Global Environment Facility

IN NEWS:

• 58th meeting of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Council was held recently.

GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT FACILITY:

• Global Environment Facility (GEF) is a financial mechanism that provides grants to developing countries for projects that benefit the global environment and promote sustainable livelihoods in local communities.

Formation:

• It was established on the eve of the 1992 Rio Earth Summit.
• It is an international partnership of 183 countries, international institutions, civil society organizations and the private sector that addresses global environmental issues.
• It is headquartered in Washington DC, USA.

Areas of work:

• Seven main areas: Biodiversity, climate change (mitigation and adaptation), chemicals, international waters, land degradation, sustainable forest management/REDD+ and Ozone layer depletion.

Who can receive GEF funding?

• GEF funds are available to developing countries and countries with economies in transition.
• GEF support is provided to Government agencies, civil society organizations, private sector companies and research institutions.
• The World Bank serves as the GEF Trustee, administering the GEF Trust Fund (contributions by donors).

Conventions served:

• GEF also serves as financial mechanism for the following conventions:

• CBD Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
• United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
• UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)
• Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)
• Minamata Convention on Mercury

PRELIMS QUESTION:

Q. Which of the following Environmental Conventions are under Global Environmental Facility (GEF) financial mechanism:

1. Convention on Bio diversity (CBD)
2. Convention to combat desertification (UNCCD)
3. Framework convention on climate change (UNFCCC)
4. Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants
5. Minamata Convention

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

1. 1,2 and 3 only
2. 1,2,3 and 4 only
3. 1,2,3 and 5 only
4. All of the above

Answer to Prelims question