Thirty years ago, Rio Earth Summit marked an important turning point for the planet. The formation of UN agencies to tackle different environmental issues led to countries coming together in a pivotal alliance.
A multilateral trust fund was created to channel financial aid from rich countries and institutions to the poorest countries and small businesses that most need it. The Global Environment Facility, called by its acronym “the GEF,” has so far provided and mobilized more than USD 140 billion in this manner, and every so often, it is “replenished” with external investment in order to continue its work.
This year’s April, The eighth replenishment of the GEF was receivedA record amount was raised to increase its funding by 30%, significantly improving its ability and capacity to finance environmentally-related initiatives. In addition to the 15th Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD COP15) in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, Landscape News spoke with the GEF CEO and chairperson Carlos Manuel Rodriguez about what this money means.
The GEF received a replenishment in the amount of USD 5.25 Billion.
It could be USD 5.5 million in just a few months. There are some important donors who were not able to pledge yet but they are working internally.
How will this money be used?
The funding will be used in a new way than it was in the past. We have been supporting countries financially for many years in their efforts to implement action in the region. Rio ConventionsBut on actions that directly addressed their mandates. There were countries that did projects on climate, biodiversity, and land degradation. We know the climate benefits of droughts and the same for land degradation, restoration and land-use planning. Countries are making progress in their environmental efforts. To maximize the GEF resources and make a greater impact, we are moving in a more coordinated manner and allowing countries more flexibility.
We want to expand our small grant program which provides financial support to civil society organizations. We want to expand the agency network, the scope of the program, and especially the understanding of non-state actors’ important role. Regarding our private sector engagement strategy, we’re looking to engage more with small- and medium-sized enterprises, not only with grants but also through the non-grant instrument.
And we’re also moving toward more impact programs, which have so far worked a lot in cities, large forest biomes, food security, and land management and restoration. We are now introducing many new impact programs to deal with waste and other issues. plasticsAll the way to blue economyAnd Small islands.
What do you think about the USD 5.25 trillion amount compared to what other countries spend on issues such as conflict at the moment?
Let me compare this amount to what countries invest in destroying nature, not war – though that is, yes, evident and big. One of the most surprising aspects of global inconsistencies, however, is that no country invests more in climate change mitigation and protection than they do in destroying nature. This is policy incoherence.
Yes, I am extremely concerned about the issues of war and defense. I am from Costa Rica, which abolished the army 75 years ago. I witnessed what happened in my country, where not one dollar was invested in defense or army-related activities. I also saw increases in social rights policies, as well as other related investments such in education, human development standards, and healthcare. We saw the benefits in our efforts to manage our natural resource.
I’m very sensitive on this issue as I’m very concerned that we invest many, many more times in activities that destroy the planet than in those that help it. The GEF is committed to balancing investments at the country-level and being aware of this fact. In a decade from now, we’re aiming for all countries to have the right policies and frameworks so that public and private investment can align with their contributions to the Paris Agreement, land degradation neutrality and biodiversity conservation. This is the ultimate goal we aim for. This means that USD 5.25 billion is only a drop in the bucket. However, even a small amount can have a lot more power if you know which buttons to hit. And policy coherence, is one of the most important.
You previously served as the environment minister of Costa Rica, and during that time, you partnered with Côte d’Ivoire to share learnings on forest conservation. How do you see the outcomes here in Côte d’Ivoire now?
This country has lost 80 percent of its forest – this is what President Ouattara said yesterday. In a way, this society feels a little hopeless. My country lost 80 percent of its forests, and we were able, in just a few decades, to restore it. Only the expert’s trained eye can tell that the forests are still new. This restoration has allowed us to be more resilient against climate change, to have ecological services again, to have water resilience, to have biodiversity returns, and to create our largest industry, nature-based tourism. So those who really say there’s a high return on restoration are totally correct.
Costa Rica is not much different from other developing countries. We didn’t always have a great time, and we’re not good in planning or saving money. We are flexible, innovative and have political stability. And that is why Côte d’Ivoire and others look to us. It’s good to be here.
