Countries pledge $3.9bn to GEF towards ambitious ninth replenishment

By Martin Metieh

Donor countries have pledged an initial $3.9 billion to the Global Environment Facility (GEF) for its ninth replenishment cycle, in a powerful demonstration of commitment to meeting international environmental goals through multilateral cooperation.

The significant funding will enable the GEF to bolster investment in nature-positive development, helping developing countries address their most urgent priorities and generate global environmental benefits that help people as well as ecosystems.

Further pledges in support of a robust and ambitious four-year financing round are expected by the GEF Council meeting at the end of May, when the final replenishment package will be approved.

“This replenishment sends a clear message: the world is not giving up on nature even in a time of competing priorities. Our donor countries have risen to the challenge and made bold commitments towards a more positive future for the planet. The coming four years of the GEF-9 cycle will reflect this high-ambition push to achieve the 2030 environmental goals,” said Claude Gascon, Interim CEO and Chairperson of the GEF.

“I especially want to thank our donors for their endorsement of the multilateral environmental agreements as important vehicles of international cooperation when it comes to planetary health, and for their ambitious investment in the GEF as an organisation that plays a unique role bringing countries together and supporting lasting results,” added Gascon.

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The GEF-9 investment cycle will cover the period from July 2026 to June 2030. The GEF serves as a financial mechanism of six international environmental conventions: Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), Minamata Convention on Mercury, and the Agreement on Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement).

“Germany is proud to continue its strong support for the GEF. We are convinced that we need multilateral cooperation more than ever to protect our planet for future generations. Environmental action and sustainable development have to go hand in hand. In GEF-9, we see Germany’s priorities very well reflected: innovative finance for nature and people, better cooperation with the private sector, and stable resources for the most vulnerable countries,” said Niels Annen, State Secretary, Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development of Germany.

“As Germany, we’re proud to do our part and ensure that the GEF has the necessary core funding to implement these priorities until 2030 – in a joint effort with other contributing countries from the Global North and the Global South. Together, we are investing in the global environment and a just and sustainable world for all,” added Annen.

The replenishment comes at a pivotal juncture. Global assessments show rapid and alarming declines in biodiversity and ecosystems, with the planet approaching critical tipping points. The new funds will support developing countries — those most vulnerable to environmental degradation — in integrating the value of nature into their national development plans, budgets, and economies, while catalysing private finance to close the persistent environmental financing gap.