Distinguished Zhang Lei, GEF OFP of China, 

Distinguished representatives, Ladies and Gentlemen,  

Good morning, 

On behalf of the United Nations Development Programme in China, it is my great pleasure to welcome you all to the UN Compound today for the “Inception Workshop on GEF-9 Replenishment”. 

At the outset, I want to express my sincere appreciation to the Ministry of Finance for entrusting UNDP with hosting this important event. I would also like to thank all partners from other International GEF Agencies, and government counterparts at national and sub-national levels for the indispensable role you have all played in fostering the growth of GEF in China and advancing the steady implementation of GEF projects, in line with China’s five-year plan and priorities. 

Before we address the next stage of our partnership, let us first take a moment to briefly reflect on our shared accomplishments to date: 

• All UNDP GEF and Montreal Protocol projects have performed well, receiving satisfactory or highly satisfactory evaluation ratings from independent evaluators.  
• UNDP successfully secured approximately USD 19 million in STAR allocation during the eighth replenishment, in addition to USD 27 million from the Montreal Protocol Fund through competitive funding windows. Our portfolio today spans multiple focal areas, including biodiversity, chemicals and waste, climate change, and the Small Grants Programme. 
• We are also honoured to have partnered with relevant GEF Agencies and government ministries in leading programmatic approaches under GEF-5 and GEF-7 for the wetlands and national parks programmes.  

These achievements would not have been possible without the support and guidance of China's GEF Operational Focal Points over the years. Your stewardship and coordination throughout the project cycle have helped create the conditions for high-quality results, stronger national capacities and the scaling up of successful approaches across China. 

Today, UNDP continues to manage a strong and high-performing GEF portfolio. In 2026, we are managing 12 ongoing GEF projects, all of which have received satisfactory ratings in their mid-term and terminal evaluations, as well as their Project Implementation Reports (PIRs). Several have even been rated as highly satisfactory – an affirmation of UNDP's commitment and capability in executing GEF projects effectively. 

But the impact of these efforts goes beyond just numbers. Our GEF projects – both those still ongoing, and successfully completed – have generated meaningful results. We are seeing real progress in policy and regulatory mainstreaming, successful pilot demonstrations at the provincial and municipal levels, and effective knowledge management and dissemination at the national level. We have also shared our experiences globally through international platforms such as CBD and UNFCCC COPs. 

Moving forward, our goal now is to maintain this momentum, and build on the progress we have made together.  

And this will not be a simple task. As many of you are aware, in early July, GEF announced the initial STAR allocations for the ninth replenishment. For China, the allocation is approximately 30.7 million USD, which represents a significant decrease compared to the GEF-8 period. 

However, while resources may be more constrained, our ambition remains high. It is now more important than ever that we work together to ensure every investment delivers the greatest possible impact.  

To that end, we look forward to deepening our cooperation with the Ministry of Finance and other ministries, alongside GEF agencies and all partners, to navigate this challenge with determination and continue to drive high-quality development impact across climate change, biodiversity conservation, land degradation and chemicals and waste management. 

Importantly, we will also work to ensure that our GEF-9 pipeline is aligned with China’s broader development priorities, as outlined in its 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030), dual carbon goals 2030/2060, and NDC 3.0, as well as collective efforts to accelerate progress towards ecological civilization and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. 

Ladies and Gentlemen, 

In closing, let me once again thank the Ministry of Finance for its leadership for its continued leadership, and all our partners for your collaboration and dedication over the years. 

I am confident that, by working together, we can make the most of the opportunities presented by GEF-9 and continue delivering meaningful environmental and development outcomes to realize a greener and more sustainable future for people and planet. 

I wish you a productive and successful workshop.