Global Activities on Climate Change
Main issues
Driven by human activities, the global climate is rapidly moving out of the stable band we have enjoyed for the past 10,000 years, testing the limits of planetary boundaries within which human societies have prospered so far.
The scientific consensus for urgent action on climate change is unequivocal.
In 2014, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change made clear that the longer we delay in tackling climate change, the higher the risks and costs. The next couple of decades are critical. Climate change is a complex challenge that interacts with eight other planetary boundaries, themselves essential to ensure long-term human prosperity.
What we do
Solutions to climate change call for integrated approaches that account for the needs and interconnections between the many environmental dimensions at the local, regional and global levels. Mitigation actions involve direct reduction of GHG emissions through, for example, the scaling up of integrated urban management, sustainable transport, renewable energy and energy efficiency. But effective mitigation also includes reducing emissions from other sectors, such as land use and forestry, and protecting carbon sinks such as the oceans.
The multi-disciplinary nature of the threats to our climate and to the global environment— and of the solutions needed to counter these threats—is reflected in the mission of the GEF to support a range of key multilateral environmental accords, including the UNFCCC, CBD and UNCCD.
The GEF promotes sustainable development by helping ensure that our societies thrive within safe planetary boundary limits, and critically by avoiding disruptive changes to climate on our planet.
The GEF is committed to support enhanced action and ambition. The newly completed sixth replenishment of the GEF Trust Fund (GEF-6) together with our dedicated climate adaptation funds, will enable the GEF to make close to US$3 billion available for climate finance during the coming four years, with an expected US$25 billion being leveraged from other sources.
The GEF supports climate change initiatives in countries across a broad spectrum of action areas.
A total of US$910 million was allocated to individual countries to support national climate change mitigation policies and strategies, enhanced renewable energy supply, increased energy efficiency, including through sustainable transport and urban design, expansion of climate smart agriculture, and work to reduce short-lived climate forcers. The GEF has also allocated US$225 million to support for UNFCCC-related reporting and assessments, including Intended Nationally Determined Contributions, and to help integrate their findings into national policy planning and implementation. In addition, the GEF expects to program up to US$1.4 billion towards enhanced resilience, adaptation and disaster risk reduction.
