The Global Biodiversity Framework Fund (GBFF) has approved a new round of project preparation grants and set aside more than $70 million for 18 new projects in 21 countries, including 13 Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States. The approvals keep the momentum for the less than 1-year-old fund housed at the Global Environment Facility to put nature on a path to recovery before 2030.
This publication highlights the ways in which Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are leading the charge on critical environmental issues. You will find case studies of successful Global Environment Facility-supported projects that are fostering sustainable development, protecting biodiversity and diverse landscapes, as well as promoting climate resilience in SIDS.
This webinar on the ongoing global program “Implementing Sustainable Low and Non-Chemical Development in SIDS," known as ISLANDS, was the first in a series of technical discussions focused on Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in 2024. Participants discussed the progress achieved by the ISLANDS program, emphasizing its successful collaborations with the private sector and its efforts to empower youth leaders to achieve its ambitious objectives.
On August 31, 2022, my friend and colleague Gustavo Fonseca, the Director of Programs at the Global Environment Facility, unexpectedly passed. In his honor, we have dedicated our main meeting room at the GEF offices in Washington, DC as the Gustavo Fonseca Conference Room.
In the coming months countries have two unique opportunities to take decisive action to tackle the climate emergency. 2024 is a pivotal year for climate transparency and ambition as countries are required to submit their first-ever Biennial Transparency Reports (BTRs) by December 31, 2024 under the Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF) of the Paris Agreement. Only two months later, by the end of February 2025, countries must also submit their next Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
Over the course of 2023, one question formed in the minds of the leadership team at the Global Environment Facility: How could they help the incoming generation of environmental stakeholders develop the confidence and agility to make their voices heard at major events like COP28?
