Samarkand, Uzbekistan: A new US$77.6 million package approved by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) will scale up nature and climate solutions across 11 projects in 10 countries, supported by UNDP. The new funding will support five countries in Africa, four in Asia and the Pacific and one in Central Asia to unlock over 400 million more in co-financing, turning ambition into bankable, scalable solutions. 

Almost one third of the allocated funds – US$23 million – will be channeled to countries vulnerable to the impacts of climate change through the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF) and Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF), managed by the GEF. Initiatives in Guinea-Bissau and Senegal will support climate resilience efforts, building on UNDP’s historically strong partnerships and presence in all 44 Least Developed Countries. On the island of Niue, a project jointly led by Conservation International, will strengthen climate resilience and biodiversity protection and secure long-term financing for ocean conservation.

New GEF Trust Fund projects will harness natural capital and unlock biodiversity potential in Zimbabwe and Botswana; restore degraded land in Eritrea; strengthen climate resilience in the Philippines; conserve globally significant biodiversity in Malaysia; accelerate community-led integrated landscape management in India, led jointly with IUCN;  and support sustainably managed water resources in Kyrgyzstan. Through the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund (GBFF), another project in India, jointly led with the World Bank, will support biodiversity targets and strengthen nature-positive goals.

Marcos Neto, UN Assistant Secretary-General and Director of UNDP’s Bureau for Policy and Programme Support, said: “The GEF has been an instrumental partner of UNDP since 1991, fast-tracking progress on critical environmental targets. We will leverage our trusted partnerships, building upon decades of work rooted in the community and at a global level, to catalyze these investments so that they go further. Our priority is now to act with urgency. We are committed to ensuring that these solutions continue to deliver real results at scale, while leaving no one, and no country, behind.”

The new funds bolster UNDP’s broader commitments through the Climate Promise and Nature Pledge. These initiatives support countries to embed climate and nature at the heart of sustainable development, accelerating climate action and protecting biodiversity by strengthening national plans and mobilizing finance. Through its GEF portfolio, UNDP currently leverages over US$3 billion in grants to mobilize nearly US$18 billion in co-financing globally.

Claude Gascon, GEF Interim Chief Executive Officer and Chairperson, said: “This latest GEF investment is a powerful signal that commitment to multilateral environmental action remains strong. It shows what is possible when countries and partners come together with shared ambition. Now, we must work together to accelerate progress and keep the 2030 Agenda within reach.”

The latest Funding was approved during the 71^st GEF Council Meeting; the 6^th GBFF Meeting and the 40^th LDCF/SCCF Meeting. This latest package completes an ambitious GEF-8 replenishment cycle, with donors already pledging $3.9 billion to the upcoming GEF‑9 cycle. The GEF‑9 cycle, which runs from July 2026 to June 2030, will focus on integrated programming, blended finance, whole‑of‑government and whole-of-society approaches, and robust support for Least Developed Countries, Small Island Developing States, and Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities.

About UNDP 

UNDP is the leading United Nations organization fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with partners in 170 countries, UNDP helps nations build integrated, sustainable solutions for people and planet. Learn more at undp.org or follow @UNDP. 

About the Global Environment Facility

The Global Environment Facility (GEF) is the world’s largest multilateral fund for the environment. Its family of funds work together to address the planet's most pressing challenges in an integrated way. Its financing helps developing countries address complex challenges and work towards meeting international environmental goals. Over the past three decades, the GEF has provided more than $27 billion in financing, primarily as grants, and mobilized another $155 billion for country-driven priority projects.