Knowledge is a primary asset of the GEF partnership, and knowledge generation and sharing are critical for GEF investments to achieve a lasting impact in safeguarding the global environment.

The GEF finances projects, programs, and initiatives that underpin the generation and exchange of knowledge around global environmental issues, facilitating the capture, synthesis, transfer and uptake of this knowledge within and beyond the GEF partnership. 

GEF Academy

The GEF Academy is a GEF learning initiative that provides an online and face-to-face curriculum of courses/learning events designed to enhance the capacity of GEF partners and stakeholders to engage with the GEF and to deliver global environmental benefits through GEF funded initiatives.

The GEF Academy is accessible 24/7 and offers the GEF community a catalog of self-paced online courses and facilitated webinars, as well as face-to-face training events that draw on the latest knowledge and information regarding GEF policies, procedures and guidelines. Courses also provide global expertise, technical information, lessons learned, and best practices relevant to GEF investments.

Courses offered through the GEF Academy are developed and offered in partnership with GEF agencies, GEF IEO and STAP, as well as other like-minded institutions that work on the global environment. The initial focus of the GEF Academy is to provide training on new policies and procedures that accompany the GEF’s 7th replenishment.

Currently, three courses are available:

Art of Knowledge Exchange

In 2016, in-country surveys were conducted during GEF Knowledge Days to gauge country-level knowledge and learning related needs of GEF stakeholders. According to the feedback received, the majority of GEF recipient countries requested “capacity development on knowledge exchange and learning, and in-country knowledge exchange workshops.” To that end, the GEF developed and released a publication in February 2017, titled “The Art of Knowledge Exchange: A Results-Focused Planning Guide for the GEF Partnership.” This publication builds on an earlier publication by the World Bank Group (WBG).  It serves as both a guidebook and a toolkit for enhancing knowledge exchange at the national, regional, and global levels. It was produced with cross-support from the World Bank and with content contributions from five other GEF agencies.

The Art of Knowledge Exchange guidebook highlights a variety of case studies and examples of successful knowledge exchange embedded in GEF projects. It also showcases lessons learned from implementing these initiatives for enhanced global environmental impact. It is the product of true collaboration across the GEF partnership, offering a practical step-by-step blueprint with illustrative examples on how to design, implement, and monitor knowledge exchange embedded in projects. Good practice and case study contributions were made by the WBG, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the UN Development Programme (UNDP), and the GEF Small Grants Programme (SGP).

The guide provides tools to help knowledge brokers play a more effective role in facilitating knowledge exchange and learning when designing and implementing a GEF project or program. It reflects the experiences of various GEF partners, knowledge and learning professionals, government officials, and other practitioners who have successfully integrated knowledge exchange into larger change processes. The guide is available in English, Spanish, French, and Russian. It also features the free augmented reality mobile app Blippar, a tool that enables GEF partners and others to access the guide online from around the world using their smartphones.

In 2017, the Secretariat organized 14 The Art of Knowledge Exchange Training Sessions which introduced the guide to key counterparts in recipient countries at GEF ECWs. The trainings were delivered in collaboration with the WBG and with support from the GEF Country Support Program (CSP). 

Click here to see The Art of Knowledge Exchange materials

Good Practice Briefs

The GEF Good Practice Briefs showcase examples of GEF investments that align with GEF 2020 Strategies and GEF-7 Programing Directions and Policy Recommendations. Featured projects were selected by the GEF Secretariat from a pool of nominations by GEF Agencies, taking into consideration approaches used to generate multiple global environmental benefits and co-benefits, and to achieve clear results and/or sustainability.

Learning from Good Practices

A series of webinars featuring representatives from the GEF, partner agencies, civil society, and academia discuss lessons learned from projects featured in the Good Practice Briefs.

Events

The KM Advisory Group was established in October 2015. It consists of representatives from interested members of the GEF Partnership, including GEF agencies, the Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel (STAP), Independent Evaluation Office (IEO), the GEF-CSO Network, countries, and the international environmental conventions. The Group serves as an informal vehicle for collaboration and consultation on the development, planning, and execution of the GEF’s KM approach across the GEF Partnership. It supports the GEF’s KM Agenda and functions as a sounding board for KM initiatives and proposals to achieve the objectives set forth in the GEF KM Approach Paper.

The KM Advisory Group also functions as a knowledge exchange platform where GEF partners can learn from and leverage each other’s KM efforts, eventually building links with each other’s systems. The Group stays in touch virtually and holds face-to-face meetings twice a year, in conjunction with GEF Council meetings.

Click here to see KM Advisory Group meeting agendas and presentations.