24 November 2010: The Global Environment Facility (GEF) highlighted its support for initiatives to save the tiger during the International Tiger Conservation Forum, which took place in St. Petersburg, Russian Federation, from 21-24 November 2010.

The GEF indicated it will provide up to US$50 million in grants to save the tiger, through contributions to be invested by developing countries using their GEF allocations in biodiversity, supplemented by investments from its REDD+ (reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries, and the role of conservation, sustainable use of forests and enhancement of carbon stocks) Program. The GEF will also collaborate with the World Bank and other development partners in the Global Tiger Recovery Program.

The GEF provided support to the International Tiger Forum, which was organized by the Government of the Russian Federation, in partnership with the World Bank. The GEF commitment on this issue complements the recently launched “Save Our Species” (www.SOSpecies.org) initiative, a partnership between the GEF, the World Bank and IUCN to attract private sector investments in species conservation and expected to become one of the largest and most comprehensive fund to protect globally threatened species. [GEF CEO Statement to Tiger Summit] [GEF Post on BIODIVERSITY-L] [International Tiger Conservation Forum Website]