Inclusive Global Environment Facility Assembly Challenge Programme
- Client Name
- UNIDO
- Location
- Global
Challenge
In 2023, the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Secretariat launched the Inclusive GEF Assembly Challenge Programme to catalyse inclusive and innovative on-the-ground action to be implemented with partners. It aimed at addressing global environmental priorities and climate change challenges, including climate action, nature-based solutions, sustainable land and water management, water security, sustainable livelihoods, institutional empowerment, knowledge management and other innovative solutions. From hundreds of applications the GEF selected 21 civil society organisations as programme winners, with actions spanning across 28 countries.
Solution
The objective of the project implemented by UNIDO and executing partners is to empower and support civil society and community-based organisations worldwide in implementing initiatives that promote environmental sustainability, social inclusion, and community resilience.
Through the provision of up to $100,000 in grant resources to each project, the programme fosters collaboration among stakeholders, and benefits directly men, women, the youth, indigenous peoples, local communities, LGBTQ2S+, and people living with disabilities, to create positive, lasting impacts on both the environment and the well-being of marginalised and vulnerable populations.
By connecting these initiatives to knowledge sharing, networking, and capacity building, the project seeks to amplify their collective efforts and contribute to global sustainability and inclusivity goals.
The project components and activities include:
- PC1: Global convening thought leadership and coordination: aimed at strengthening inclusivity of GEF initiatives through the organisation of thematic events, virtual meetings, a dedicated webpage, and webinar series, for knowledge sharing, showcasing and learning. This is complemented by the development and adoption of a framework to measure the inclusivity benefits of the supported projects adherent.
- PC2: High impact and innovative inclusive initiatives are recognised and supported: the 21 high impact and innovative inclusive initiatives will bring these benefits:
| Direct beneficiaries | 522,178 people | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Area of land for climate change management | 611,748 hectares | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Policies/plans/frameworks/institutions to strengthen climate adaptation | 80 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| People trained | 14,168 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
- PC3: Monitoring & Impact Evaluation. Project monitoring, reporting to UNIDO and GEF, Mid-Term Review, and Impact Evaluation.
The winning organisations will implement their projects across the world (see map below and table for details). Together they will improve the resilience of communities, environments and will contribute to climate change adaptation efforts, covering agriculture, climate information services, management of disaster risk, natural resources, coastal zones, and water resources, among other sectors.
Impact
The Sustainable Business team at SLR supported UNIDO in the development and submission of the GEF CEO Endorsement Documentation package for this innovative project.
The project has been approved by GEF for implementation on 16 July 2024. More details can be found here:
Inclusive GEF Assembly Challenge Programme in Developing Countries | GEF (thegef.org)
Inclusive GEF Assembly Challenge Programme in Least Developed Countries (LDCs) | GEF (thegef.org)
You can download a PDF of this Inclusive GEF Assembly Challenge Programme Case Study here.
