Global Environment Facility council to hold review on USD 165.8m fund for climate change mitigation

By Dr Iftikhar Ahmed 

The 63rd meeting of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Council will take place in its head quarter based in Washington, D.C., US,  from 28 November to 2 December 2022.The 63rd Council will be preceded by a civil society consultation with the GEF Council on 23 November followed by eighth replenishment programme. The meeting will review the total USD 165.8 million programme progress with USD 72.4 million for climate mitigation and sustainable development goals this years. The Global Environment Facility (GEF), was established during the 1992 Rio Earth Summit, hold a pivotal position in global response activities on the environmental remediation efforts.

The Global Environment Facility is steered by a council comprising of 32 members appointed by constituencies of GEF member countries (14 from developed countries, 16 from developing countries, and two from economies in transition). Council members rotate at different intervals determined by each constituency. Pakistan is member of GEF since it is established.
The Council, which meets twice annually, develops, adopts, and evaluates the operational policies and programs for GEF-financed activities. It also reviews and approves the work program (projects submitted for approval), making decisions by consensus. Recently, on 21 June 2022 Global Environment Facility (GEF) in its meeting after COVID-19 pandemic approved  the  Work Program under the GEF’s seventh replenishment (GEF-7) cycle amounting to USD 165.8 million. The Council meeting convened for the Least Developed Countries Special Climate Change Fund which also endorsed the USD 72.4 million for climate mitigation and sustainable development goals these years.

The writer is International Academician, UN advisor, Research Journalist. He has keen interest in Clean energy, climate and health education. He can be reached at Media_proton@yahoo.com