The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) established its Financial Mechanism to facilitate the provision and transfer of resources from developed to developing countries. The Global Environment Facility (GEF) became the initial operating entity of the Financial Mechanism after the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the UNFCCC, and the GEF Council agreed to a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in 1996. This agreement placed the GEF under the guidance of the COP, as Article 11 of the Convention states that the Financial Mechanism “shall function under the guidance of and be accountable to the Conference of the Parties, which shall decide on its policies, program priorities and eligibility criteria related to this Convention.”
At COP 21, held in 2015, Parties provided guidance to the GEF, giving it an important role in implementing key aspects of the Paris Agreement. The COP agreed that the Financial Mechanism of the Convention, including its operating entities, shall serve as the financial mechanism of the Paris Agreement. Parties decided to establish the Capacity‑building Initiative for Transparency (CBIT), requesting the GEF to make arrangements to support its establishment and operation. Most recently, additional guidance to the GEF emerged from COP 30, and is included in the first chapter of this booklet and in the GEF Report to COP 31.
The GEF continually incorporates COP guidance into its programs and operations, as described annually in its report to the COP. As a complementary publication to the GEF’s annual report, this booklet summarizes all guidance to the GEF dating from the first COP to COP 30 and CMA 7 and the corresponding GEF responses. This publication provides full documentation of the evolution of GEF activities and policies as informed by guidance from the COP.
The COP guidance and GEF responses contained in this booklet are presented in reverse chronological order, starting with COP 30 and CMA 7 and ending with COP 1. The first chapter is updated annually to reflect the most recent COP guidance. Sections corresponding to earlier COPs remain as published in prior years. Therefore, some responses within may appear outdated.
The booklet also contains annexes including the MOU between the COP and the GEF Council, guidelines for the review of the Financial Mechanism, and GEF project terms.