News

Contributed by Sara Baptiste-Brown, Environment and Conservation Division (MELAD)

Changwon, Republic of Korea, October 17, 2011 -  Last week in Changwon, Korea, the GEF presented its report on GEF activities in the Land Degradation Focal Area to the UNCCD COP 10, the main bi-annual conference of countries who are parties to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification and Land Degradation.

The GEF wishes to join the international organizations and secretariats of the Collaborative Partnership on Forests,  to express their deepest condolences on the passing of Nobel Laureate Wangari Maathai. 

September 7, 2011 - Liberia’s forests cover 4.4 million hectares, roughly 46% of its land area, and constitute by far the largest remaining tracts (43%) of the Upper Guinean Tropical Rainforest, a recognized hotspot for biodiversity which is considered a global priority for conservation.

Contributed by Karen Azeez, Junior Professional Associate, Sustainable Development, The World Bank

The Chairperson and CEO of the GEF, Mrs. Monique Barbut was on an official visit to Ethiopia on September 1st, 2011 and met with H. E. Mr. Meles Zenawai, the Prime Minister of Ethiopia and Mr. Jean Ping, the Chairman of the African Union Commission. Mr. Meles Zenawi is also the spokesperson for the African Union at the level of Heads of State on Climate Change.

Implementing Agency: UNDP

SCCF Grant: $960,000

The aim of the project is to reduce drought vulnerability in farming and pastoral communities by guaranteeing water supply and by training the communities to grow drought-resistant crops, like sweet potato, cassava or sorghum. The project sites, Mbala-vala, Nhanguenha, Nalazi and Chivonguene communities, belong to the semi-arid regions of the Limpopo River Basin. These are among the poorest and most drought-prone areas of the country.

Implementing Agency: UNDP
SCCF Grant: $13 M

This year marks a new operational phase of the Global Environment Facility (GEF), which will run until 2014.

For this phase, the GEF has allocated a total of $ 900,000 to the Small Grant Programme in Uruguay, of which $500,000 are available to be distributed among local civil society to develop environmental projects, and should be committed between 2011 and 2012.