June 2007

1. A Letter from the CEO
2. Provisional Agenda June Council Meeting
3. Stories from Agencies
   

   	a.	Okavango Delta Boasts Magnificent Game Viewing
   	b.	Good Tourism Practices in Belize and Ecuador
   	c.	Important Lesson Learned from Crocodile Rehabilitation Project
   	d.	Bringing Sustainability to the Marine Aquarium Trade

4. News from the GEF Evaluation Office
5. Focal Point News
6. New Country Support Programme
         Knowledge Management Facility Launched
7. GEF Strategic Investment Program for SLM
          in Africa
8. GEF NGO Network Election
9. SGP Prizes and Awards
10. New Focal Points/Council Members
11. Announcements: New Staff at GEFSec

Archives

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A Letter from the CEO

Dear Colleague:

Summer is upon us.  Here in Washington, we are gearing up for the onslaught of the summer heat. Of course, at the GEF rising temperatures weigh often on our minds.

This spring I visited Beijing, China, where I rode on one of the three zero-emission, hydrogen-powered fuel-cell buses now plying the streets of Beijing and saw first-hand a state-of-the-art refueling station for the buses, part of a GEF-funded project at the fore of the global response to climate change.

Even though fuel cell technology is not yet commercially viable, by supporting this project we hope to show how cutting-edge technology along with appropriate infrastructure can provide pollution-free transport in one of Asia’s largest mega-cities. My visit to China coincided with the release of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s report, which presented an eye-opening picture of the likely global implications of rising greenhouse-gas levels.

Here at the GEF we are also gearing up for the next Council Meeting.  This meeting will offer an opportunity to consider important policy issues concerning the Sustainability Compact that I announced last December. 

We are submitting for Council review a new project cycle, a set of revised focal area strategies, a proposed results-based management framework, and other measures.  These changes are all part of my efforts to streamline the GEF and make it a smoother, more efficient operation. This new direction is essential for the GEF family and for better engagement with countries.

For more information on highlights of the Council Meeting, please see the article in this issue of Talking Points.

Before closing this letter, I want to invite you to visit the new and improved GEF web site at www.thegef.org. Through this new site, you will have more interactive, user-friendly access to the vast amount of knowledge and resources in the GEF. I invite you to make full use of the site, which contains:

• A new search engine which will give you quick access to information throughout the site
• Easier access to Council documents and meeting information
• A new country portal, still under design but which will contain targeted information for GEF countries, and a link to the exciting new Country Support Program web site created by UNDP
• An improved access to the GEF project database
• More intuitive sets of horizontal and vertical menus for accessing site information
• The beginnings of a new page for stories about GEF projects told by those who are working on the projects
• More up-to-date news and access to speeches and statements
• Ultimately, a password-protected portion of the site for your own use
• Introduction of our new tagline "Investing In Our Planet"

The site is still being developed to some extent, and we will continue to refine it in the coming months. Ultimately, this is your site, and I hope you can make it a significant two-way portal of knowledge for your work with the GEF.

With best wishes,

Monique Barbut
CEO and Chairperson
Global Environment Facility