First Assembly

In 1998, more than 1,000 leaders from governments, international institutions, and non-governmental organizations attended the three-day meeting, representing 119 of 164 states then participating in the GEF, including one head of state and 40 ministers. Representatives of 16 international organizations and 185 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) also took part.

In addition to considering a number of key agenda items and reports on GEF's operations and policies, assembly participants attended parallel panels and workshops featuring prominent environmentalists, parliamentarians, business leaders, scientists, and NGO organizers.

These events focused on sustainable development initiatives, particularly in India; the linkages between science, development, and environmental concerns; "The GEF in the 21st Century," a panel organized by NGO representatives; challenges parliamentarians face in dealing with global environmental issues; the role of the media in building public awareness; private sector responses in developing countries to the Kyoto Protocol; and a roundtable by a panel of "eminent persons," chaired by Sweden's Speaker of the Parliament Birgitta Dahl, which discussed elements related to sustainable development initiatives such as transboundary issues like biodiversity loss, growing freshwater demand, and the challenges posed by climate change.

The Assembly adopted the New Delhi Statement 336kb pdf, highlighting GEF's unique role and calling upon it to "accelerate its operations."

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