27 March 2012
GEF, UNDP Publish Overview of Joint Projects Results
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The UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF) have published an annual report on their joint project finance, looking at the impact of funding on global environment goals in the fields of climate change, biodiversity, international waters and chemicals.

March 2012: The Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the UN Development Programme (UNDP) have published their annual report on joint projects financed during 2011 on ecosystems and biodiversity preservation, green development strategies, and sustainable use of water and ocean resources, among other topics.

The GEF financed and supported 323 UNDP projects in 2011. These projects focused on preserving natural ecosystems and biodiversity, sustainable infrastructure development, low-emission development strategies, climate change adaptation, water and oceans, and mitigating the effects of chemicals in the environment. The report also presents projects results regionally, with sections on: Africa; Arab States; Asia and the Pacific; Europe and CIS; and Latin America and the Caribbean.

The series of projects focusing on biodiversity worked towards the UNDP’s broader objective of making the benefits of natural ecosystems more accessible to surrounding communities in order to promote access to water, food and better health. These projects included initiatives in land degradation and integrated ecosystems management.

Climate change adaptation projects supported countries to develop programmes that are designed to: implement measures that advance adaptation to climate change; prepare national communications; and strengthen the underlying capacities needed to implement and sustain national commitments under the Rio Conventions. Climate change mitigation projects aimed to assist countries in achieving greater access to decentralized energy for poorer offgrid communities, and to enhance the affordability of energy efficient practices, renewable energy technologies and sustainable transportation.

Projects relating to infrastructural goals were mainly geared towards energy efficiency initiatives. They featured projects related to energy efficient lighting, solar water heating, efficient appliances, building construction, transport systems, and investments in renewables.

On water and oceans, projects focused on planning and implementation efforts to implement sustainable water and resource management initiatives, with a focus on international waterways. For example, the Pacific islands oceanic fisheries management project facilitated the establishment of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission, and ensured that Pacific small island developing States (SIDS) are able to fully contribute to the deliberations of the Commission and to meet their membership obligations. The GEF also financed various projects to assist countries in promoting health by reducing exposure to harmful chemicals such as persistent organic pollutants (POPs), mercury, and hazardous wastes. [Publication: Annual Performance Report of UNDP Supported GEF Financed Projects]

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