The Global Environment Facility (GEF) Council will appoint a new Chief Executive Officer and Chairperson to lead the organization into its ninth replenishment period next year.
The announcement comes as the GEF Council announced the departure of GEF Chief Executive Officer and Chairperson Carlos Manuel Rodriguez, following his notification that he will step down from GEF leadership effective immediately.
The decision to select new leadership was approved by member countries of the GEF Council—the organization’s governing body—during its 70th session.
The 70th GEF Council is the second-to-last Council gathering in the current GEF-8 cycle, which runs through June 2026.
The GEF-9 investment period, which will span from July 2026 to June 2030, aligns with a crucial time for the world to make progress toward 2030 environmental goals, and growing inter-related threats including climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution.
The GEF Council has appointed Dr. Claude Gascon as interim Chief Executive Officer while a search is undertaken to fill the position on a permanent basis.