On the 25th anniversary of the Global Environmental Facility (GEF), Mexico celebrates the role of this crucial mechanism in supporting national sustainable development and growth.
As the world’s largest public funder of environmental projects, the GEF is a cornerstone of environmental strategies around the world. It provides funding for projects that would otherwise receive no support, yet are essential to promote sustainable green growth through clean-energy infrastructure, biodiversity conservation, and thoughtful management of land and marine resources.
Mexico is especially proud of its role as host of the Fifth GEF Assembly held in Cancun on May 2014, which brought together representatives from more than 150 countries, 17 international institutions and 159 organizations. An historic replenishment of more than USD 4.43 billion was agreed to finance projects for the period 2014-2018, part of a new strategy envisioned for 2020. México’s commitment to doubling our contribution to GEF showed how much we trust and support the Fund’s work.
Since 1990 and until its last replenishment, the GEF has allocated grants in excess of 485 million dollars to Mexico. This amount has been multiplied to more than 2.6 billion dollars from national and global co-financing sources. Those resources have been put to good use. Mexico has successfully implemented over a hundred projects funded by the GEF. Thanks to the Facility’s support, we have strengthened our environmental policy. The National System for Natural Protected Areas is a case in point. It not only preserves the country’s natural and cultural heritage, but also improves the quality of life of those who reside in protected areas, while building resilience to climate change through sustainable territorial management. The Mesoamerican Biological Corridor is a successful regional project, one that protects the natural environment of species whose habitats have little to do with national borders.
Furthermore, the assistance and technical guidance provided by GEF in the preparation of national portfolios of projects is extremely valuable for the fulfilment of our international commitments, such as the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement, recently ratified by Mexico.
In a context of critical environmental challenges worldwide, the GEF will remain a critical ally. Mexico is committed to continue strengthening this successful partnership with a key global institution that is ably led by Dr. Naoko Ishii and her team.