About the Global Environment Facility Scope of the Challenge There is no shortage of environmental and development challenges facing governments around the world today: climate change, water and air pollution, species loss. Many of these challenges cross national borders, and too often negatively affect developing countries, especially the world’s most vulnerable, in disproportionate ways. GEF Response The GEF has been a driving force since 1991 to improve the lives of millions of people while creating the conditions for sustainable development. Working in partnership with countries, international institutions, nongovernmental organizations, and the private sector, the GEF motto of “Investing in the Planet” is translated into the human capacity to create a better life. The GEF project portfolio is diverse, and as with any investment portfolio, provides returns that vary over several time horizons. In some areas, the GEF acts more like a venture capital fund to “seed” new ideas, technologies, and enterprises. In other areas, the GEF is a social entrepreneur, providing, for example, more than 10,000 small grants directly to community groups and other civil society organizations in 120 countries.
K e y Fa c t s
n Over the past 18 years, the GEF has invested $8.6 billion directly and leveraged $36.1 billion in cofinancing for more than 2,400 projects in more than 165 countries. n The GEF is the world’s leading international institution dedicated to investing in the joint management, care, and restoration of our planet.
One of the GEF’s strengths is the number and type of partnerships. Investments are made through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the World Bank, regional development banks, and a number of other UN agencies. The GEF supports a number of UN environmental conventions, as well as the Montreal Protocol and activities related to international waters. The GEF is also working in close partnership with civil society organizations to implement projects through non governmental and community-based organizations.
www.theGEF.org