Global Environment Facility (GEF)

The Global Environment Facility (GEF) unites 183 countries in partnership with international institutions, civil society organizations (CSOs), and the private sector to address global environmental issues while supporting national sustainable development initiatives. An independently operating financial organization, the GEF provides grants for projects related to biodiversity, climate change, international waters, land degradation, the ozone layer, and persistent organic pollutants. Since 1991, GEF has achieved a strong track record with developing countries and countries with economies in transition, providing $11.5 billion in grants and leveraging $57 billion in co-financing for over 3,215 projects in over 165 countries. Through its Small Grants Programme (SGP), the GEF has also made more than 16,030 small grants directly to civil society and community based organizations, totaling $653.2 million. As the financial mechanism of the UNFCCC, the GEF is the first entity to finance concrete adaptation actions on the ground, through three independent, distinct, yet complementary trust funds: The Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF); The Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF); The Strategic Priority on Adaptation (SPA).