Key facts
- The Global Environment Facility (GEF) approved an initial $3.9 billion (€3.4 billion) package for environmental projects.
- The funding will support climate adaptation, biodiversity protection, and water security from 2026 to 2030.
- The decision was made at the GEF Assembly in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, with representatives from 186 countries.
- At least 35% of the GEF Trust Fund will be directed towards least developed countries and small island developing states.
- Reforms aim to reduce bureaucracy and accelerate access to GEF financing.
- Uzbekistan announced its intention to become a contributor to future GEF funding cycles.
The Global Environment Facility (GEF) has approved an initial $3.9 billion (€3.4 billion) package to support climate adaptation, biodiversity protection, and water security over the next four years. The decision was made at the GEF Assembly in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, where representatives from 186 countries met to set priorities for the fund's ninth replenishment cycle, covering 2026 to 2030.
The funding comes as governments worldwide face increasing pressure to address environmental challenges like droughts, floods, and biodiversity loss, which are linked to climate change. The GEF, established in 1991, channels funding from donor governments into environmental projects and serves as a financial mechanism for international agreements such as the Paris Agreement and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
Currently, the GEF supports over 2,300 projects and programmes, with $12.6 billion (€11 billion) under implementation. It aims to mobilize an additional $80.5 billion (€70 billion) through co-financing. Since its inception, the GEF has provided more than $27 billion (€23.5 billion) in grants and mobilized approximately $155 billion (€135 billion) in additional investment globally.
One example of GEF's work is the Sustainable Cities programme, which has assisted over 100 cities in 40 countries with urban planning, resilience, and environmental management. Ming Zhang, the World Bank's Global Director for Urban, Subnational Finance, Tourism and Disaster Management, stated that grant funding can attract larger investments from development banks and the private sector.
The new funding package will support projects in 144 recipient countries. Fred Boltz, Head of Programming at the GEF Secretariat, highlighted that European and global donors committed this funding to help recipient countries achieve environmental goals, including conserving biodiversity, managing climate impacts, restoring degraded areas, and managing shared freshwater and ocean systems. At least 35% of the GEF Trust Fund will be allocated to least developed countries and small island developing states, with an additional 20% designated for initiatives led by Indigenous peoples and local communities.
Reforms within this funding cycle aim to streamline processes and accelerate access to financing, reducing bureaucratic complexity. The GEF-9 cycle, beginning in July 2026, also emphasizes integrated programs that link climate change, biodiversity, land degradation, food systems, and water management, recognizing the interconnectedness of environmental challenges. The first projects are expected to receive support in the coming months.
European governments are significant contributors to the GEF, and the targeted environmental issues are increasingly relevant across Europe, with rising costs from frequent droughts, floods, and biodiversity loss impacting public finances and infrastructure. Rachel Kyte, the UK's Special Representative for Climate, noted that Central Asia, experiencing severe environmental stress, can offer lessons for other regions. World Bank data indicates that around 37 million people in Central Asia currently face severe water scarcity, a figure projected to reach 75 million by 2050.
For the first time, the GEF Assembly was held in Central Asia. Uzbekistan's President Shavkat Mirziyoyev described ecological transformation as a new development model for the country. Having joined the GEF as a recipient in 1995, Uzbekistan announced its intention to become a contributor to future funding cycles, taking a leadership role regionally and within the GEF. The Eco Expo Central Asia, held alongside the Assembly, showcased environmental technologies and green economy initiatives to approximately 10,000 participants.