demarcating protected areas is the easy part. All countries are challenged to find creative ways to finance the management and administration of protected areas in order that these crown jewels of conservation can actually meet their conservation objectives. In Namibia, the GEF is funding a protected area project (Catalyzing Sustainability of Protected Area Systems: Strengthening the Protected Area Network (SPAN), www.span.org.na) implemented by UNDP and executed by the Namibian Ministry of Environment and Tourism that is addressing this issue head-on, and early signs from the project are encouraging.

Lighting Haiti: GEF approves emergency solar power generating project

20 JANUARY2010 | Washington, DC—In concert with sister agencies, the Global Environment Facility has approved an emergency project to help restore power lost from the Port au Prince earthquake and assist relief workers as they look to supply critical medical needs to survivors.The $3 million effort, co-financed with matching grants from the Inter-American Development Bank and the World Bank Group, will use energy from the sun to produce clean electricity for medical centers, vaccine refrigeration, and other critical relief efforts. Hand-cranked lanterns will also be distributed in refugee camps and residential areas that are in the dark a week after a 7.0 magnitude temblor destroyed most of the electricity grid and local power plants.

Successful GEF Small Grants Program project recognized at the 2009 Global South-South Development Expo

The Benazir Housing Project in Pakistan was invited to present at the Climate Change and Environment Panel of the Global South-South Development Expo-GSSD 2009 held on this week at the Preston Auditorium of the World Bank.The motto of the Global South-South Development Expo is Solutions, Solutions, Solutions.

Coral triangle ministers call on Copenhagen negotiators to give attention to impacts of Climate Change on their Ocean and Coastal Environments

14 DECEMBER 2009 -Copenhagen, Denmark – Ministers from the Solomon Islands and Indonesia - on behalf of the Coral Triangle countries - today called on world leaders to recognize and act upon the threat climate change poses to marine environments, particularly the adverse impacts on coral reefs, fisheries and food security. GEF has committed up to $63 million to support a program of action under the Coral Triangle Initiative.

GEF Joins Launch of S&P-IFC Carbon Efficient Index for Emerging Markets

10 DECEMBER 2009 | Copenhagen --The world’s largest public environment fund, the Global Environment Facility (GEF) is joining with the IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, and Standard & Poor’s to launch the world’s first carbon efficient index for emerging markets. The partners predict their efforts could mobilize more than $1 billion for carbon-efficient companies over the next three years.

Developing countries share experiences adapting to climate change with the help of the Global Environment Facility and partner agencies

9 DECEMBER 2009 | Copenhagen: Government officials from developing countries share their stories and experiences with the Least Developed Country Fund (LDCF) during a press event (see link below) at the United Nations Climate Change Conference. The world's largest public environment fund updated international climate change delegates on recent and future projects associated with adaptation, specifically In Bhutan, Samoa and Burkina Faso.

The evolving GEF: learning lessons and building successes: GEF CEO remarks before COP-15

7 DECEMBER 2009 | Copenhagen – CEO Opening remarks before Subsidiary Body on Implementation CEO highlight reforms and road ahead -

Ongoing Partnership to Protect the Planet and Meet the Climate Change Challenge

08 DECEMBER 2009 - Copenhagen, – As the global community meets to negotiate a political climate change framework for the post-2012 era, a key future consideration will be leveraging potential. For nearly two decades, the GEF has been the primary grant financing mechanism for actions under the UNFCCC, actively supporting investments in climate change mitigation and adaptation.

World Cup Nations Team Up Against Climate Change

7 DECEMBER 2009 | Copenhagen – As the climate talks kick off in Copenhagen, key football nations are teaming up for the planet for the biggest sport event of 2010. More than half of the countries that have qualified for the 2010 FIFA World Cup have committed or pledged to offset the emissions of their teams’ and officials’ flights to South Africa for the competition.

New videos showcase the GEF's catalytic role investing locally for global results in the climate change challenge

2 DECEMBER 2009 | Washington, DC -Two new GEF videos show case the innovative and inspiring ways local communities are working to mitigate and adapt to climate change. High in the Himalayas, the people of Bhutan race against time to drain Thotomi Glacier Lake, which threatens to rupture in a tidal wave that would obliterate downstream villages.