The Global Environment Facility (GEF)

Overview

GEF was established in 1991 to help address some of the planet’s most challenging environmental and related issues, building on the work of the World Commission on Environment and Development and its seminal publication, Our Common Future.

The GEF has evolved to become a multilateral family of funds to support developing countries in addressing the root causes of environmental degradation and meet their commitments to environmental conventions and agreements through the production of global environmental goods s as well as economic and social well-being.

It focuses on five core areas: conserving and sustainably using biodiversity; sustainably managing and restoring land; addressing climate change; strengthening transboundary water management; reducing hazardous chemicals and waste.

Performance rating summary

GEF organisational performance wheel — Organisational performance

Key findings

Strong coordination across the multilateral architecture with a clear action plan that guides an effective system-wide response.
A strategy and operating model which balance calls for an ambitious integrated response to global environmental goods, with support for delivery of country priorities and Multilateral Environmental Agreement commitments.
A strong partnership mobilising diverse competencies and capabilities to deliver joint planning and programming to address environmental goals.
A transparent resource allocation approach providing countries with predictable funding, alongside setasides which allocate funds for GEF priorities and groups.
Operating policies and procedures which increasingly reflect international norms and best practices, underpinned by a clear and appropriate layering of responsibilities between the Secretariat and Agencies. A cost-efficient and restructured Secretariat aligned to vision, strategy and delivery of results.

Reinforce Operational Focal Point mechanisms to ensure they are equipped to drive GEF’s whole-ofgovernment/society approach.
Stimulate demand for Non-Grant Instruments by recipient countries by raising awareness of opportunities in this area, building links with ministries accustomed to working with Multilateral Development Banks, and strengthening incentives to programme country allocations towards the private sector.
Mobilise new financiers and incentivise deeper participation by Multilateral Development Banks through promoting efficiencies, streamlining and harmonising processes.
Ensure sufficient Secretariat resources are allocated to key functions (including implementation of the private sector engagement strategy and gender equality policy and requirements).
Support consistent implementation of recent reforms across agencies through guidance and capacity building.
Promote accountability by further aligning results frameworks, monitoring and reporting with stakeholder needs to ensure that programmes and interventions supported can be tracked to their impact.