world bank document · 2016. 7. 17. · ecosystems through sustainable land management practices....

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MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS

A GEF progress report

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WB112742

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about theGlobal Environment Facility

The Global Environment Facility (GEF) is an independent financial entityestablished in 1991 — in partnershipwith the United Nations DevelopmentProgramme, the United NationsEnvironment Programme, and the World Bank — to improve the globalenvironment while creating livelihoodsand opportunities for the world’s poor.

The GEF is the largest single sourceof funding for the global environmentwith 176 member countries.

The GEF is a financial mechanismfor the international conventions onbiodiversity, climate change, persistentorganic pollutants, and desertification.

The GEF’s $24 billion portfoliosupports more than 1,700 projects in 140 developing countries and countrieswith economies in transition. More than6,000 small grants are provided directlyto community groups and NGOs.

Every $1 invested by the GEF leverages $3 in cofinancing.

More than 700 NGOs actively participate in GEF activities and oversee GEF projects.

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1

achieving theMILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS

A GEF progress report

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BIODIVERSITYTo promote the conservation of biologicaldiversity, sustainable use of its components,and fair and equitable sharing of thebenefits arising out of the utilization ofgenetic resources. GEF projects cover:■ Protected area systems■ Biodiversity in production landscapes■ Coastal, marine, and freshwater

ecosystems■ Arid and semi-arid lands■ Mountain ecosystems■ Forests.

INTERNATIONAL WATERSTo contribute as a catalyst to theimplementation of a more comprehensive,ecosystem-based approach to managinginternational waters. GEF projects target:■ Water body restoration■ Integrated land and water resource

management■ Contaminant reduction.

LAND DEGRADATION To help mitigate the causes and negativeimpacts of land degradation, especiallydesertification and deforestation, on the structure and functional integrity ofecosystems through sustainable landmanagement practices. GEF projectspromote:■ Sustainable forest management for

productive uses■ Sustainable agricultural management

for food production■ Sustainable rangeland management

for livestock production.

CLIMATE CHANGETo develop, expand, and transform themarkets for energy and mobility indeveloping countries so that, over the longterm, these countries will be able to growtoward and efficiently operate a lesscarbon-intensive path. GEF focuses on:■ Renewable energy■ Energy efficiency■ Sustainable transportation.

To help least developed countries, many ofwhich are small island developing states,adapt to climate change. GEF supports:■ National adaptation programs of action

on climate change.

OZONE DEPLETIONTo prevent releases of ozone-depletingsubstances in order to protect humanhealth and the environment from depletionof the ozone layer. GEF projects support:■ Phase-out of production and

consumption of ozone-depletingsubstances in countries with economiesin transition.

PERSISTENT ORGANIC POLLUTANTS To reduce and eliminate the releases ofpersistent organic pollutants (POPs) inorder to protect human health and theenvironment. GEF projects target:■ Implementation of the Stockholm

Convention on POPs■ Identification and safe destruction of

POPs, including PCBs, obsoletepesticides, and other toxic chemicals

■ Safe, effective alternatives to DDT forvector control.

achieving the millennium development goals2

The GEF mandate


THE GEF PORTFOLIO

GEF Funding by Focal Area(1991-2005)Focal Area US Dollars

(Millions)Biodiversity 2,059.1Climate change 1,982.8International waters 803.7Multi-focal areas 466.6Ozone depletion 181.9POPs 154.3Land degradation 92.8Total 5,741.2

GEF Funding by Region (1991-2005)Region US Dollars

(Millions)Asia 1,473.3Africa 1,308.6Latin America & the Caribbean 1,216.7Europe & Central Asia 898.2Global & Regional 844.4Total 5,741.2

GEF Projects by Region (1991-2005)Region ProjectsAsia 399Africa 507Latin America & the Caribbean 367Europe & Central Asia 299Global & Regional 123Total 1,695

GEF progress report 3

Biodiversity 35.9%

Climate change 34.5%

International waters 14.0%

Multi-focal areas 8.1%

Ozone depletion 3.2%POPs 2.7%

Land degradation 1.6%

Figure 1: GEF FUNDING BY FOCAL AREA(1991-2005)

Asia 23.5%

Africa29.9%

Latin America & the Caribbean 21.7%

Europe & Central Asia17.6%

Global & Regional 7.3%

Figure 3: GEF PROJECTS BY REGION(1991-2005)

Asia 25.7%

Africa22.8%

Latin America & the Caribbean 21.2%

Europe & Central Asia15.6%

Global & Regional14.7%

Figure 2: GEF FUNDING BY REGION (1991-2005)

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FOREWORD

We in the GEF family are committed to helping reach the MillenniumDevelopment Goals (MDGs) bymobilizing international cooperation to protect the global environment in ways that promote sustainabledevelopment and create opportunities for the world’s poor. This special reportfocuses on some of the GEF’s manycontributions towards the eight criticalgoals. Achieving a cleaner environment,the heart of the GEF’s work, is critical to alleviating poverty, improving healthservices, promoting education,eliminating disease, utilizing technology,providing opportunities for women, andfurthering political stability bypreventing conflicts over access toscarce resources.

The GEF’s portfolio of activities iswide ranging: reducing the risk of climatechange, conserving and sustainably usingbiological diversity, protecting the ozonelayer, safeguarding international waters,eliminating persistent organic pollutants(POPs), and promoting sustainable landmanagement. The progress made by eachGEF project brings us closer to achievingthe MDGs.

Helping countries combat POPsillustrates this point. These highly toxiccompounds have led to rising mortalityrates, unsafe drinking water, poisonousfoodstuffs, and contaminated farmlands.

Whether reducing the stockpiles ofobsolete pesticides throughout Africa orpromoting safe alternatives to controlmosquitoes and other vectors spreadingmalaria, the GEF is helping to protect our common environment, improvematernal health, and reduce theoccurrence of destructive diseases that contribute to poverty’s persistence.As part of this effort, we are helpingwomen’s organizations broadenawareness about the dangers of POPs and press for safe methods of disposal.

GEF projects in Bangladesh, thePhilippines, Poland, Sri Lanka, andelsewhere are expanding renewable-energy technologies, such as solar, wind, geothermal, and hydropower. Such projects transfer new technologies,provide training, promote newbusinesses, and develop financing tools. These renewable-energy projectsalong with GEF’s energy-efficiencyprojects are part of our global action to address climate change by reducingthe risks.

We are also helping the leastdeveloped countries, many of which are small islands, adapt to the possibleimpacts of climate change. An importantfirst step towards effective adaptation ishelping these countries determine theirmost urgent vulnerabilities and needs,and develop realistic action programs.


“a once-in-a-

generation

chance to

bring about

historic,

fundamental

change...”

Kofi AnnanSecretary-General

United Nations


As these and, indeed, the entireportfolio show, the GEF’s purpose isdeeply rooted in the reality of people’sneeds in the developing countries, whichlie at the heart of the MDGs. Some of our efforts focus on the local situation —supporting women’s cooperatives tocreate new livelihoods, or supplyingschools and clinics with alternativeenergy resources, which improves thequality of education and health services.

Other GEF efforts are large in scaleand impact, affecting whole regions —the Andean mountains and marinebasins, for example — and continents,such as Africa’s land, water, andbiological resources. These efforts involve extensive coordination ofgovernment officials, scientists, localbusinesses, and cofinancing agencies,among many others. Such partnershipslead to effective solutions that reduce the potential for conflict as demandintensifies for scarce resources amid rapid population growth.

This report highlights a few of ouraccomplishments, but I encourage you tolearn more about the work we are doingby visiting our website. There, you haveaccess to information about more than1,700 GEF projects and 6,000 GEF smallgrants in 140 developing countries. Thissite, and the online International WatersResource Centre that we host, demonstrate

how we are using technology to buildexpertise, learn from shared experiences,and enhance cooperation.

As the United Nations Secretary-General has reminded us, ours is “a once-in-a-generation chance to bring abouthistoric, fundamental change.” Indeed, wedo have that opportunity. The commitment,effectiveness, resources, creativity, andvision of the GEF and its partners arereason to look to 2015 with hope.

Len GoodChief Executive Officer and Chairman

Global Environment Facility


the GOALS

1 Eradicate extremepoverty and hunger.

2 Achieve universalprimary education.

3 Promote greater genderequality and empowerwomen.

4 Reduce child mortality.

5 Improve maternal health.

6 Combat HIV/AIDS,malaria, and otherdiseases.

7 Ensure environmentalsustainability.

8 Develop a globalpartnership fordevelopment.


DESTRUCTION OF THE EARTH’SENVIRONMENT worsens the struggles of poor countries to

build a better future. Air pollutiondamages crops, forests, rivers, and lakesthat countries need for their economicdevelopment. Unsafe water killsapproximately 3 million people each year,many of them children. Sickness and poorhealth mean lost production for thepeople and countries that can least affordit. Land degradation turns once fertilefields into unproductive ones. As wildlifedisappears and biodiversity is destroyed,so, too, are the many ecological servicesand wealth they provide. The greatestimpact is on developing countries wherepeople are most dependent on naturalresources for food, medicine, income, and employment.

The GEF sees the path to endingpoverty and hunger as one that must involve sound environmentalmanagement and sustainabledevelopment practices. In following this path, the GEF is enhancing foodsecurity, promoting local livelihoods, and preventing conflicts over access toresources. It is fully committed to helpingachieve the MDGs through innovativepartnerships that leverage the GEF’s initial investment threefold.

FOOD SECURITYLand degradation — especiallydesertification and deforestation — has triggered large-scale populationmovements, disrupted economic

development prospects, aggravatedregional conflicts, and threatened the lives and livelihoods of people livingunder its shadow.

One-fourth of the world’s agriculturalland is no longer productive, and thepace of degradation is accelerating from erosion, salinization, compaction, nutrient depletion, pollution, andurbanization. In developing nations, hard pressed to satisfy demands for food and provide sustainable livelihoods,productivity of agricultural land hasdeclined substantially in recent years.

Since 1991, the GEF has investedmore than $450 million in projects thatintegrate sustainable land managementinto national development programs and strengthen human, technical, and institutional capacity. This is thelargest financial commitment to theConvention to Combat Desertificationsince its adoption.

In Botswana, Kenya, and Tanzania,GEF projects are developing plant speciesthat stabilize soils and remain resilient to droughts, climate change, and otherenvironmental stresses. Other innovativeprograms are teaching communitiessustainable farming and irrigationmethods so they can produce sufficientquantities of food to satisfy their needsand generate income without harming the environment.

The GEF’s efforts in Latin America


Eradicating poverty andhunger

GOAL Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger.

Target Reduce by half theproportion ofpeople living on less than adollar a day.

Target Reduce by half theproportion ofpeople who suffer from hunger.

11


are restoring pasturelands and boosting the productivity of farms in poor areas.And GEF projects are supporting solar-powered water pumps in remote villagesto irrigate farmlands. In the small islandsof the Caribbean, where scarce landresources are under intense pressure fromdevelopment and population growth, theGEF is helping teach local communitieshow to prevent soil erosion, and, in turn, reduce the damage to housing,businesses, and infrastructure from flashfloods and mud slides.

LIVELIHOODSIn protecting biological resources,creating protected areas, haltingdesertification and deforestation,managing transboundary waters, andpromoting alternative energy resources,GEF-sponsored programs help to createlivelihoods, particularly for women.

In partnership with the Government of Brazil, international organizations,nongovernmental organizations (NGOs),and others, the GEF has launched thelargest joint initiative for the conservationof tropical forests in history. A key goal of the Amazon Region Protected AreasProject is to combine ecosystemprotection strategies with the creation of sustainable livelihoods. The projectwill establish an independent endowmentto make targeted investments in income-generating activities by localpeople, including training staff forprogram management and biodiversitymonitoring systems.

The GEF is supporting theconservation and sustainable use ofArgentina’s internationally renownedmarine resources in Patagonia. This popular tourist destination generatesnumerous jobs for local communities. One result of the GEF project has been areduction in the sea’s oil pollution, whichis benefiting the region’s unique species,particularly Magellanic penguins.

The GEF is also helping generate


Figure 4: PEOPLE LIVINGON LESS THAN $1 PER DAY(1990, 2001 and Millennium

Development Goal)

Figure 5: URBAN ANDRURAL POPULATIONSWITH SUSTAINABLEACCESS TO AN IMPROVEDWATER SOURCE (1990 and 2002, percent)

1990 2001 Goal

EasternAsia

Sub-SaharanAfrica

Eastern Europe& Central Asia

Latin America &the Caribbean

SouthernAsia

Middle East &North Africa

Millions500

400

300

200

0

100

2% 2%

45%

Percentof population

46%

1% 4%

41%31%

30%

15%

11%10%

Percent Urban 1990 Urban 2002 Rural 1990 Rural 2002

North

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5


livelihoods for coastal countries and small islands by maintaining sustainablefisheries and reducing land-basedpollution sources that harm coral reefs and bays. In Bangladesh, a GEFproject is demonstrating sustainablepractices in fisheries used for local food needs and commercial harvest. Fifty pilot community-managedsanctuaries are being established in small rivers and channels to help protect nurseries for fish.

Hundreds of millions of people indeveloping countries depend on forestsfor their livelihoods. GEF projects strive to reconcile the needs of local andindigenous people while protecting keyforest refuges. In Kazakhstan, for example,a GEF small grant is helping conserve andrestore wild apple forests in the Zilijskij-Alatau Foothills. The project will enablethe production of a marketable applevinegar by a nonprofit medicinal and food research organization.

CONFLICT PREVENTIONBattles among nations and regions over access to natural resources havedevastated countries, leading to deaths,untold numbers of severe injuries,extreme poverty, disease outbreaks inmigrant communities, economicdestruction, and environmentaldegradation.

In the 21st century, the potential for conflict over water is unacceptablyhigh. Scarce resources must now serve

competing needs in agriculture, industry,and urban and rural populations across several nations while maintainingsufficient supplies in the environment to ensure the long-term sustainability of ecosystems.

The GEF is assisting collaboratingnations in their efforts to work together to address existing and potential water-related conflicts, among both nations andcompeting users. Since 1991, the GEF hasprovided funding to 134 developing andtransition countries for 87 transboundarywater resource projects. The GEF’scommitment of $700 million has resultedin cofinancing exceeding $2.6 billion.

For example, nine Nile Basincountries — recognizing that regionalcooperation, trade, and sustainabledevelopment are shared objectives —have utilized GEF project funding toimprove transboundary management oftheir land and water resources. Theregion’s leaders are committed to workingtogether to establish priorities and decideon joint actions. By doing so, they arestriving to overcome decades-old cyclesof food shortages, famine, extremepoverty, and environmental degradation.

In Senegal and Mauritania, a GEFproject has contributed to resolvingtensions between nomads and localvillagers. Both parties have agreed that thenomads can use Senegalese grazing areasin return for paying villagers a small feefor use of the resources.


“Today we are

faced with a

challenge that

calls for a

shift in our

thinking,

so that

humanity stops

threatening its

life-support

system.”

Wangari Maathai2004 Nobel

peace laureate


WOMEN ARE STILL THEPOOREST OF THE POOR,concentrated in agrarian and

informal economies, often working inhazardous conditions. Their opportunitiesto generate income are severely limitedas they primarily shoulder theresponsibility for unpaid family andhousehold care. Gathering wood forhome cooking and heating, and carryingwater to supply household needs andirrigate farms, for example, can consumetheir days, leaving little time for studyingor earning an income.

A mother’s ill-health is one of theprincipal reasons why householdsbecome poor and remain poor. Morethan half of the world’s households cook with kerosene, wood, crop residues, or untreated coal in poorlyventilated conditions, resulting in nearly 2 million women and childrendying annually from indoor air pollution. Millions more become afflicted with acute and chronicrespiratory infections.

Many GEF projects in all six portfolioareas seek to empower women. Theseprojects generate jobs and businessopportunities for women and theirhouseholds, bring renewable energy tovillages, improve access to safe drinkingwater, and educate farmers aboutenvironmentally sound cultivationpractices. The capacity building that isintegral to a project’s success includestraining to broaden knowledge, providenew skills, and empower women to makea difference in their lives.

QUALITY OF LIFEThe GEF improves the quality of life forwomen in a myriad of ways. Ruralelectrification through renewable energyresources reduces indoor air pollutionwhile at the same time giving womenmore time to pursue income-generatingactivities. Protecting biodiversity throughthe cultivation of medicinal plants has ledto thriving cooperatives. Ecotourism hasincreased demand for crafts, hospitalityservices, and guides. Higher yields fromfarms practicing sustainable cultivation

Empowering women, broadening opportunities

GOAL Achieveuniversal primaryeducation.

Target Ensure thatall boys and girlscomplete a fullcourse of primaryschooling.

22

GOAL Promotegreater genderequality andempower women.

Target Eliminategender disparity in primary and secondaryeducationpreferably by 2005, and at alllevels by 2015.

33


Figure 6: EDUCATING WOMEN

A one-year increase in the schooling of all adult females in a country is associatedwith:

■ $700 increase in GDP per capita ■ 1.4 percent reduction in children’s labor force participation ■ 4.3 percent increase in females continuing on to secondary school■ 3.7 percent increase in access to safe water and 5.4 percent to sanitation.

Source: World Bank


provide new income as families sell theirsurplus crops for cash. Easy access tofreshwater allows women, who are mostoften the users and providers of water inrural households, more time for profitablepursuits, and allows girls more time tospend in school.

. In Sri Lanka, a GEF project is bringing

solar power to houses and promoting smallvillage-level hydro schemes, which willdramatically improve the health andquality of life for local women. To date, the project has set up 84 village hydro

installations, which electrify in excess of4,000 houses, with more in the pipeline.Yet another project is exploring thepotential for biomass and windtechnologies for village mini-grids, alongwith emphasizing new approaches toincome generation and social services.

In Jordan, the Tubnah Women’sCooperative is implementing a GEFprogram to improve living conditionsthrough income-generating activities suchas bee keeping, and herbal plant growingand processing. The project will controlland degradation and increase soilproductivity through various conservationmeasures. It will also support theintroduction of solar water heaters toreduce the community’s dependence ontree cutting and wood burning.

The GEF is supporting a group ofwomen in San Agustín, Colombia, as they attempt to capitalize on theirethnobotanical heritage by harvestingmedicinal plants and packaging them asteas for their corporation, ProductosNaturales San Agustín (PRONASA). Thewomen expect their new jobs to provideenough income so they will no longerneed to migrate to Chile to find work.

The Toco Foundation in Trinidad and Tobago, with the help of the GEF, isimproving the potential for community-based ecotourism by establishing anetwork of nature trails and visitorfacilities. The microcredit program provides the community with access to


51% and over26% – 50%Less than 26%Insufficient data

MOROCCO

W. SAHARA

ALGERIA

TUNISIA

LIBYAEGYPT

CHADNIGER

NIGERIA

CAMEROONC.A.R.

SUDANERITREA

ETHIOPIA

DJIBOUTI

SOMALIA

KENYAUGANDA

RWANDABURUNDI

DEM. REP.OF CONGO

CONGO

GABON

EQ. GUINEA

UNITED REP.OF TANZANIA

MADAGASCAR

MOZAMBIQUE

MALAWIZAMBIA

ANGOLA

BOTSWANA

ZIMBABWE

NAMIBIA

SOUTHAFRICA LESOTHO

SWAZILAND

MALI

BURKINAFASO

MAURITANIA

SENEGALGAMBIA

GUINEA-BISSAUGUINEA

SIERRA LEONE

LIBERIA

CÔTED’IVOIRE

GHANATO

GO

BENIN

Figure 7: PERCENTAGEOF THE POPULATIONWHO MUST TRAVELMORE THAN 30MINUTES TO FETCHWATER

Women and girls oftenwalk 15 kilometers aday, to and from watersources, spending 8hours or more per daycollecting repeated loadsweighing up to 20 kiloseach time.

Sour

ceW

HO

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ata

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small loans to establish or strengthenmicroenterprise activities, including themarketing by women of handicrafts, honey,fruit preserves, and local cuisine, based onthe growing number of visitors.

In the Sudan, rangelands cover over60 percent of the country, supporting oneof the largest populations of livestock inAfrica, and one on which more than half of the country’s population depends. A GEFproject is helping to rehabilitate rangelandsand increase livestock while developingalternative sources of incomes. The projectincludes digging boreholes and installingwater pumps to allow women easy accessto water and so reinvigorate their homegardens, which yield produce tosupplement diets and household income.

EDUCATIONMore than 900 million adults are notliterate, primarily in developing countries;110 million primary-school-age children indeveloping countries are not in school. Ofthese, 60 percent (66 million) are girls.Well-educated women have bettereducated and healthier children. A one-year increase in the schooling of all adultfemales in a country is associated with asignificant increase in per capita GDP.

GEF projects contribute to expandingaccess to education. Electric lighting inhomes enables adults and children tostudy, thereby increasing the likelihood thatwomen will read and children will attendschools. Electricity supply in schoolsenables the use of educational media and

communications, including informationand communication technologies.

In Papua New Guinea, a GEF project is improving rural life byproviding environmentally soundelectricity. The program targets 2,500households in an effort to retain teachersand health workers by reducing theirisolation (access to radio) and providingsafer, better living conditions throughlower cost, better quality lighting.Finance packages help make purchases of solar lighting kits affordable.

Schools in rural Yemen, which is oneof the poorest countries of the Middle East,are benefiting from harnessing thecountry’s wind, solar, and other renewableenergy sources. Expanding access toelectricity is leading to better learningconditions. In Tanzania, a demonstrationsolar project, underway at the BwasiSecondary School, is another example ofthe GEF’s work to improve education.


“I was not able

to get good

grades in

school because

every other day

I had to miss

school to help

my mother

collect

firewood...”

Saima, a teenager ina village near the

Changa MangaForest, Pakistan

70 and over

Percentageof womenover 15 yearsof age whoare illiterate

50 – 6920 – 495 – 19Less than 5Insufficient data

Figure 8: ILLITERACYAMONGST WOMEN(2004)

Sour

ceU

NFP

ASt

ate

of th

e W

orld

Pop

ulat

ion,

200

4


ENSURING THE SAFE DISPOSAL OFPERSISTENT ORGANIC POLLUTANTS(POPs), protecting the ozone layer,

safeguarding international waters, andencouraging research and cultivation ofmedicinal plants — these are some of theways in which the GEF is helping toimprove human health. In addition, theGEF is enhancing food security, preventingconflict through the resolution of resourceallocation disputes, reducing pollution, and promoting sustainable economicdevelopment. As described in Chapter Two, the GEF is also helping countriestransfer from energy sources that damagehuman health, such as kerosene, to cleanerrenewable energy.

CLEAN WATERSThe links between water and health arestrong. The availability of clean water, the risk of waterborne disease in poorcountries, the dangers from pollution— all are intricately linked with the robust

and functioning ecosystems which GEFprojects support.

The world’s water resources are underenormous stress. Degradation of coastaland marine areas, lakes, wetlands, coralreefs, and other water resources directlyaffects the health of the people whodepend on them. Pollution from land-based activities, poor managementpractices, the introduction of non-nativespecies, and overfishing are the majorculprits affecting the integrity of theseecosystems and the well-being of thosewho use them.

The GEF works with 139 countries on projects to strengthen the integratedmanagement of land and water resourcesthat are so vital to clean internationalwaters. GEF’s efforts focus ontransboundary basins, where one half ofthe Earth’s land area and population, and more than 60 percent of globalfreshwater flows, are located. It iscommitted to investing more than $1 billion to help prevent conflicts among and within nations competing forincreasingly limited water resources.

Lake Victoria, which borders Kenya,Tanzania, and Uganda, is the world’ssecond largest freshwater body. The lake and surrounding areas are ofenormous importance to some 25 million people and support anagricultural and subsistence fishingeconomy. Through a broad program, the GEF is working with the threegovernments to rehabilitate the lakeecosystem so that it can continue tosupply safe water, sustain a disease-freeenvironment, and conserve biodiversity.

Another GEF project is helping tosustainably manage the groundwaterresources provided by South America’slargest aquifer, the Guarani, whichsupplies freshwater to 15 million peoplein Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, andUruguay. Equal to the size of England,France, and Spain combined, the systemhas the potential for handling thedemands of up to 360 million people ifthis resource is protected carefully.


Improving human health

GOAL Reducechild mortality.

Target Reduce by two-thirds the mortality rateamong childrenunder five.

44

GOAL Improvematernal health.

Target Reduce by three-quartersthe maternalmortality ratio.

55



The GEF’s extensive work in theDanube River Basin includes establishingthe International Alarm Center for theDanube River. Five years ago the Centerand the Disaster Response Plan weresuccessfully used to manage a cyanidespill caused by a mining company.According to local officials, without theDisaster Response Plan and the Center to implement it, the disaster would havebeen catastrophic and the response much slower.

TOXIC POLLUTANTSPersistent organic pollutants (POPs) are ofmajor health significance because they arenot easily degraded and so remain in theenvironment for a long time. They cantravel great distances on global air and seacurrents, and contaminate distant regionsof the globe far from the polluting sources.Humans efficiently absorb POPs becausethe toxins are soluble predominantly in fat,and therefore accumulate in the fattytissues of organisms. These highly toxiccompounds include pesticides, industrialchemicals, and substances generated asbyproducts of incomplete combustion and

chemical processes. Exposure to POPs canlead to disease and birth defects, andincreasing morbidity and mortality rates.

This link is clearly shown in theadverse consequences of women’sexposure to POPs: maternal health is adecisive determining factor of offspringwell-being and perinatal losses. Fetusesbecome endangered as their mothers areexposed. Breast milk may also transfer thecontaminants to the feeding infant.Exposure to POPs impairs neurologicaldevelopment and can lead to learningdisabilities and developmental deficienciesin the young, and, ultimately, to death.

The GEF is one of the leading fundersof projects aimed at reducing health risksfrom POPs. Since 2001, the GEF hasapproved more than $154 million,supplemented by an additional $114million in cofinancing, to help developingcountries combat POPs worldwide. GEFgrants are helping more than 120 countriesassess their threats and promote safe waysof destroying POP stockpiles. In all its workon POPs, the GEF recognizes that children

GOAL CombatHIV/AIDS, malaria,and other diseases.

Target Halt andbegin to reversethe incidence ofmalaria and othermajor diseases.

66

Figure 9: DEATHS ATTRIBUTABLE TO ENVIRONMENTAL CAUSES

Indoor smoke from solid fuels

Urban air pollution

Unsafe water, sanitation and hygiene

Males Females Millionsper year 1.00.80.60.40.20

Mothers and children are the

main victims of the poisonous

chemicals in smoke from

kerosene and wood-burning

stoves, which kill almost 1.5

million people a year worldwide.

Source WHO World Health Report 2002



and childbearing women are the mostvulnerable to these toxins.

The GEF’s efforts in Africademonstrate the extent of its involvementand the improvements in human healththat can be achieved by the safe disposalof POPs. At least 50,000 metric tons ofobsolete pesticides have accumulated inthe continent, contaminating soil, water, air, and food sources, and seriouslythreatening millions of people living in rural and urban areas.

The Africa Stockpiles Programme,

which the GEF is supporting with a broadarray of partners, seeks to eliminate allobsolete pesticides and put in placemeasures to help prevent their recurrence.Prevention measures include reducingreliance on pesticides for agriculture andpublic health; better import controls,storage, stock management, anddistribution systems; improved awarenessand training for pesticide users; capacitybuilding in poison centers; andestablishment of container and pesticidewaste management systems. During thefirst three years of the program, sevencountries (Ethiopia, Mali, Morocco,Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, andTunisia) will implement preventionmeasures, and then make inventories and fully dispose of existing stocks. Afurther eight countries are scheduled tobegin preparation and prevention activities.

The GEF is also supporting projects to destroy POPs safely through non-combustion technologies, which are moreefficient and safer for human health andthe environment. Two GEF projects areshowing how barriers to the use of non-combustion technologies can be removedand exploring effective technologies fordestroying polychlorinated biphenyls(PCBs). This work is essential because,despite the health risks posed by POPs,there is currently almost no capacity todestroy POPs in the developing world.

GEF projects in Mexico and CentralAmerica are providing safe and effectivealternatives to DDT, a POP used to control

1,000 metric tons and over500 – 999 metric tons50 – 499 metric tonsLess than 50 metric tonsNot quantified

MOROCCO

W. SAHARA

ALGERIA

TUNISIA

LIBYAEGYPT

CHADNIGER

NIGERIA

CAMEROONC.A.R.

SUDANERITREA

ETHIOPIA

DJIBOUTI

SOMALIA

GABON

EQ. GUINEA

UNITED REP.OF TANZANIA

MADAGASCAR

MOZAMBIQUE

MALAWIZAMBIA

ANGOLA

BOTSWANA

ZIMBABWE

NAMIBIA

SOUTHAFRICA LESOTHO

SWAZILAND

MALI

BURKINAFASO

MAURITANIA

SENEGALGAMBIA

GUINEA-BISSAUGUINEA

SIERRA LEONE

LIBERIA

CÔTED’IVOIRE

GHANATO

GO

BENIN

KENYAUGANDA

RWANDABURUNDI

DEM. REP.OF CONGO

CONGO

Figure 10: OBSOLETEPESTICIDES IN AFRICA

Several thousand metric

tons of obsolete pesticides

have accumulated

throughout Africa. The

African Stockpiles

Programme, supported by

the GEF, aims to dispose

of all these safely and

establish measures to avoid

their future accumulation.

Sour

ceA

fric

an S

tock

pile

s Pr

ogra

mm

e, 2

005


malaria. People in tropical areas areparticularly vulnerable to malaria — a life-threatening disease affecting millions of people. These projects aim to preventthe reintroduction of DDT by promotingnew mosquito control techniques. Anothergoal is the elimination of DDT stockpiles,which pose the risk of contaminatingnational and international waters.

MEDICINAL PLANTSOne of the benefits of biodiversity is thegreat medicinal benefits derived from manyplant species. Scientists have identifiedmore than 2,000 tropical plants as havinganticancer properties. In Southeast Asia,traditional healers use 6,500 plants intreatments for assorted disorders. In thenorthwestern area of Amazonia,indigenous peoples use more than 1,300plant species as medicines.

In Africa, Latin America, and theCaribbean, the GEF is supporting initiativesto conserve medicinal plants. In Ethiopia, aGEF project is financing cultivation trials inhome gardens of selected threatened andendemic species. The project relies partlyon advice from elders — mostly women —who use herbal remedies to identify andconserve medicinal plants, with thesupport of youth groups.

In Sri Lanka, the GEF is helping designand implement a program for five reserveswhere medicinal plants are collected from the wild. The program will supportbaseline research, monitoring, conservationplanning, community organization,

enrichment plants, research on traditionalmedicinal plant knowledge, andsustainable activities related to medicinalplants or taking pressure off wild reserves.

OZONE LAYER PROTECTIONOzone-depleting substances (ODS)damage the Earth’s natural layer ofprotection from ultraviolet sunlight.Exposure to this type of radiation isassociated with skin cancer and eyemaladies, along with harm to wildlife and aquatic ecosystems.

Since 1992, the GEF has beenapproving grants and assistance tocountries that are not eligible for assistance from the Multilateral Fund forthe Implementation of the MontrealProtocol — such as the Russian Federation,and the nations of Eastern Europe andCentral Asia.

Consumption of chlorofluorocarbons(CFCs), halons, carbon tetrachloride, andmethyl chloroform in countries eligible forGEF funding has decreased more than 90 percent. Russia, which was the largestproducer of ODS in the region, reportedthat it halted production in 2002.

The GEF’s success in assisting eligiblecountries to phase out ozone-depletingsubstances in the Montreal Protocol’s initialschedules has led signatories to stake out a new direction, and to seek, as far as isfeasible, the complete elimination ofmethyl bromide during the thirdreplenishment period.


“Respiratory-

related diseases

caused by the

smoke we

inhale will now

be a thing of

the past...”

MargaretMwadzombo, amother of three,

following theinstallation in her

village — Tsagwa,Kenya — of a hybridwind-solar system toconvert wind energy

into electricity


THE GEF SEES ENVIRONMENTALSUSTAINABILITY AS A KEYSOLUTION for meeting economic

and social needs in ways that leave alegacy of opportunities for succeedinggenerations. Poverty pushes the poor intodegraded lands and polluted slums, whereeconomic opportunities are minimal. Theburdens include higher health costs, lowerproductivity, and hopelessness that canlead to political instability. Environmentaldegradation also puts the poor at greaterrisk of natural disasters. For example, theflooding of inner regions of southern Indiaduring the tsunami has been attributed todestruction of the mangroves that onceformed dense thickets along tidal shores.

Today, the GEF is the largest funder of projects to improve the environment. It has allocated $5.7 billion, supplementedby $18.8 billion in cofinancing, for morethan 1,700 projects in 140 developingcountries and countries with economies in transition. The onset of climate change,the loss of biodiversity, worseningdeforestation, the rise in pollution-linkeddiseases, ozone depletion, and thedegradation of international waters:these are among the many environmentalchallenges in which the GEF plays apivotal role to arrest and reduce threats tothe quality and survival of human life.

BIODIVERSITYThe Earth collectively supports millions of species of plants and animals. Thisnatural endowment provides livelihoodsand ensures humanity’s survival.

The GEF supports practical measures to encourage conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. Since 1991, the GEF has provided $2billion and leveraged a further $4.6 billion from partners for more than 700 projectsthat address the loss of globally significantbiodiversity. The GEF portfolio centers oncritical life-support systems and theinteractions among them for drylands,forests, mountains, and coastal, marine,and freshwater ecosystems.

Since its inception, the GEF hassupported investments in more than 1,400 protected areas, covering nearly 2.79 million square kilometers. The GEFhas been credited with helping to placemore than 12 percent of the world’s landarea under protection.

The GEF’s strategic directionemphasizes conservation and sustainable-use activities within protected areas, thesurrounding lands, and the largeproduction landscapes and seascapes.Biodiversity conservation is beingintegrated into forestry, agriculture,fisheries, tourism, and other productivesystems to secure local, national, andglobal environmental benefits.

The Mesoamerican BiologicalCorridor, a GEF-funded project in CentralAmerica and southern Mexico, linksprotected areas, buffer zones, andbiological corridors. The region covers768,990 square kilometers, including 22 distinctive ecoregions and about 7


Ensuring environmental

sustainability

GOAL Ensureenvironmentalsustainability.

Target Integrate the principles ofsustainabledevelopment intocountry policies and programs;reverse loss ofenvironmentalresources.

Target Reduce by half theproportion ofpeople withoutsustainable accessto safe drinkingwater.

77


percent of the planet’s diversity. The project integrates biodiversityconservation with sustainable economic development priorities.

CLIMATE CHANGE The GEF funds both mitigation andadaptation projects to help developingcountries reduce the risks of and fromclimate change. Although GEF projectstarget developing countries, the effects of GEF’s work are global. Completed and active GEF climate change projects (1991through April 2004) are estimated to result in a reduction of about 1.9 billionmetric tons in direct and indirectgreenhouse gas emissions.

As the largest financier of renewableenergy in the developing world, the GEF is supporting solar, wind, geothermal,biomass, and small hydropower energy,along with programs to boost the efficiencyof energy use. In 14 years, the GEF’s clean-energy portfolio has grown to more than$1.9 billion in grants for projects with a

total value of nearly $12 billion. Successfulreplication of the experiences of onecountry in another has broadened theGEF’s impact.

The GEF has invested substantially in transforming markets toward cleaner,low greenhouse-gas-emitting technologies and promoting a path toward sustainability. This focus has made the GEF increasingly effective in catalyzing private investment,government commitments to programs and policies, rural energy services, and the expansion of technology markets.

The range of technologies that the GEFsupports has grown to encompass fuelcells, solar thermal power plants, efficientmotors, and renewable energy. All help toreduce greenhouse gases while improvingrural health services, broadening access toeducation, and creating new sources of income.

The Philippines’ utility, CEPALCO, is


Figure 11: PROPORTIONOF LAND AREAPROTECTED TO MAINTAINBIODIVERSITY

Since its inception, the GEF

has supported investments in

more than 1,400 protected

areas, covering nearly 2.79

million square kilometers.

Land area protected (percent)20

15

10

5

0

1994 2000 2004

WORLD

DEVEL

OPED

REGIO

NS

DEVEL

OPING

REGIO

NS

North

ern A

frica

Sub-

Saha

ran A

frica

Latin

Amer

ica &

the C

aribb

ean

Easte

rn A

sia

Sout

hern

Asia

Sout

heas

tern A

sia

Wes

tern A

sia

Ocean

ia

CIS Asia

CIS Eu

rope

Sour

ceU

N S

tatis

tical

Div

isio

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ess

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Gs


enhancing the capacity of its existinghydro facility by supplying energy througha GEF-supported solar project. A GEFproject in Botswana is testing a large-scale, solar photovoltaic-based strategy toprovide more than 5,000 households withaccess to clean lighting; another 1,000-plus households will receive more electricpower from solar home systems. InBangladesh, providing power withoutintensifying the effects of climate change is a priority for the government. To helpspeed the process, the GEF and itspartners have undertaken an ambitiouseffort to greatly increase the spread of off-grid technologies, such as solar home systems.

GEF programs are also helpingdeveloping countries adapt to the adverseeffects of climate change since healthy,functioning ecosystems which GEFprojects support are the first line ofdefense for disaster management.Particularly at risk are small island

states with fragile coastal ecosystems,such as the Caribbean and Pacific islands,and least developed countries. The GEF is working with 48 least developedcountries to determine their most criticalvulnerabilities to climate change and sea-level rise. The goal is to enable the countries to develop urgent andimmediate response programs and toenhance regional and nationalcapabilities for dealing with climatechange problems.

INTERNATIONAL WATERSThe GEF targets transboundary watersystems, groundwater resources shared by several countries, and marineecosystems bounded by more than onenation. Some of the issues addressed are water pollution, overextraction ofgroundwater resources, unsustainableexploitation of fisheries, protection offisheries’ habitats, invasive species, andbalancing competing uses of waterresources. Since 1991, the GEF has


In the past 30 years, the

worldwide consumption of

renewable energy has increased

by 28 percent. As the largest

financier of renewable energy

in the developing world, the

GEF is supporting solar, wind,

geothermal, biomass, and small

hydropower energy programs.

Conventionalhydroelectricpower 44.6%

Wood 32.5%

Waste 9.2%

Geothermalenergy 5.6%

Alcohol fuels4.8%

Wind energy 2.3%Solar energy 1.0%

,

Figure 13: SOURCES OF RENEWABLEENERGY, 2003

Sour

ceEI

A,2

005

Trillion Btu7,000

1954 1964 1974 1984 1994 2004

6,000

5,000

4,000

3,000

2,000

1,000

0

Figure 12: ENERGY CONSUMPTIONFROM RENEWABLE SOURCES

Sour

ceEI

A,A

nnua

l Ene

rgy

Rev

iew

200

4


invested $803.7 million in internationalwaters projects, leveraging an additional$2.2 billion in cofinancing.

Multicountry actions are necessary to foster sustainable development of theselarge systems, which cover most of theEarth. The GEF helps countries tocollaborate with their neighbors to modifyhuman activities that place stress ontransboundary water systems and interferewith downstream uses of those resources.In this way, security can be improved, and sustainable resource use fostered insupport of global goals. The GEF plays acatalytic role, making full use of policy,legal, and institutional reforms andinvestments necessary to address thesecomplex concerns about transboundarywater resources.

One GEF program is focused on the Danube Basin and Black Sea, one of the world’s largest bodies of water. The drainage basin is five times largerthan the sea itself, impinging on 17countries, with enough pollution to makethis water body the most seriouslydegraded regional sea on the planet. Thisresource is overburdened by pollution,eutrophication, invasive species,overfishing, and other human demands.As a consequence, human health in theregion has suffered and economicdevelopment has been adversely affected.

The GEF served as the catalyst forinstalling clean technology and institutingnecessary reforms in national policies.

Investments in municipal wastewatertreatment plants and sustainableagriculture practices are also part of thebasinwide approach.

SUSTAINABLE LAND MANAGEMENTLand degradation, especiallydesertification and deforestation, isreaching alarming levels. The MillenniumEcosystem Assessment confirmed thatdrylands are most affected — each year,120,000 square kilometers are lostthrough desertification. Bothdesertification and deforestation havetriggered ecosystem destruction and large-scale population movements,disrupted economic developmentprospects, aggravated regional conflictsand instability, and threatened the lives of people living in affected areas.

From the beginning, GEF projects topreserve biodiversity, reduce the adverseeffects of climate change, protect theozone layer, and clean up international


Sour

ceU

NEP

-WC

MC

, 200

5

Tropical moist forestTropical dry forestTemperate broadleaf and mixed forestTemperate and borealneedleleaf forestSparse trees and parks

Figure 14: FOREST COVER

Forests are being felled faster

than they grow. Only eastern

Asia and the Commonwealth of

Independent States are reversing

their forest loss.


waters have had the added benefit of strengthening sustainable land management.

In 2002, the GEF’s mandate was expanded to include land degradationas a focal area. The GEF has committed$250 million for projects that integratesustainable land management into nationaldevelopment priorities, bring about neededpolicy and regulatory reforms, implementinnovative sustainable land managementpractices, and strengthen human,technical, and institutional capacities.

What makes the GEF’s strategy unique is its holistic view on sustainable landmanagement. GEF recognizes that landand water resources are key to sustainabledevelopment in the world’s dry areas. The focus is not on individual benefits, but rather on synergies among GEF’s focal areas.

In the dry and highly fragileenvironments of China’s impoverishedwestern region, land degradation isseriously affecting the livelihoods of the region’s 350 million residents, andthreatening critical habitats andendangered species. The GEF is workingwith the Chinese to strengthen their effortsto ensure that ecosystems in the westernregion are managed in an integratedmanner. A $15 million grant for the firstphase of the 10 year project is helpingcoordinate the government’s efforts as well as engage local people in hands-onconservation solutions for the region. In

addition to direct environmental,economic, and social benefits to localcommunities, the GEF project will generateglobal benefits such as improvedbiodiversity conservation and carbonsequestration.

PERSISTENT ORGANIC POLLUTANTSThe GEF’s POPs strategy is to helpcountries reduce and eliminate releases of POPs to protect human health and theenvironment. The GEF has approved$154.3 million in grants for more than 120 country proposals to prepare nationalimplementation plans. The plans outline acountry’s strategic priorities — for example,phasing out PCBs or destroying pesticidewastes — as well as demonstration projectsfor alternatives to DDT, POPs destructiontechnologies, and alternatives for termitecontrol. For a thorough discussion of GEF’swork on POPs, please see “ImprovingHuman Health” (page 12).

OZONE LAYER PROTECTIONSince 1992, the GEF has been providingassistance to the Russian Federation andthe nations of Eastern Europe and CentralAsia, countries that are not eligible forassistance from the Multilateral Fund forthe Implementation of the MontrealProtocol, to phase out ozone-depletingsubstances. GEF commitments of $181.9million have leveraged an additional$186.7 million in cofinancing. For athorough discussion of GEF’s work onozone protection, please see “ImprovingHuman Health” (page 12).


“Freedom

alone is not

enough

without light

to read at

night, without

time or access

to water to

irrigate your

farm, without

the ability to

catch fish to

feed your

family.”

Nelson Mandela


THE GEF IS A NETWORK OFGLOBAL PARTNERS for theenvironment and sustainable

development. It unites 176 membergovernments — working hand in hand with international institutions, nationalgovernments, local communities, NGOs, and the private sector — to address global environmental issues while supporting countries’ sustainabledevelopment initiatives.

The GEF was created as a partnershipamong Bretton Woods and UN institutions.The GEF works with the United NationsDevelopment Programme (UNDP), the United Nations EnvironmentalProgramme (UNEP), and the World Bank,its implementing agencies, to betterintegrate global environmental concernsinto national policymaking, coordination,and planning. UNDP, UNEP, and theWorld Bank share credit for GEF’smeasurable on-the-ground achievements.Four regional development banks and three specialized UN agencies alsomanage GEF projects and contribute to the GEF’s impact.

The GEF successfully leverages itsinvestment by more than threefold to carryout 1,700 projects and 6,000 small-scalecommunity-level initiatives in more than140 developing countries and countrieswith economies in transition. In therenewable energy portfolio, GEF’sleveraging power is five to one. The GEF and its partners target the root causes of people’s suffering and environmental

degradation, and steer a course thatultimately strengthens political stability.

The GEF helps identify, invest in, andimplement results-driven, practicalpartnerships to protect the globalenvironment in ways that promotesustainable development and createlivelihoods and opportunities.Transboundary problems, in particular,demand well-coordinated involvement by many diverse partners, some of whommay be in conflict with one another.Vision, experience, innovative problemsolving, and commitment are among thehallmarks distinguishing the partnershipsthe GEF helps build, resulting in cost-efficient, innovative, and effective programs to achieve the MDGs.

GEF projects also promote goodgovernance in environmental sectors. For example, a GEF project is helping thegovernment of Brazil implement its newnational water law in the São Franciscobasin, including a system for pricing wateruse. Another example is Madagascar —home to rare species, such as the lemur.The GEF is helping the government toinstitute reforms aimed at tacklingcorruption and modernizing the parkservice to help ensure better managementon the ground.

THE GEF’S LOCAL PARTNERSHIPSThe GEF Small Grants Programmetouches the lives of thousands of people.Since 1991 the GEF has committed morethan $220 million in small grants to


Buildingpartnerships

Goal Develop aglobal partnershipfor development.

Target Address thespecial needs oflandlocked andsmall islanddeveloping states.

Target Incooperation withthe private sector,make available thebenefits of newtechnologies —especiallyinformation andcommunicationstechnologies.

88


NGOs and community groups forprojects that reconcile environmentalbenefits with sustainable livelihoods.Administered by the UNDP, small grantsof up to $50,000 help to conservebiodiversity, reduce the risks of climatechange, stop land degradation, andreduce water pollution throughcommunity-level strategies andtechnologies. The program has leveragedan additional $77 million in cash and $35 million in in-kind contributions from other partners.

In addition to their participation insmall grants projects, NGO partnerscontribute to the GEF in a variety of other ways, from policy analysis andproject planning, to projectimplementation and monitoring. As part of this process, NGOs consultregularly with GEF Council Members.

The value of NGO involvement isdemonstrated in a successful Sri Lankanenergy project. Sarvodaya EconomicEnterprises Development Services (SEEDS),a leading local NGO, entered the solar and microfinancing business with helpfrom the GEF and such partners as RESCOAsia and Shell International Renewables.SEEDS offers loans to the purchasers ofhousehold solar systems, reimburses thesupplier, and makes collections on loanpayments. In addition to solar energy, the project is promoting small, village-level hydro schemes.

In Viet Nam, the Women’s Associationof Tan Linh Commune is learning aboutorganic farming. This GEF project transfersthe simple technology for biofertilizerproduction, using local materials, such aspeat and rice husk. This effort prevents landdegradation and improves soil fertility,resulting in increased rice yields. As aresult, community dependence on theforest resources of Ba Vi National Park isbeing reduced and incomes increased.

The GEF has also funded the SmallIsland Developing States Network(SIDSNet) to help facilitate partnershipsamong globally dispersed SIDS. SIDSNetcollects and disseminates information ongood practices addressing biodiversityconservation, climate change responses,and international waters management. This GEF project has fostered sharing ofexperiences and the use of informationtechnology for ecosystem management andvirtual capacity development workshops.


SOURCES OFCOFINANCING:Government agenciesState governmentsLocal governmentsNongovernmental

organizationsMultilateral institutionsFoundationsBilateral partnersPrivate sectorAcademic community

GEF allocation23%

Cofinancing 77%

Figure 15: THE LEVERAGING EFFECT OF GEF SUPPORT


NATIONAL PARTNERSHIPSThe GEF works with 176 country partnersto ensure that global environmentalprojects reflect national priorities. Anymedium- or full-sized project to besupported by the GEF requires the approvalof the country’s government. To facilitatethis process, each country has designatedGEF “political and operational focalpoints” to help shape GEF policies andprojects. All GEF projects are countrydriven, reflecting the needs and realities of individual countries as well as providingopportunities for the sharing of informationand lessons learned.

Through its support for the NationalDialogue Initiative, the GEF helps countries identify and develop nationalpriorities for the environment andsustainable development. The initiativehelps link the priorities of nationalgovernments, NGOs, the private sector,and the donor community with the GEF’s strategic objectives. The GEF hasconducted 16 national dialogues in thepast year, and another 22 are scheduled.

The GEF also helps countries build their capacity to carry out theircommitments under international treaties.GEF funds National Capacity SelfAssessments (NCSAs), which enablecountries to identify and analyze theirneeds for capacity development toimplement the treaties. At the center of the NCSA process is the recognition that individual countries must addressglobal environmental and development

challenges in light of their own nationalpriorities and circumstances. Based on the needs assessments, the GEF providesfinancing to countries to support a holistic approach to the management of global environmental issues and build synergies between environmentaland national sustainable developmentactivities.

INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS The GEF was created in 1991 in responseto growing concerns in the internationalcommunity that there was no financialmechanism for addressing globalenvironmental threats that requiredcoordinated efforts among nations. Today, the GEF serves as a catalyst forinternational cooperation, creating aplatform for enhanced organization,collaboration, networking, and knowledgesharing among nations.

The GEF’s support for the NewPartnership for African Development(NEPAD), a key initiative of the AfricanUnion, exemplifies GEF’s role in buildinginternational partnerships. With GEFsupport, African leaders developed theNEPAD environmental action plan andmade a commitment to collectivelyaddress the environmental problems thatconfront their continent. One of NEPAD’spriorities is to build capacity to address the disturbing environmental trends thatpermit the growth of hunger, poverty,hopelessness, and conflict in Africa. A GEFgrant of $1 million, matched by $235,000in cofinancing, will support a four-year


“The GEF is a

network

organization...

an emerging

form of

organization

in which

independent or

at least semi-

autonomous

entities work

together to

achieve a

common

result.”

Third OverallPerformance Study

of the GEF, 2005


program to develop Africa’s capacity toimplement the global environmentalconventions and other internationalagreements, such as the protocol onbiosafety. In recognition of the specialneeds of Africa, GEF has provided a total of$1.3 billion for more than 500 projects on the continent.

The GEF’s international watersprogram provides another good example ofhow the GEF brings countries together andbuilds trust and confidence among diversepartners. In the most extensive campaignagainst pollution currently supported bythe GEF, 17 Black Sea and Danube Basincountries have collaborated in a broadeffort to identify major transboundarypollution problems; highlight neededpolicy, institutional, and legal reforms ineach country; and support priorityinvestments to reduce discharges formunicipal sewage, and industrial andagricultural pollution. With much of theanalytical framework in place, the 17collaborating countries are implementingadditional GEF-funded projects to reversethe degradation of the Black Sea.

PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE PRIVATESECTORThe private sector offers tremendouspotential for the GEF’s work in furtheringthe MDGs. Through its projects with theprivate sector, the GEF is transformingmarkets for renewable energy, developingsupportive policy markets, generatinginnovative financing for installations orsupporting businesses, strengthening

technical capacity, and broadeningawareness and trust in the technologies by sectors and utilities. The renewableenergy projects involve private firms asmanufacturers and dealers, local projectdevelopers, financial intermediaries,recipients of technical assistance,technology suppliers and contractors, and project executors.

Numerous projects in the GEFportfolio are engaging private companiesand individuals in innovative ways,including approaches such as conservationeasements, payments for environmentalservices, and ecotourism. Private sectorsupport is playing an especially valuablerole in developing innovative financing for renewable energy. Such investmentlending programs are essential since capital markets in many countries do not have sufficient liquidity and depth. The GEF, for example, has partnered with the Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Limited to provide credit lines specifically for windand solar photovoltaic (PV) projects. InBangladesh, GEF is working with theGrameen Shakti Bank to providemicrofinancing for renewable energy. The bank’s PV solar program is the largest business line in the country.

Establishing partnerships that demonstrate the compatibility between conservation and developmentobjectives remains the challenge — andopportunity — in the years ahead.


“For everyone

on Earth, the

Millennium

Development

Goals are a

linchpin in the

quest for a

more secure

and peaceful

world...”

Jeffrey D. SachsDirector

Millennium ProjectInvesting in

Development, 2005


Global Environment Facility1818 H St., NWWashington, DC 20433USA

© GEF, September 2005

ISBN 1-884122-49-3

Banson developed and produced thispublication in preparation for the MDGsummit in mid-September 2005 as part ofthe GEF’s sponsorship of the magazineseries, Our Planet.

Project Director Shirley GeerGEF Editor Carollyne HutterExternal Editor Geoffrey LeanText James D. SpellmanDesign Banson Printing Colorcraft

Information used in this report wasprovided by the GEF, the World Bank, theWorld Health Organization, the UnitedNations, and several NGOs.

The text of this publication may bereproduced in whole or in part and in any form for educational or nonprofit uses, without specialpermission, provided acknowledgment of the source is made. The GEFSecretariat would appreciate receivinga copy of any publication that uses this book for its source. Copies may be sent to the GEF Secretariat in care of the address above.

No use of this publication may be madefor resale or other commercial purposeswithout prior written consent of the GEFSecretariat. All images remain the soleproperty of their source and may not beused for any purpose without writtenpermission from the source.

The boundaries and names shown andthe designations used on maps in thispublication do not imply officialendorsement or acceptance by the GEF.

PHOTOSCover, p1 (left to right/top to bottom) and pp 4-5(left to right) UNEP/Wihan Kwandee, J Schytte/StillPictures, UNEP/Reichling, UNEP/C Henriques,UNEP/G Mintjens, UNEP/M Wendler, UNEP, UNEP.Left to right: p7 M Kolloffel/Still Pictures, UNEP/L VKhoa, J Schytte/Still Pictures, R Giling/Still Picturesp8 UNEP/S Avraham, UNEP/P Harris, UNEP, UNEP/T El Rafai pp10-11 P Arnold/Still Pictures, P Arnold/Still Pictures, UNEP/S Dan, Schwarzbach/Argus/StillPictures, M Kolloffel/Still Pictures, J Boethling/StillPictures, UNEP, C Thege/ Das Fotoarchiv/StillPictures p13 R Giling/Still Pictures. R Giling/StillPictures, E Bartolucci/ Das Fotoarchiv/Still Pictures, J Schytte/Still Pictures. pp14-15 J-L Dugast/StillPictures, S Sprague/Still Pictures, UNEP/N Hanlin, J Boethling/Still Pictures, R Giling/Still Pictures, M Edwards/Still Pictures, H Lade/Still Pictures, M Kolloffel/Still Pictures p17 UNEP/S Spripolklung,UNEP, UNEP, UNEP/L S Li pp18-19 UNEP/K SHong, UNEP/W Mack, UNEP/A Brown, UNEP/CAdcock, UNEP/D O’Brien, UNEP/K Ferallo, UNEP/J R Cerqueira, UNEP/D Fueitt p20 UNEP/R OtlerrgaSontojo, UNEP/S Hensek, S Chape, UNEP/A V Singhpp22-23 T Allofs/Still Pictures, Peter Arnold/DasFotoarchiv/Still Pictures, S Sprague/Still Pictures,UNEP/J Canete, R Giling/Still Pictures, J Schytte/StillPictures, P Bubb, J Schytte/Still Pictures p 24 M Edwards/Still Pictures, S Sprague/Still Pictures, R Giling/Still Pictures, UNEP/T Mwai.

Master 10 COVER_cc 8/29/05 5:22 PM Page 5

achieving the mmiilllleennnniiuumm ddeevveellooppmmeenntt ggooaallss

74

865http://www.theGEF.org

Global Environment Facility1818 H St., NW

Washington, DC 20433

United States of America

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