As a financial mechanism to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) since 2003, the Global Environment Facility (GEF) has provided $5.7 billion to 742 land degradation projects and programs in 144 countries, leveraging an additional $37.6 billion in co-financing.
This publication looks back at results achieved by GEF projects under the eighth replenishment cycle from 2022-2025, and ahead towards GEF-9.
Responding to UNCCD COP16 decisions and the GEF-9 programming directions, the land degradation focal area work in 2026-2030 will focus on three programming objectives:
- Sustain productive landscapes and livelihoods through sustainable land management
- Support implementation of national drought plans and drought related policies through nature-based solutions
- Promote fair land and water governance and strengthen enabling conditions through policy coherence, capacity building, and private sector engagement