Showing 11-20 of 54 results
GEF Council agrees on $700 million for urgent environmental action
The Global Environment Facility’s governing body, meeting remotely, has agreed on $700 million for projects and programs to help developing countries keep advancing urgent environmental priorities through and beyond the coronavirus pandemic. The new and expanded programming under the GEF-7 replenishment cycle spans oceans, chemicals, land use, wildlife trafficking, green shipping, and climate change adaptation, and the LDCF work program focuses on helping vulnerable countries and communities continue to build their climate resilience.
GEF Council to set course for post-pandemic environmental action
The Global Environment Facility’s governing body will meet online June 2-3 to consider $700 million for projects and programs spanning wildlife, biodiversity, oceans, land degradation, chemicals and waste, and climate change adaptation under the Least Developed Countries Fund. At its first-ever virtual meeting, the GEF Council will also select a new CEO and Chairperson to succeed Naoko Ishii, whose second term ends in July.
'We need to work together and follow the science'
Gustavo Fonseca is Director of Programs at the Global Environment Facility, one of the world’s largest funders of actions to combat the illegal wildlife trade. In an interview, he addressed the animal origins of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), the potential power of wildlife trading bans, and the need for greater alignment between science, policy, and environmental action.
What do we know about where COVID-19 came from?
Working together to save wildlife and ecosystems
The World Bank-led Global Wildlife Program is responding to the growing crisis of illegal wildlife crime and the threat to endangered species populations. With $131 million funding from the GEF, the GWP brings together 19 national governments, GEF agencies, and other partners across Africa and Asia to reduce poaching, trafficking, and demand for illegal wildlife products.
What to expect from Super Year 2020: environmental leaders look ahead
Watch interviews with the GEF’s government partners, agency representatives, civil society leaders, and in-house specialists on climate change, cities, oceans, biodiversity, illegal wildlife trade, and more, recorded on the sidelines of the 57th GEF Council meetings in December 2019:
Naoko Ishii, CEO and Chairperson, GEF
Weighing the benefits of building a wildlife economy
Local communities should be enlisted as “the first line of defense” against the illegal trade of wild animals and plants, which is much more pervasive and complex than is commonly understood, TRAFFIC Executive Director Steve Broad told participants at the GEF Civil Society Consultation Meetings held in Washington this week.
The real costs of illegal logging, fishing, and wildlife trade: $1 trillion–$2 trillion per year
Illegal logging, fishing and wildlife trade rob the world of precious natural resources – and ultimately of development benefits and livelihoods. The statistics are grim: an elephant is poached for its tusks about every 30 minutes, an African rhino for its horn every 8 hours, one in five fish is caught illegally, and in certain countries, particularly in Africa and South America, 50% to 90% of timber is harvested and traded illegally. As much as 35% of the value of all illegal trade is estimated to come from rosewood.
Save our species: an Earth Day "Did you know?"
April 22 is Earth Day and the theme this year is protecting endangered species. Beyond the beauty of the coral reefs, the majesty of whales, and the lovability of baby sea turtles, these species maintain ecosystems that are vital to our way of life. Nothing in the world exists on its own.