41st GEF Council

Meeting from 8-10 November, the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Council approved its work programme for the next year and initiated the search for a new CEO. The work programme includes 40 project concepts and nine programmatic approaches amounting to US$516.40 million, including 11 for the biodiversity focal area, eight on climate change, two on international waters, 23 on land degradation, and five on persistent organic pollutants (POPs).
Among administrative decisions, the Council evaluated administrative fees, expenses and project management costs and decided to establish a group of donors and recipients to prepare a proposal to reduce the total cost of the fee structure of GEF projects for the next Council meeting. The Council also approved minimum standards on environmental and social safeguards for GEF Agencies.

Members also discussed strengthening relationships with other conventions and adopted a decision asking the Secretariat to organize a meeting of biodiversity-related conventions with the Secretariat of CBD to facilitate the coordination of their priorities for inclusion in the GEF-6 programming strategy.

Chair's Summary
41st GEF Council Meeting Website

UNCCD/COP-10: Connection with Rio+20

The first day of the High-level Segment for COP-10 included a roundtable discussion focused on the theme “The UNCCD in the context of Rio+20: Addressing desertification, land degradation and drought as a cornerstone of the Green Economy.”

IISD-RS Reporting

UNDP: Evaluation of Contribution to Environmental Management for Poverty Reduction

The UNDP Evaluation Office has conducted an assessment of UNDP policies, strategies and programmes at the global, regional and country levels, and implementation of related projects focusing on poverty reduction and environmental degradation.