The 56th meeting of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Council adopted the largest-ever Work Program for the GEF Trust Fund, totaling USD 865.9 million and comprising 31 projects, seven programs, and three multi-trust fund projects. The Work Program features four Impact Programs (IPs), designed to deliver transformational change, covering: food systems, land use, and restoration (FOLUR); Amazon forests; Congo Basin forests; and dryland landscapes. The Work Program will benefit 91 recipient countries, including 30 Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and 32 small island developing States (SIDS).

The 56th meeting of the GEF Council convened in Washington, DC, US, from 11-13 June 2019, at World Bank headquarters. Representatives of governments, international organizations, and civil society organizations (CSOs) attended the three-day meeting, which also included the 26th meeting of the Council for the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF) and Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF). The meetings were preceded by a consultation with CSOs on 10 June.

Naoko Ishii, GEF Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Chairperson, and Carola van Rijnsoever, the Netherlands, served as Co-Chairs for the meetings.  The GEF Council discussed and approved amended GEF policies on monitoring, evaluation, and environmental and social safeguards, and considered further work on the sustainability of GEF projects and programs.  The Council took note of the GEF business plan, and approved: a fiscal year (FY) 2020 corporate budget from the GEF Trust Fund of USD 29.273 million; a total FY2020 administrative budget for the Nagoya Protocol Implementation Fund (NPIF) of USD 17,900; and a total FY2020 administrative budget for the Capacity Building Initiative for Transparency (CBIT) from the CBIT Trust Fund of USD 513,000. The Council also approved: the Independent Evaluation Office’s (IEO) Work Program for GEF-7, including preparations for the seventh Comprehensive Evaluation of the GEF, and the annual IEO budget for FY2020 totaling USD 6.22 million.  

The Council endorsed the recommendations of the IEO included in its semi-annual evaluation report, and approved the terms of reference for the professional peer review of the IEO. The Council reviewed the status of Agencies’ compliance with minimum requirements on anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism (AML-CFT), and took note of the  self-certifications of Agencies that they meet the GEF’s minimum requirements.  The Council heard updates from representatives of the Conventions for which the GEF serves as a financial mechanism regarding recent and upcoming meetings, decisions and other relevant activities. The presentations by the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm (BRS) Conventions, the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), and the Minamata Convention on Mercury prompted Council Members to reflect on ways to achieve maximum impact on the ground through synergies and collaboration.  At the conclusion of the meetings, Council Members reviewed and approved the Joint Summaries of the Chairs for the GEF Council and LDCF/SCCF Council meetings.  

This summary highlights the discussions and decisions reached at the 56th meeting of the GEF Council and the 26th meeting of the LDCF/SCCF Council  

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