GEF provides new support for developing countries' climate reporting

In a boost to climate change governance, the Global Environment Facility will provide $32 million in pooled, streamlined funding to help developing countries prepare the transparency reports they are required to under the Paris Agreement.

The new funding will finance the production of up to 50 countries’ National Communications and Biennial Transparency Reports, which are due to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) by December 2024.

It is one of the largest sums provided by the GEF to date for climate change data reporting, and will complement support provided through the Capacity Building Initiative for Transparency.

Gustavo Fonseca, the GEF’s Director of Programs, said the fast-tracked support would help developing countries transition to the UNFCCC Enhanced Transparency Framework, and bolster overall trust in climate change reporting as countries strive to meet the Paris Agreement goals.

“Transparent reporting is the backbone of international efforts to change the trajectory of climate change, and is essential to countries’ policy-making. This new support reflects our commitment to ensuring that all countries meet their obigations in this space,” Fonseca said.

The GEF has provided nearly $600 million in grants to date to support climate reporting activities, including the production of 521 National Communications and 49 Biennial Transparency Reports.

The new support, approved by the GEF Council in June 2022, will be implemented by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).

"It’s clear that many countries require support to meet their reporting obligations under the Convention and to implement the Paris Agreement’s Enhanced Transparency Framework. Countries very much appreciate the GEF’s flexibility regarding submission of the first Biennial Transparency Reports and UNEP is fully committed to working with its partners and networks to help them deliver this to the UNFCCC by 2024,” Mark Radka, Chief of UNEP’s Energy and Climate Branch, said.

Donald Cooper, the UNFCCC’s Transparency Division Director, said the targeted support was important to help countries identify and subsequently implement ambitious climate action.

“It is encouraging to see the GEF make timely progress to deliver financial support to developing countries to prepare and submit their first Biennial Transparency Reports under the Enhanced Transparency Framework of the Paris Agreement,” Cooper said.

To date, the GEF has received requests from 27 countries to participate in the new umbrella program. Others with interest in taking part are asked to contact Filippo Berardi at the GEF fberardi@thegef.org or Suzanne Lekoyiet at UNEP suzanne.lekoyiet@un.org by August 31, 2022.

About the Global Environment Facility
The Global Environment Facility is the world’s largest funder of biodiversity protection, nature restoration, climate change response, and pollution reduction in developing countries. It finances international environmental conventions and country-driven initiatives that generate global benefits. The GEF partnership connects 184 member governments with civil society, Indigenous Peoples, and the private sector, and works closely with other environmental financiers for efficiency and impact. To date, the GEF has provided more than $22 billion in grants and blended finance and mobilized another $120 billion in co-financing for more than 5,000 national and regional projects, plus 27,000 community ventures through its Small Grants Programme.

About the UN Environment Programme (UNEP)
UNEP is the leading global voice on the environment. It provides leadership and encourages partnership in caring for the environment by inspiring, informing and enabling nations and peoples to improve their quality of life without compromising that of future generations.