Countries pledge €3.4bn for climate adaptation, biodiversity protection and water security

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🗞️ Driving the news: Countries have pledged $3.9 billion (€3.4 billion) to the Global Environment Facility (GEF) to fund climate adaptation, biodiversity protection, and water security projects across 144 nations over the next four years
• The commitment was agreed at the GEF Assembly in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, with a focus on accelerating project implementation and supporting vulnerable countries

🔭 The context: The GEF, established in 1991, channels donor funds to environmental projects worldwide and serves as a financial mechanism for global agreements like the Paris Climate Agreement and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework
• The new funding cycle, GEF-9, emphasizes integrated approaches linking climate, biodiversity, land, food, and water management
• At least 35% of funds target least developed countries and small island states, while 20% support Indigenous peoples and local communities

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: The funding will enable projects that directly reduce environmental stress, strengthen ecosystem resilience, and protect biodiversity
• With rising water scarcity, glacier retreat, and ecosystem degradation threatening millions, accelerated financing through GEF-9 can mitigate climate risks, enhance adaptive capacity, and safeguard ocean and freshwater systems.

⏭️ What’s next: The GEF-9 cycle begins in July 2026, with projects expected to begin rolling out in the coming months
• Streamlined processes aim to cut bureaucratic delays, and integrated programs are designed to maximize cross-sectoral impact
• Countries like Uzbekistan are also moving from recipients to contributors, signaling broader regional leadership and investment in global environmental solutions

💬 One quote: “Central Asia is ground zero for the impacts that we see from climate change. What we can do here then becomes lessons for other parts of the world.” – Rachel Kyte, UK Special Representative for Climate

📈 One stat: 37 million people in Central Asia currently live in areas experiencing severe water scarcity, projected to rise to 75 million by 2050

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