Context:
Recently, at the 64th Global Environment Facility (GEF) council meeting in Brazil, the governing body approved the disbursement of $1.4 billion to accelerate efforts to tackle the climate, biodiversity and pollution crises.
Relevance:
GS III: Environment and Ecology
About Global Environment Facility (GEF)
- The Global Environment Facility (GEF) was established on the eve of the 1992 Rio Earth Summit of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) with the aim of addressing critical environmental challenges faced by our planet.
- GEF is a collection of funds dedicated to addressing issues such as biodiversity loss, climate change, pollution, and the degradation of land and ocean health.
- It provides financial support for five major international environmental conventions, namely:
- The Minamata Convention on Mercury
- The Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)
- The United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (UNCBD)
- The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)
- The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
- GEF has 184 member countries, including India, and operates as an international partnership for environmental action and sustainable development.
- The governing council serves as the primary governing body of GEF, consisting of 32 members appointed by constituencies of GEF member countries. This includes 14 members from developed countries, 16 from developing countries, and two from economies in transition.
- The GEF secretariat is based in Washington, D.C., and supports the implementation and coordination of GEF programs and projects worldwide.
-Source: Down To Earth
