GEF Policies & Programmes documents

Focal Area Strategies and Strategic Programming for GEF 4

The Council reviewed document GEF/C.31/10, Focal Area Strategies and Strategic Programming for GEF-4, and approves the strategies as a basis for guiding the programming of resources during GEF-4. The Council agrees that the structure of long-term strategic objectives and strategic programs for a replenishment period should replace the previous operational programs and strategic priorities. The Council requests the Secretariat, in collaboration with the GEF agencies, to operationalize the strategic programs and objectives in alignment with the ongoing development and implementation of the results-based management framework. The Council requests the Secretariat to initiate work on the development of strategic objectives and programs for GEF-5 in 2008 with a view to presenting proposed strategic programming for GEF-5 to the Council at its first meeting in 2009.

Executive Summary(English), Main document (English)

International Waters strategy: Revised Draft

International Waters (IW) Revised Draft Strategic Programming Papers for SAG Consideration, 2nd Meeting (April 10)

Main Document (English)

Operational Strategy for International Water 1995

The Global Environment Facility Council, established under the Instrument for the Establishment of the Restructured GEF, first met in July 1994. Since that time, the Council has worked diligently to approve policies and procedures to enable the GEF to fulfill its unique mission as a financial mechanism for activities aimed at protecting the global environment. One of the Council's major actions was the adoption of the GEF Operational Strategy.

International Waters chapter (English)

Full operational Strategy (English)

Operational Strategy/Operational Programs

• Waterbody-based Operational Program - OP 8

In the waterbody-based operational program, the GEF helps countries collaboratively address damaged and seriously threatened waterbodies, and the most imminent transboundary threats to their ecosystems. The goal is to modify the ways in which human activities are conducted in different sectors so that the waterbody and its international drainage basin can sustainably support human activities.

OP 8 Document (English, French, Spanish )

• Integrated Land and Water Multiple Focal Area Operational Program - OP 9

Activities under this operational program provide benefits in multiple focal areas, such as international waters, biodiversity or land degradation. These benefits are achieved through integrated approaches that emphasize better land and water resource management practices. The goal of this operational program is to help countries prevent damage to threatened, but not yet highly degraded, transboundary water systems.

OP 9 Document (English, French, Spanish)

• Contaminant-based Operational Program - OP 10

In the contaminant-based operational program, the GEF works with countries to demonstrate ways of overcoming barriers to the adoption of practices that limit contamination of international water systems. Projects under this operational program can also be aimed at deriving and disseminating lessons learned from, and among, international waters projects.

OP 10 Document (English, French, Spanish)


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