NEWS ROOM 2009

14 DECEMBER 2009 -Copenhagen, Denmark – Ministers from the Solomon Islands and Indonesia - on behalf of the Coral Triangle countries - today called on world leaders to recognize and act upon the threat climate change poses to marine environments, particularly the adverse impacts on coral reefs, fisheries and food security. GEF has committed up to $63 million to support a program of action under the Coral Triangle Initiative.

 The Benazir Housing Project in Pakistan was invited to present at the Climate Change and Environment Panel of the Global South-South Development Expo-GSSD 2009 held on this week at the Preston Auditorium of the World Bank.The motto of the Global South-South Development Expo is Solutions, Solutions, Solutions.

 10 DECEMBER 2009 | Copenhagen --The world’s largest public environment fund, the Global Environment Facility (GEF) is joining with the IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, and Standard & Poor’s to launch the world’s first carbon efficient index for emerging markets. The partners predict their efforts could mobilize more than $1 billion for carbon-efficient companies over the next three years.

 9 DECEMBER 2009 | Copenhagen:  Government officials from developing countries share their stories and experiences with the Least Developed Country Fund (LDCF)  during a press event  (see link below) at the United Nations Climate Change Conference. The world's largest public environment fund updated international climate change delegates on recent and future projects associated with adaptation, specifically In Bhutan, Samoa and Burkina Faso.

7 DECEMBER 2009 | Copenhagen – As the climate talks kick off in Copenhagen, key football nations are teaming up for the planet for the biggest sport event of 2010.

More than half of the countries that have qualified for the 2010 FIFA World Cup have committed or pledged to offset the emissions of their teams’ and officials’ flights to South Africa for the competition.

2 DECEMBER 2009 | Washington, DC -Two new GEF videos show case the innovative and inspiring ways local communities are working to mitigate and adapt to climate change.

High in the Himalayas, the people of Bhutan race against time to drain Thotomi Glacier Lake, which threatens to rupture in a tidal wave that would obliterate downstream villages.

 13 NOVEMBER 2009 | Close to $5 million in grant money has been awarded to 26 innovative climate adaptation projects, through the 2009 Global Development Marketplace, a global competitive grant program to fund innovation in development.

 12 NOVEMBER 2009 | Cambridge, Massachusetts   – The Global Environment Facility, the world’s largest public environment fund, was recognized with its partners for a path-breaking environmentally-sound transit project in Mexico City today.

6 NOVEMBER 2009 | Washington, DC -The GEF today announced the winners of  its 2009 Photo Contest.  Winning entries included images that showcased the following environmental themes in three separate categories: "Wildlife", "Climate Change" and "People and Environment".   Over 400 people submitted photos from around the world, offering unique and often poignant ways the environment has a direct impact on daily life in both the developed and developing world.

27 OCTOBER 2009 | Cairns, Australia - The findings of a recent global assessment show the Large Marine Ecosystems (LMEs) of our planet are warming much more rapidly than expected and are over-fished and over-fertilized. The findings, launched at the Fifth GEF Biennial International Waters Conference in Cairns, Australia, found that 61 of the world’s 64 large marine ecosystems show a significant increase in sea surface temperatures in the last 25 years.

26 OCTOBER 2009 | Washington DC  - From October 24-29, 2009, the Australian Great Barrier Reef will provide the setting for an important meeting of global water-related projects. Over 300 of the world’s leading water and ocean managers, scientists, civil society, international organization staff, and country representatives to identify practical measures for coping with climatic variability. Co-hosted by the Government of Australia and the GEF, the Fifth GEF Biennial International Waters Conference promises to unveil new research results on protecting coral reefs, adapting to the accelerated warming of coastal oceans, and adjusting to the movement of fisheries away from warming, polluted waters.

23 OCTOBER 2009 | Washington DC - An Action Plan to address trans-boundary threats to fisheries and living marine resources in the Arafura and Timor Seas, has attracted US$2.65 Million in support from the GEF and US$5.45 Million in co-financing from other partners, including the Australian Government, as part of the broader multi-party Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI).

19 OCTOBER 2009 | Washington DC - In connection with the 9th Meeting of the COP of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, for which the GEF is a financial mechanism, GEF CEO Monique Barbut visited a site in Patagonia with a representative of the Government of Argentina, Mr. Severo Fulia, where a GEF project is helping to control land degradation through the promotion of sustainable rangeland management practices to restore ecosystems to their full integrity, stability, and functions.

12 OCTOBER 2009 | Washington DC - The second phase of the Mindanao Rural Development Project is gaining momentum and is well-positioned to meet its objectives of improving livelihood opportunities in targeted communities as well as decentralizing agriculture and fishery services delivery in a way that promotes participation, transparency, and accountability. This is one of the major findings of the recently concluded portfolio review mission conducted by the World Bank together with the officials of the Department Agriculture (DA) implementing the project in 26 provinces, 225 municipalities, and cities in Mindanao. To support the project, the World Bank provided US$83.752 million worth of loans and the GEF has recently approved a grant of US$6.351 million to support the national resources management component of the project.

On September 18, Science Magazine has published the following article in the Policy Forum section. Many authors contributed to this article, including GEF staff.

25 SEPTEMBER 2009 | WASHINGTON DC/NAIROBI – A new global initiative to accelerate the uptake of low energy light bulbs and efficient lighting systems was launched today by the Global Environment Facility  and the United Nations Environment Programme. The close to $20 million initiative, the Global Market Transformation for Efficient Lighting Platform that will be implemented in collaboration with the private sector companies OSRAM and Philips, is aimed at reducing the bills of electricity consumers in developing economies while delivering cuts in emissions of greenhouse gases.

24 SEPTEMBER 2009 | WASHINGTON DC - Details on a new global initiative to launch low energy light bulbs and efficient lighting systems, led by the GEF with coordination from the United Nations Environment Programme, will be unveiled at a media event September 25 in Washington DC.

24 SEPTEMBER 2009 - Insurance Group (RSA), and CarbonRe, with support from the GEF and the United Nations Environment Programme, have launched an innovative mechanism for insuring renewable energy projects in developing countries. The global renewable energy insurance facility, which will be operated via the new internet website “insurance4renewables”, will offer standard and customised insurance solutions for renewable energy projects in developing countries.

18 SEPTEMBER 2009 | Bankgok, Thailand - The e8 group of electric utility companies, in partnership with the GEF, the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), started a partnership, in the fall of 2008,as a joint human capacity building programme aimed at the transfer of business-oriented expertise for the financing of sustainable electrification projects and the deployment of low-emitting power technologies in developing and emerging countries.

18 SEPTEMBER 2009 | WASHINGTON DC - The GEF invites you to participate at this BBL. Speaker Morgan Bazilian, Ph.D., Special Advisor to the Director-General on Energy and Climate Change, United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)

17 SEPTEMBER 2009 | WASHINGTON DC - The GEF invites you to attend at the next GEF BBL presented by Thomas Laughlin, Acting Head of IUCN U.S. and Deputy Head of the Global Marine Programme.

14 September 2009 | A report from the Economics of Climate Adaptation Working Group released today indicates that climate risks could cost nations up to 19% of their GDP by 2030, with developing countries most vulnerable. The report concludes, however, that cost effective adaptation measures already exist that can prevent between 40 and 68 percent of the expected economic loss with even higher levels of prevention possible in highly target geographies.

14-16 September 2009 | Bonn, Germany - Follow the meeting by watching the video webcast or listening at the audio only webcast. The webcast starts everyday at 3:00 AM EST time, GMT -4.

10 SEPTEMBER 2009 | Washington DC – On September 9, 2009 a congressional reception opened the photo exhibit “Biodiversity In Action” organized by the GEF and the ICCF at the US Senate Russell Building, in Washington DC. The event featured US Senator Sam Brownback, David Barron, President of ICCF (International Conservation Caucus Foundation) and Monique Barbut, GEF CEO, all of them standing by the common goal of protecting biodiversity.

27 AUGUST 2009 | WASHINGTON DC – The World Bank approved today a three-year GEF Trust Fund grant of USD4.8 million, to support Senegal for a Sustainable Land Management Project.

13 AUGUST 2009 | WASHINGTON DC - The project aimed to improve ecosystem functioning of degraded pasture lands through the development of more intensive silvo-pastoral systems that generate global environmental benefits while providing socio-economic benefits. Silvopastoral systems (SPS) were successfully introduced in the three participating countries.

 5 AUGUST 2009 | WASHINGTON DC - The use of economic evaluation of natural resources as an instrument in the political process has been discussed and analyzed at the meeting of the Environment Network that took place the on July 28-29 in Mexico City, Mexico.

04 AUGUST 2009 | WASHINGTON DC - The GEF is launching "The Green Line", its new newsletter that will substitute the Talking Points. With more information and a fresh new look the Green Line will be the new communication channel of the GEF. Let us know what you think of it...

23 JULY 2009 | WASHINGTON DC - The World Bank approved a US$180 million loan to the Government of India, designed to renovate and modernize old, inefficient and polluting coal-fired power plants. The project, which is expected to lower carbon emissions and boost power production at these plants, is co-financed with a US$45.4 million grant from the GEF.

17 JULY 2009 | WASHINGTON DC - Members of the GEF Secretariat and Evaluation Office made their inaugural appearance at the 7th annual World Bank Soccer Club's Charity Soccer Tournament held July 11, 2009 at the Bretton Woods Recreation Center in Germantown Maryland.

16 JULY 2009 | ARKHANGELSK, RUSSIA - The Maritime Board at the Government of the Russian Federation, the highest-level body of the government in charge of coordinated efforts of federal enforcement authorities in the field of maritime activities, investigation and exploration of the World Ocean, Arctic and Antarctic, approved the Strategic Action Program for Protection of the Environment of the Arctic Zone of the Russian Federation (SAP-Arctic).

9 JULY 2009 | WASHINGTON DC - The GEF invites you to attend at the next event of the GEF Brown Bag Lunch Series. Guest Speaker: Chris Williams from UN HABITAT.

26 JUNE 2009 | WASHINGTON DC - The World Bank’s Board of Directors approved a program which will help reduce greenhouse gases and promote clean energy use in Benin. The program, supported by a US $1.82 million GEF grant, seeks to improve energy services in urban areas for customers that already have access to electricity in Benin.

24 JUNE 2009 | WASHINGTON DC - The GEF will join forces with the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) to spur binding action by decision-makers to conserve and sustainably use biodiversity, stop species loss, and maintain vital ecosystem goods and services.

22 JUNE 2009 | WASHINGTON DC - The GEF Council meeting is held from Monday, June 22 to Wednesday, June 24, 2009. The meetings will take place at the World Bank, Eugene R. Black Auditorium (H Auditorium), 600 19th Street N.W., Washington D.C.

21 JUNE 2009 | WASHINGTON DC - The GEF NGO Consultation is being held in immediately prior to the GEF Council Meeting and the Second meeting on the 5th GEF Replenishment. The objective of the meeting is to facilitate a dialogue on critical issues related to the replenishment and future implementation - especially on governance, focal area strategies and allocation of resources and partnership with civil society.

17 JUNE 2009 | WASHINGTON DC - Joint Statement of the Global Environment Facility and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification on the Occasion of the World Day to Combat Desertification

15 JUNE 2009 | WASHINGTON DC - Mexico boosted its image as a global leader in climate change in December 2008, when it announced it had set the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions to 50% below 2002 levels by 2050. Now Mexico is embarking on a comprehensive strategy to cut emissions and reduce energy use while also potentially putting the Mexican economy on a low carbon growth path.

15 JUNE 2009 | BONN, GERMANY - The Sixth Meeting of the Adaptation Fund Board is taking place at the UNCCD premises in Bonn (Langer Eugen, room LEU 1916) from June 15 to 17, 2009. Watch the LIVE WEBCASTING!

3 JUNE 2009 | WASHINGTON DC - The GEF invites you to attend at the next event of the GEF Brown Bag Lunch Series. Guest Speaker: Pavan Sukhdev, Study Leader – TEEB & Project Leader - Green Economy - UNEP-WCMC

2 JUNE 2009 | WASHINGTON DC - The Emergency Infrastructure and Electricity Rehabilitation Project (PURISE) for the Republic of Togo has been approved. PURISE is funded by a grant totaling US$26.82 million of which US$1.82 million provided by GEF. The project will support the Togolese Government with the rehabilitation, restoration, improvement of urban infrastructure, and expansion of access to infrastructure services by the population of the city of Lomé.

29 MAY 2009 | WASHINGTON DC - The 2010 Biodiversity Indicators Partnership (2010 BIP) is a global initiative funded by the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) that brings together over 40 international organizations to develop biodiversity indicators and assess biodiversity loss. A new website (www.twentyten.net) has been  launched recently...

28 MAY 2009 | WASHINGTON DC - The World Bank's Board of Directors today approved an Efficient Lighting Project for the City of Lome for the Republic of Togo.

21 MAY 2009 | The GEF invites you to attend at the next event of the GEF Brown Bag Lunch Series presented by N. Lymberopoulos, Director, Projects and Programmes International Center for Hydrogen Energy Technologies

20 MAY 2009 | WASHINGTON DC - The REN21 Renewables Global Status Report released last week in Paris shows that the fundamental transition of the world’s energy markets continues (www.ren21.net). "This report offers strong evidence that renewable energy expansion is policy driven, with stable and predictable government strategies key to ensuring environmentally sustainable economic growth. We are very encouraged that a number of governments have set ambitious targets to expand the reach of renewable energy programs that are a necessary step toward building sustainable development, especially in some of the world's most vulnerable countries," said Monique Barbut.

18 MAY 2009 | WASHINGTON DC - The GEF invites you to attend at the next event of the GEF Brown Bag Lunch Series. Guest Speaker: Anantha Kumar Duraiappah, Chief of  Ecosystem Services Economics at the Division of Policy Implementation, UNEP.

12 MAY 2009 | The GEF invites you to attend at the next event of the GEF Brown Bag Lunch Series, presented by Nancy Kete, PhD, Director EMBARQ - The WRI Center for Sustainable Transport World Resources Institute.

 

11 MAY 2009 | NAIROBI – Village communities in Western Kenya alongside ones in Niger, Nigeria and China could become the key to unlocking the multi-billion dollar carbon markets for millions of farmers, foresters and conservationists across the developing world. Catchments in and around Lake Victoria have been chosen as a test-bed for calculating how much carbon can be stored in trees and soils when the land is managed in a sustainable, climate-friendly ways.

06 MAY 2009 | GENEVA/NAIROBI/WASHINGTON DC -- The United Nations Environment Programme and the World Health Organization, in partnership with the Global Environment Facility, today announced a rejuvenated international effort to combat malaria with an incremental reduction of reliance on the synthetic pesticide DDT.

Washington DC, May 5, 2009 - GEF SGP Zambia is happy to report a very successful launch of the Small Grants Programme. The launch took place on the 24th April 2009 at one of the projects that benefited from the SGP funding. This project aims at enhancing adaptation to climate change by families considered vulnerable through the promotion of agriculture to improve household food security, increase income which will result in the reduction in economic pressure on the environment.

For the first time in the history of the COP, new chemicals will be considered for listing in the annexes of the Convention. A lively discussion is anticipated with nine new substances slated for scrutiny at the meeting. Other key issues are also high on the agenda. Delegates will review measures to reduce or eliminate releases from intentional production and use of POPs, as well as from unintentional production. As part of the conference the Global Environment Facility organized the event " A review of GEF processes and programs in support of Stockholm" on Sunday May 3, 2009. 

On Monday, April 27, 2009, the GEF invites you to attend at the next event of the GEF Brown Bag Lunch Series, presented by Patrick Smith (USAID), Sandra Brown & Nancy Harris (Winrock International).  

WASHINGTON DC, April 15, 2009 - The 5th meeting of the Adaptation Fund Board (AFB) successfully concluded on March 27 2009 in Bonn. During the 5th Meeting, the Board has been able to complete its deliberations on the operational policies and guidelines for parties to access resources from the Adaptation Fund. It will take a final decision on these operational policies and guidelines before calling for funding proposal in the near future.

WASHINGTON DC, April 14, 2009 - The Adaptation Fund Board (AFB) has launched a speedy, open to all, logo competition for the Adaptation Fund (AF). The aim is to proceed giving this innovative and uttermost required Fund own outlook, evolve its identity and increase public consciousness about its existence and on-going operationalization.

WASHINGTON DC, April 8, 2009 – The GEF Earth Fund Board, a private sector advisory group to the GEF Council designed to help international financial institutions strengthen the engagement of business in delivering global environmental benefits to the world’s most vulnerable, met today for the first time.

WASHINGTON DC, April 2, 2009 - The World Bank today approved $70 million in grants to increase the capacity of the government and other stakeholders to manage forests sustainably and equitably for multiple uses in pilot areas of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The International Development Association (IDA) is providing a $64 million grant and a further $6 million is being provided by the Global Environment Facility (GEF).

WASHINGTON DC, April 2, 2009 - The World Bank’s Executive Board of Directors today approved a $7 million grant to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to support ongoing efforts to rehabilitate protected areas.

WASHINGTON DC, April 2, 2009 - Monique Barbut's article, appeared today on http://climate-l.org/, outlines GEF's effort and engagement to fulfill the mandate of providing financial resources to promote the transfer of environmentally sound technologies and know-how to developing countries.

WASHINGTON - The 2009 Global Development Marketplace  today launched its annual global search for innovative local projects and project ideas, with the focus this year on how to help poor and vulnerable communities disproportionately affected by current and predicted climate threats. Innovating organizations from civil society, governments, and the private sector are invited to submit project proposals online from today to May 18, to enter the competition for grants provided by the World Bank Group, the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and other partners.

WORLD WATER DAY, March 22, 2009 - Every three years in March, some 20,000 people gather at the World Water Forum hoping that talk will turn to results. This year is no exception except for the fact that perhaps there never has been a more urgent time to commit ourselves to action.

BERLIN, Germany, 19 March 2009 - In a keynote speech the Federal Minister Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul has expressed her strong support to the GEF. "The Global Environment Facility (GEF) is the key financing mechanism for the Climate Framework Convention (UNFCCC) and should remain so. It has many years of experience with climate protection projects and works hand in hand with development policy institutions.."

WASHINGTON DC, March 17, 2009 - The GEF invites you to attend at the next event of the GEF Brown Bag Lunch Series
Presented by Dr. Joe Romm, Dr. Jake Caldwell, and Dr. Andrew Light from The Center for American Progress.

ISTANBUL, Turkey, March 16, 2009 - Two Community Water Initiative projects (implemented by GEF-SGP with UNDP and SIDA co-financing) entered the top 10 finalists for the Kyoto World Water Grand Prize. The two projects will defend the projects in front of a panel of international judges and compete for the Kyoto Prize on 21 March 2009 in Istanbul...

MINSK, Belarus, 16 March 2009 - Construction works on renaturalisation of Morochno raised bog degraded hydrological regime were completed at the beginning of March 2009 in the framework of the UNDP/GEF Project “Renaturalisation and Sustainable Management of Peatlands in Belarus to Combat Land Degradation, Ensure Conservation of Globally Valuable Biodiversity and Mitigate Climate Change”.

SELANGOR, Malaysia, March 13, 2009 - On February 2009, the GEF NGO Network has elected the Global Environment Centre NGO as Interim Central Focal Point to coordinate Network activities before the new statute will be adopted. The outgoing Central Focal Point is ZERO Regional a NGO from Zimbabwe.

WASHINGTON DC, March 12, 2009 - The GEF invites you to attend at the next event of the GEF Brown Bag Lunch Series, presented by Katherine Hamilton, President of GridWise Alliance.

 Read the report on Monique Barbut's visit to the two West African countries on March 7 - 13, 2009

WASHINGTON DC, March 5, 2009 - The GEF invites you to attend at the GEF Series of Brown Bag Lunch presented by Miguel Gomez, Director of the Regional Unit of Technical Assistance, RUTA

March 4, 2009 - An innovative public-private partnership was officially launched this week as the International Maritime Organization and other agencies joined forces with leading shipping corporations in the fight to eliminate bio-invasions in ballast water, writes Sandra Speares on the Lloyd List website...

LONDON, United Kingdom, March 2, 2009 - A Global Industry Alliance (GIA) was launched today at the Headquarters of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in London, to tackle the threats of marine bio-invasions caused by the transfer of alien plants and animals in ships’ ballast tanks. Ballast water is carried in cargo ships to provide needed stability. It is taken onboard at the start of every trip an unladen ship makes and then pumped out on arrival.

Save your LogoA review of articles appeared on the French press on March 2009  Veuillez vous identifier France InfoC’est le nom d’une opération lancée hier à Paris. L’objectif est simple les entreprises sont appelées à faire des dons pour sauvegarder

WASHINGTON DC, Feb. 26 - The World Bank's Vice President for Europe and Central Asia approved the Armenia Geothermal Energy Development project. The project, funded by a grant of US$ 1.5 million from the GEF, is the second operation financed under the Geothermal Energy Development Program (GeoFund), a US$ 25 million regional program funded by the GEF and implemented by the World Bank jointly with the International Finance Corporation (IFC).

NEW YORK, February 26, 2009 - The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), together with the World Bank and GEF, announced today a commitment of $2.8 million toward tiger conservation across its range. WCS will lead a new project, Tiger Futures, in partnership with other conservation organizations with long-term field experience in tiger conservation throughout countries spanning the big cat's geographical range in Asia.

WASHINGTON DC, February 25 - The GEF Natural Resources Team Intes you to the 18th GEF Brown Bag Lunch presented by Willem Wijnstekers, Secretary-General of CITES

WASHINGTON DC, February 4, 2009 - iSimangaliso has signed a Project Preparation Grant (PPG) agreement with the World Bank for a GEF project which aims to include addressing the hydrology and ecosystem functioning of the Lake St Lucia system.

The Global Environment Facility invites you to the Brown Bag Lunch on February 4, 2009, presented by Dr. Julia Reinaud from the Industrial Energy Efficiency Best Practice Network ClimateWorks Foundation.

This three days conference will take place on April 27 – 29, 2009 in San Francisco. It is the first event of its kind and it will unite a variety of stakeholders with the objective of connecting the emerging markets with US companies’ experiences, policies, goods and services for implementing sustainable renewable energy environments in their countries.

LAHORE, Pakistan, 27-28 January - The Pakistan GEF National Dialogue is now finalized. Approximately 80 national GEF stakeholders convened for two days of intensive consultations and discussions about the country's GEF priorities and portfolio...

WASHINGTON DC, January 16, 2009 - "Financing the Stewardship of Global Biodiversity", one of the latest GEF publications on Biodiversity has received two awards at the 38 competition of the Creativity Annual Awards. The publication, designed by Design Nut in close cooperation with GEF Natural Resources and External Affairs teams, won a silver award for the cover of the book and received a second award for interior book design.

WASHINGTON DC, January 12, 2009 - Argentina’s penguins rang in 2009 with a new marine park that will protect their nesting grounds onshore as well as their feeding grounds at sea. The park is home to half a million Magellanic Penguins, along with several species of rare seabirds and the region’s only population of South American fur seals.

WASHINGTON, DC - January 09, 2009 - The 34th Council approved $201.17 million for funding 37 new GEF projects, that were included in the work program. Fifteen of the projects proposals approved are in Biodiversity, eight in Climate Change, five in International Water, one in Land Degradation, while eight proposals are multifocal.

The 2009 Development Marketplace grant competition is seeking innovative solutions addressing Climate Adaptation in three sub-themes. The call for proposals will be open from February 5, 2009 through April 9, 2009. Winning projects will receive a US$ 200,000 grant for implementation over two years.

The Global Environment Facility invites you to participate in the 2009 Photo Contest. In its effort to create awareness on all the different ways in which we can help to protect our planet, the GEF is looking for photos that portray human effort to protect our environment and mitigate and adapt to the changing climate. All entries must be received by June 15, 2009.

Walter Lusigi, PhD and senior environment specialist, recently retired after a well-respected tenure at the Global Environment Facility. A native of Kenya, Walter has country work experience in every part of the world and he has been the focal point for Land Degradation activities at the GEF over the last ten years.

This 9 minutes video clip by Ibrahima Fall, a well known Senegalese filmmaker, is a striking documentation of the work of the Global Environment Facility GEF in climate change projects in selected African countries. Watch it now: available in English and French.