International Environmental Financing: The Global Environment Facility (GEF)

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International Environmental Financing:

The Global Environment Facility (GEF)

(name redacted)

Analyst in Environmental Policy

June 3, 2013

Congressional Research Service

7-....

www.crs.gov

R41165

CRS Report for Congress

Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress

International Environmental Financing: The Global Environment Facility (GEF)

Summary

The United States contributes funding to various international financial institutions to assist

developing countries to address global climate change and other environmental concerns.

Congress is responsible for several activities in this regard, including (1) authorizing periodic

appropriations for U.S. financial contributions to the institutions, and (2) overseeing U.S.

involvement in the programs. Issues of congressional interest include the overall development

assistance strategy of the United States, U.S. leadership in global environmental and economic

affairs, and U.S. commercial interests in trade and investment. This report provides an overview

of one of the oldest international financial institutions for the environment—the Global

Environment Facility (GEF)—and analyzes its structure, funding, and objectives in light of the

many challenges within the contemporary landscape of global environmental finance.

GEF is an independent and international financial organization that provides grants, promotes

cooperation, and fosters actions in developing countries to protect the global environment.

Established in 1991, it unites 182 member governments and partners with international

institutions, nongovernmental organizations, and the private sector to assist developing countries

with environmental projects related to six areas: biodiversity, climate change, international

waters, the ozone layer, land degradation, and persistent organic pollutants. GEF receives funding

from multiple donor countries—including the United States—and provides grants to cover the

additional or “incremental” costs associated with transforming a project with national benefits

into one with global environmental benefits. In this way, GEF funding is structured to

“supplement” base project funding and provide for the environmental components in national

development agendas. GEF partners with several international agencies, including the

International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the United Nations Development

Program (UNDP), and the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), among others, and is

the primary fund administrator for four Rio (Earth Summit) Conventions, including the

Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the United Nations Framework Convention on

Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs),

and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). GEF also establishes

operational guidance for international waters and ozone activities, the latter consistent with the

Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer and its amendments. Since its

inception, GEF has allocated $11.5 billion—supplemented by more than $57 billion in cofinancing—for more than 3,200 projects in over 165 countries.

GEF is one mechanism in a larger network of international programs designed to address the

global environment. Accordingly, its effectiveness depends on how the fund addresses

programmatic issues, builds upon national investment plans, reacts to recent developments in the

financial landscape, and responds to emerging opportunities. Critics contend that the existing

system has had limited impact in addressing major environmental concerns—specifically climate

change and tropical deforestation—and has been unsuccessful in delivering global

transformational change. A desire to achieve more immediate impacts has led to a restructuring of

the Multilateral Development Banks’ (MDBs’) role in environmental finance and the introduction

of many new bilateral and multilateral funding initiatives. The future of GEF remains in the hands

of the donor countries, including the United States, which can choose to broaden the mandate

and/or strengthen its institutional arrangements or reduce and replace it by other bilateral or

multilateral funding mechanisms.

Congressional Research Service

International Environmental Financing: The Global Environment Facility (GEF)

Contents

Introduction...................................................................................................................................... 1

The Global Environment Facility .................................................................................................... 3

Background................................................................................................................................ 3

Organizational Structure ............................................................................................................ 4

Funding ...................................................................................................................................... 5

Project Areas.............................................................................................................................. 8

Current Issues ................................................................................................................................ 10

External Challenges for GEF................................................................................................... 10

Internal Challenges for GEF .................................................................................................... 11

GEF Reforms ........................................................................................................................... 13

GEF 4 ................................................................................................................................ 13

GEF 5 ................................................................................................................................ 13

GEF 6 ................................................................................................................................ 13

Figures

Figure A-1. Commitments to GEF Pilot Phase and Replenishments............................................. 14

Figure A-2. Financial Status of GEF Trust Fund: Summary of Arrears......................................... 24

Tables

Table 1. Recent U.S. Budget Authority for Multilateral Climate and Environment Funds ............. 2

Table 2. U.S. Commitments and Contributions to GEF by Fiscal Year ........................................... 7

Appendixes

Appendix. Global Environment Facility Trust Fund ..................................................................... 14

Contacts

Author Contact Information........................................................................................................... 24

Congressional Research Service

International Environmental Financing: The Global Environment Facility (GEF)

Introduction

Many governments acknowledge that environmental degradation and climate change pose

international and trans-boundary risks to human populations, economies, and ecosystems that

could result in a worsening of poverty, social tensions, and political stability. To confront these

global challenges, countries have negotiated various international agreements to protect the

environment, reduce pollution, conserve natural resources, and promote sustainable growth.

While some observers have called upon developed countries to take the lead in addressing these

issues, efforts are unlikely to be sufficient without similar measures being implemented in

developing countries. Developing countries, however, focused on poverty reduction and

economic growth, may not have the financial resources, technological know-how, or institutional

capacity to deploy such measures. Therefore, international support for these areas has remained

the principal method for governments to assist developing country action on global environmental

problems.1

The United States and other industrialized countries have committed to financial assistance for

environmental initiatives through several multilateral agreements (e.g., the Montreal Protocol

(1987), the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (1992), United Nations

Convention to Combat Desertification (1994), and the Copenhagen Accord (2009)). International

financial assistance takes many forms, from fiscal transfers to market transactions, and includes

foreign direct investment (FDI), bilateral overseas development assistance (ODA), and

contributions to multilateral development banks (MDBs)2 and other international financial

institutions (IFIs), as well as the offering of export credits, loan guarantees, and insurance

products.

Error! Reference source not found. outlines recent U.S. financial support for multilateral

environmental initiatives. Congress is responsible for several activities in this regard, including

(1) authorizing periodic appropriations for U.S. financial contributions to the institutions, and (2)

overseeing U.S. involvement in the programs. Issues of congressional interest include the overall

development assistance strategy of the United States, U.S. leadership in global environmental and

economic affairs, and U.S. commercial interests in trade and investment.3 As Congress considers

potential authorizations and/or appropriations for initiatives administered through the Department

of State, the Department of the Treasury, and other agencies with international programs, it may

have questions concerning the direction, efficiency, and effectiveness of current bilateral and

multilateral programs. This report provides an overview of one of the oldest, largest, and most

comprehensive multilateral programs to date—the Global Environment Facility (GEF)—and

analyzes its structure, funding, and objectives in light of the many challenges within the

contemporary landscape of global environmental finance.

For a more detailed discussion on various sources and mechanisms of financial assistance for climate change

activities, see CRS Report R41808, International Climate Change Financing: Needs, Sources, and Delivery Methods,

by (name redacted) and (name redacted).

The group of multilateral development banks referred to in this report includes the World Bank Group (WBG),

African Development Bank (AfDB), Asian Development Bank (ADB), European Bank for Reconstruction and

Development (EBRD), and Inter-American Development Bank Group (IDB).

For more substantive analysis of foreign aid and congressional roles, see CRS Report R40213, Foreign Aid: An

Introduction to U.S. Programs and Policy, by (name redacted) and Marian Leonardo Lawson; and CRS Report R41170,

Multilateral Development Banks: Overview and Issues for Congress, by (name redacted).

Congressional Research Service

International Environmental Financing: The Global Environment Facility (GEF)

Table 1. Recent U.S. Budget Authority

for Multilateral Climate and Environment Funds

In nominal US$ million

2010

Enacted

2011

Enacted

2012

Enacted

2013

Enacteda

2014

Request

Least Developed Country Fund

30.0

25.0

TBD

Special Climate Change Fund

20.0

10.0

TBD

World Bank Forest Carbon

Partnership

10.0

8.0

TBD

Tropical Forests Conservation

Act

26.0

16.4

12.0

0.0

Global Environment Facility

86.5

89.8

119.8b

129.4c

143.8

Climate Investment Fund:

Clean Technology Fund

300.0

184.6

229.6d

175.3

215.7

Climate Investment Fund:

Strategic Climate Fund - Pilot

Program for Climate Resilience

55.0

10.0

18.7e

25.0f

34.0g

Climate Investment Fund:

Strategic Climate Fund - Forest

Investment Program

20.0

30.0

37.5e

12.5f

17.0g

Climate Investment Fund:

Strategic Climate Fund Scaling-Up Renewable Energy

0.0

10.0

18.7e

12.5f

17.0g

Agency/Program

Department of State

Department of Treasury

Source: Office of Management and Budget, The Budget of the United States Government, 2011, 2012, 2013, and

2014; CRS correspondence with Department of State and Department of the Treasury.

Notes: TBD, “to be determined”: Appropriated funds for some programs/activities are drawn from larger line

item categories in agency budget authorities, occasionally with “shall”-language implementing spending ceilings.

Allocations for these programs are left at the discretion of the agency and have yet to be determined and/or fully

reported.

Except where noted, FY2013 Enacted amount is as continuing resolution in the Consolidated and Further

Continuing Appropriations Act, 2013 (P.L. 113-6). Figures do not include sequestration reduction.

FY2012 Enacted amount for GEF includes the transfer of $30 million from the Economic Support Fund as

provided in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2012 (P.L. 112-74).

FY2013 Enacted amount for the GEF is as provided in the Consolidated and Further Continuing

Appropriations Act, 2013 (P.L. 113-6).

FY2012 Enacted amount for CTF includes the transfer of $45 million from the Economic Support Fund as

provided in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2012 (P.L. 112-74).

FY2012 Enacted amount for SCF includes the transfer of $25 million from the Economic Support Fund as

provided in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2012 (P.L. 112-74).

FY2013 Enacted amount for SCF is $47.3 million for all three programs. The figures in the table reflect

Treasury’s internal proposal for contribution among the PPCR, FIP, and SREP.

FY2014 Request amount for SCF is $68.0 million for all three programs. The figures above are estimates of

contributions to each program. Treasury will finalize contributions among the PPCR, FIP, and SREP in spring

2014.

Congressional Research Service

International Environmental Financing: The Global Environment Facility (GEF)

The Global Environment Facility

The Global Environment Facility (GEF) is an independent and international financial

organization that provides grants, promotes cooperation, and fosters actions in developing

countries to protect the global environment. Established in 1991, it unites 182 member

governments and partners with international institutions, nongovernmental organizations, and the

private sector to assist developing countries with environmental projects related to six areas:

biodiversity, climate change, international waters, the ozone layer, land degradation, and

persistent organic pollutants (POPs). GEF receives funding from multiple donor countries4—

including the United States—and provides grants to cover the additional or “incremental” costs

associated with transforming a project with national benefits into one with global environmental

benefits (e.g., choosing solar energy technology over coal technology meets the same national

development goal of power generation but is more costly, excluding long-term environmental

externalities; GEF grants aim to cover the difference or “increment” between a less costly, more

polluting option and a costlier, more environmentally sound option). In this way, GEF funding is

structured to “supplement” base project funding and provide for the environmental components in

national development agendas. Since its inception, GEF has allocated $11.5 billion—

supplemented by more than $57 billion in co-financing—for more than 3,200 projects in over 165

countries.5

Background

The idea for a Global Environment Facility was proposed in a September 1989 meeting of the

joint International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (the World Bank)—International

Monetary Fund Development Committee after recommendation by a World Resources Institute

report commissioned by the United Nations.6 The fund was established in 1991 as a pilot program

within the World Bank, and many observers saw it as the beginning of an important shift in

multilateral policy toward incorporating environmental concerns into development assistance.

GEF, however, quickly ran into some operational challenges. These included (1) problems with

communication among the implementing agencies (i.e., among the World Bank economists, the

United Nations Development Program engineers, and the United Nations Environment Program

environmentalists), (2) problems with differing agendas among the donor countries (i.e., between

environmental idealism in Europe and economic pragmatism in the United States and United

Kingdom), and (3) problems with differing perspectives among developing countries (i.e.,

between an emphasis on economic growth or environmental initiatives).

See Figure A-1 of the Appendix for a list of donor countries during each GEF funding, or “Replenishment,” period.

Information on GEF activities, organization, policies, and projects is available on its website, at

http://www.thegef.org/gef/.

A full overview and analysis of the history of GEF and environmental financing can be found in a number of source

materials including book length studies by Inge Kaul and Pedro Conceição, The New Public Finance: Responding to

Global Challenges, New York: Oxford University Press, 2006; Robert L. Hicks, Bradley C. Parks, J. Timmons

Roberts, and Michael J. Tierney, Greening Aid?: Understanding the Environmental Impact of Development Assistance,

New York: Oxford University Press, 2008; and several articles including Gareth Porter, Neil Bird, Nanki Kaur, and

Leo Peskett, “New Finance for Climate Change and the Environment,” WWF and the Heinrich Böll Foundation, 2008;

Smita Nakhooda, Jon Sohn, and Kevin Baumert, “Mainstreaming Climate Change Considerations at the Multilateral

Development Banks,” World Resources Institute, 2005; and Smita Nakhooda, “Correcting the World’s Greatest Market

Failure: Climate Change and the Multilateral Development Banks,” World Resources Institute, 2008.

Congressional Research Service

International Environmental Financing: The Global Environment Facility (GEF)

Initially, GEF had been opposed by developing countries who believed that a program established

and controlled by higher-income donor countries under the framework of the Multilateral

Development Banks was not in their best interest. They remained committed to a governing

structure and a cooperative partnership founded on a U.N.-style majority-based decision. After

three years of debate, GEF was restructured in 1994 to address many of its institutional

challenges. GEF moved out of the World Bank to become a separate and permanent institution

with enhanced involvement from developing countries in decision making and implementation. A

new governing structure was instituted, the first operating procedures (“the Instrument for the

GEF”)7 were documented, and the funding cycle (“the GEF Replenishment”) commenced. The

World Bank took on the provision of the Trust Fund. The United Nations Development Program,

the United Nations Environment Program, and other international organizations contributed to

project development, management, and delivery.

Organizational Structure

International Agencies: GEF currently partners with 10 international agencies: the World Bank;

the United Nations Development Program (UNDP); the United Nations Environment Program

(UNEP); the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization; the United Nations Industrial

Development Organization; the African Development Bank; the Asian Development Bank; the

European Bank for Reconstruction and Development; the Inter-American Development Bank;

and the International Fund for Agricultural Development. Procedurally, the World Bank

administers funding, UNDP oversees project development, and UNEP serves as the scientific and

technical advisor. The remaining agencies contribute to the management and delivery of projects.

International Conventions: GEF is the primary fund administrator for four Rio (Earth Summit)8

Conventions, including the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the United Nations

Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Stockholm Convention on Persistent

Organic Pollutants (POPs), and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification

(UNCCD). GEF also establishes operational guidance for international waters and ozone

activities, the latter consistent with the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone

Layer and its amendments.

Internal Organization: GEF’s main decision-making body is the GEF Council, which is an

independent board of governors responsible for developing, adopting, and evaluating operational

policies and programs. The Council is composed of 32 appointed members—16 from developing

countries, 14 from developed countries, and 2 from among the countries of Central and Eastern

Europe and the former Soviet Union. The balance between donor and recipient countries was

negotiated and agreed to by Member countries after the pilot phase of the program. The Council

meets approximately every six months and allows non-governmental organizations and private

individuals to attend most sessions. Formal voting goes before the GEF Assembly, which is

composed of representatives from all Member countries and meets every four years. During these

times, the Assembly reviews general policy for operations, membership, funding, and

The “Instrument for the Establishment of the Restructured Global Environment Facility” is the officially adopted

operating procedures of GEF. See documents at http://www.thegef.org/gef/node/2552.

The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), also known as the Rio Summit, Rio

Conference, Earth Summit, and Eco ’92 was a United Nations conference held in Rio de Janeiro from June 3-14, 1992,

in which 172 governments participated, with 108 sending their heads of state or government, and 2,400 representatives

of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), with 17,000 people at the parallel NGO “Global Forum.”

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International Environmental Financing: The Global Environment Facility (GEF)

amendments. The GEF Secretariat, based in Washington, DC, services and reports to the Council

and the Assembly and formulates the work program, oversees implementation, and ensures that

operational policies are followed.

Voting: The Assembly and the Council make decisions and adopt regulations through the process

of consensus. GEF defines consensus as an agreement reached by all participants which includes

the resolution or mitigation of all minority objections. If, in the case of the Council, all

practicable efforts have been made and no consensus appears, Members may request a formal

vote. The GEF formal vote is a double weighted majority; that is, an affirmative vote that includes

both a 60% majority of the total number of Participants and a 60% majority of the total amount of

contributions.9 This format arose through a coordinated agreement between developed and

developing countries in an effort to give facility to both donors and recipients in the decisionmaking process. A formal vote has never been taken at Council.

Funding

Replenishments: GEF is funded by donor countries, which pledge money every four years

through a process known as GEF Replenishment. The process of Replenishment was designed to

allow for program flexibility, strategic planning, and periodic performance evaluations. The

original GEF pilot program of $1 billion has been replenished five times with $2.01 billion in

1994, $2.67 billion in 1998, $2.93 billion in 2002, $3.13 billion in 2006, and $4.34 billion in

2010.10 Financial commitments by donor country to the GEF pilot program and the five GEF

replenishments can be found in Figure A-1 of the Appendix.

U.S. Commitments: The United States supported the establishment of GEF in 1991. While the

United States did not provide direct funding to the pilot phase of the program (1991-1993),11 it

has made commitments and contributions to all five GEF replenishments. U.S. commitments to

the various four-year Replenishment cycles have been $430 million in 1994, $430 million in

1998, $430 million in 2002, $320 million in 2006, and $575 million in 2010, for a total of $2.185

billion. U.S. commitments correspond to 13.9% of total contributions for GEF during the history

of the program, or, more specifically, 21.3% of total contributions for GEF-1, 16.1% for GEF-2,

14.7% for GEF-3, 10.2% for GEF-4, and 13.2% for GEF-5.12

U.S. Contributions: Payments made by the U.S. Treasury to the International Bank for

Reconstruction and Development (the World Bank) as trustee for GEF have varied widely over

the years due mainly to budget trends. Recent contributions include the following:

•

For FY2010, P.L. 111-117 was enacted in December 2009 with a budget

authority of $86.5 million to GEF, of which $80 million was for the final GEF-4

contribution and $6.5 million was for a portion of arrears.

For the purpose of voting power, total contributions consist of the actual cumulative contributions made to the GEF

Trust Fund.

Replenishment figures calculated in Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) from respective currencies at time of pledge.

Figures are nominal. GEF’s fiscal year runs from July 1 to June 30.

During the GEF pilot phase, the United States had a separate co-financing arrangement administered by USAID.

The percentage of total contributions and the percentage of new donor funding are computed from different totals.

U.S. percentage of new donor funding, including supplemental contributions, is 21.3%, 21.7%, 19.5%, 14.0%, and

16.2%, respectively. See Appendix, Figure A-1, for a full breakdown of U.S. contributions in relation to other sources.

Congressional Research Service

International Environmental Financing: The Global Environment Facility (GEF)

•

For FY2011, the U.S. Budget for Fiscal Year 2011, released in February 2010,

had originally set forth a U.S. commitment of $680 million for the Fifth

Replenishment, to be paid in four equal installments of $170 million from

FY2011 through FY2014. The FY2011 Budget had included $170 million for the

first installment of GEF-5 and $5 million for a portion of U.S. arrears, for a total

request of $175 million.13 However, in reaction to lower-than-expected pledge

levels by other donor countries during the GEF-5 negotiations in May 2010, the

U.S. delegation reduced its pledge to $575 million, to be paid in four equal

installments of $143.75 million from FY2011 through FY2014. The U.S. pledge

represents an 80% increase over the GEF-4 Replenishment. The increased pledge

was precipitated in part by the U.S. Administration achieving certain policy

reforms designed to improve GEF’s overall effectiveness, particularly with

regard to country-owned business plans for funding and resource allocation. P.L.

112-10 was enacted in April 2011 with budget authority of $89.82 million to

GEF, some $53.93 million in arrears of the FY2011 pledge.

•

For FY2012, P.L. 112-74 was enacted in December 2011 with a budget authority

of $89.82 million to GEF, some $53.93 million in arrears of the FY2012 pledge.

However, P.L. 112-74 included a provision under “Economic Support Fund”

“that in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of State

may transfer up to $200,000,000 of the funds made available under this heading

to funds appropriated in this Act under the headings ‘Multilateral Assistance,

Funds Appropriated to the President, International Financial Institutions’ for

additional payments to such institutions, facilities, and funds enumerated under

such headings.” The Administration used this provision to transfer an additional

$30 million to the GEF in FY2012.

•

For FY2013, P.L. 113-6 was enacted in March 2013 with a budget authority of

$129.4 million to GEF, some $14.35 million in arrears of the FY2013 pledge.

•

For FY2014, the U.S. Budget for Fiscal Year 2014, released in April 2013,

requested $143.75 million for the FY2014 contribution to GEF, equivalent to the

FY2014 pledge.

Arrears: As of September 2012, direct payments to the trustee of GEF have totaled close to $1.8

billion over the past two decades. Further, in July 2011, the United States had cleared a portion of

its GEF-3 arrears in the amount of $11.9 million through a retroactive early encashment of its

GEF-4 contributions.14 With these payments, the United States is currently $258.9 million in

arrears of its pledged commitments. As of the latest “Trustee Report” furnished to GEF in

November 2012, the United States is joined in arrears status by three other countries: Egypt ($0.8

million), Nigeria ($1.0 million), and Spain ($3.1 million).15

A summary of U.S. commitments and contributions to GEF is shown in Table 2. The financial

status of the GEF Trust Fund and the summary of arrears by country can be found in Figure A-2

of the Appendix.

Office of Management and Budget, The Budget of the United States Government, 2011.

“Early encashment” is a payment mechanism used by GEF that allows donors to account for interest made on their

contributions.

See GEF, “Global Environment Facility Trust Fund Financial Report,” GEF/C.43/Inf.08, September 30, 2012, at

http://www.thegef.org/gef/council_document/gef-trust-fund-financial-report.

Congressional Research Service

International Environmental Financing: The Global Environment Facility (GEF)

Table 2. U.S. Commitments and Contributions to GEF by Fiscal Year

Fiscal Year

$ Committed to GEF

($ in millions, nominal)

$ Contributed to GEF

($ in millions, nominal)

1994

$30.0

1995

$107.5

$90.0

1996

$107.5

$35.0

1997

$107.5

$35.0

1998

$107.5

$47.5

1999

$107.5

$167.5

2000

$107.5

$35.8

2001

$107.5

$107.8

2002

$107.5

$100.5

2003

$107.5

$146.8

2004

$107.5

$138.4

2005

$107.5

$106.7

2006

$107.5

$79.2

2007

$80.0

$79.2

2008

$80.0

$81.1

2009

$80.0

2010

$80.0

$86.5

2011a

$143.8

$89.8

2012

$143.8

$119.8

2013b

$143.8

$129.4

2014

$143.8

TBD

Total

$2,185.2

$1,786.0

Source: CRS correspondence with U.S. Department of the Treasury.

The enacted FY2011 figure includes the 0.2% rescission across all non-defense accounts, in accordance with

Section 1119(a) of P.L. 112-10.

The enacted FY2013 figure does not include sequestration reductions.

Congressional Jurisdiction: All U.S. funding is subject to annual congressional approval.

Authorizing legislation is managed by the House Financial Services Committee and Senate

Foreign Relations Committee. The House and Senate Appropriations Subcommittees on State,

Foreign Operations, and Related Programs have jurisdiction over appropriations.

Congressional Research Service

International Environmental Financing: The Global Environment Facility (GEF)

Project Areas

GEF funding is provided to recipient countries for projects and programs in six areas:

biodiversity, climate change, international waters, ozone layer depletion, land degradation, and

persistent organic pollutants. For examples of the types of projects funded by GEF, see the text

box below.

Biodiversity: GEF is the financial mechanism of the 1992 United Nations Convention on

Biological Diversity. The goal of GEF’s program is the conservation and sustainable use of

biodiversity, the maintenance of the ecosystem goods and services that biodiversity provides to

society, and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the use of genetic

resources. To achieve this goal, the program has several objectives including sustainability

initiatives in protected areas, conservation measures in production sectors, capacity building to

implement the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (CPB), and capacity building to support the

implementation of the Bonn Guidelines on Access to Genetic Resources. Biodiversity projects

constitute the largest percentage of GEF’s portfolio, making up 36% of total grants.

Climate Change: As the financial mechanism of the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention

on Climate Change, GEF allocates and disburses funding for projects in climate change

mitigation (i.e., reducing or avoiding greenhouse gas emissions in the areas of renewable energy,

energy efficiency, and sustainable transport), and climate change adaptation (i.e., increasing

resilience to the adverse impacts of climate change of vulnerable countries, sectors, and

communities). GEF projects in climate change help developing countries contribute to the overall

objective of the UNFCCC to achieve a “stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the

atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate

system.” Moreover, GEF manages two special funds under the UNFCCC—the Least Developed

Countries Fund, to assist in adaptation strategies for the most vulnerable countries; and the

Special Climate Change Fund, to assist in mitigation and adaptation programs for countries that

are heavily reliant of fossil-fuel technologies.

International Waters: GEF’s international waters focal area does not serve as a financial

mechanism for a specific convention. Through an association with regional agreements, it targets

trans-boundary water systems, such as river basins with water flowing from one country to

another, groundwater resources shared by several countries, and marine ecosystems bounded by

more than one nation. GEF grants help countries collaborate with their neighbors to modify

human activities that place stress on trans-boundary water systems and interfere with downstream

uses of those resources. Some of the issues addressed include trans-boundary water pollution,

over-extraction of groundwater resources, unsustainable exploitation of fisheries, control of

invasive species, and balancing the competing uses of water resources.

Ozone Layer Depletion: GEF, in partnership with the 1985 Vienna Convention for the Protection

of the Ozone Layer and the 1987 Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer,

has aimed to safeguard the earth’s protective ozone layer after the discovery that certain

compounds were found to deplete it, posing substantial risks to human health and the

environment. GEF has allocated funds to assist in phasing out ozone-depleting substances (ODS)

and curbing the rising production and use of hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs). GEF’s aim is to

protect human health and the environment by assisting countries in phasing out consumption and

production of ODS while enabling alternative technologies and practices, according to countries’

commitments under the Montreal Protocol. The long-term goal of GEF interventions is to

contribute to the return of the ozone layer to pre-1980 levels.

Congressional Research Service

International Environmental Financing: The Global Environment Facility (GEF)

Examples of GEF Projects

1. Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Development in Bangladesh (GEF ID 1209)

GEF Grant: $8,540,000

Description: The project promoted solar energy in rural areas by (1) increasing awareness of Solar Heating Systems

(SHS) among consumers and providers; (2) building technical and management capacity; (3) implementing and

evaluating SHS programs; (4) providing technical and business development support to institutions; (5) introducing

standards and programs for testing and certification; (6) financing grants to buy-down capital costs to increase

affordability of SHS; (7) promoting electricity as a means for income generation and social wellness; and (8) identifying

mechanisms to promote sustainability. Multiple approaches to SHS delivery were enacted, including a “fee-for-service”

program through rural electricity cooperatives, purchase supported by micro-credit through NGOs and microfinance

lenders, and hire-purchase/direct sale programs by private dealers and NGOs. Over 40,000 systems were installed

supplying energy to rural dispersed communities.

2. Biodiversity Conservation in Cacao Agro-Forestry in Costa Rica (GEF ID 979)

GEF Grant: $750,000

Description: The project improved management of cacao-based indigenous small-farms according to both ecological

and organic productive principles so as to ensure conservation and sustainable use of plant and animal diversity and

provide a sustainable source of family income. The project promoted and maintained on-farm biodiversity while

improving livelihoods of organic cacao producers (including indigenous, Latin-mestizos, and Afro-Caribbean groups) in

the Talamanca-Caribbean corridor in Costa Rica.

3. Prevention and Management of Marine Pollution in the East Asian Seas in Indonesia (GEF ID 396)

GEF Grant: $8,025,000

Description: The project developed policies and plans to control marine pollution from land and sea-based sources,

upgraded national and regional infrastructures and technical skills, and established financing instruments to project

sustainability. Project included selection of demonstration sites, establishment of regional monitoring and information

networks, and involvement of regional association of marine legal experts to improve capacity to implement relevant

conventions.

Source: GEF Project database at http://www.thegef.org/gef/gef_projects_funding (accessed November 30, 2011).

Notes: As of May 24, 2013, there were 3,404 projects listed in the GEF database, of which 2,783 were approved

national projects and 621 were approved regional and global projects.

Land Degradation: In 2002, the GEF Assembly expanded GEF’s mandate by adding land

degradation to the portfolio and designating it the financial mechanism of the United Nations

Convention to Combat Desertification. GEF focuses on sustainable agricultural practices (e.g.,

crop diversification, crop rotation, water harvesting, and small-scale irrigation schemes),

sustainable rangeland management, and the preservation of viable indigenous forests and

woodlands. GEF projects aim to integrate sustainable land management into national

development priorities, and to strengthen human, technical, and institutional capacities.

Persistent Organic Pollutants: GEF is the interim financial mechanism of the 2001 Stockholm

Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, a global and legally binding agreement to reduce

and eliminate pollutants including pesticides (e.g., DDT and mirex) and industrial chemicals (e.g.,

PCBs) as well as unintentionally produced POPs (e.g., dioxins and furans). GEF’s involvement in

tackling the threats posed by POPs dates back to 1995, with the introduction of the International

Waters Operational Strategy and its contaminant-based component. In this framework, GEF

began to develop a portfolio of strategically designed projects including regional assessments and

pilot demonstrations that addressed a number of pressing POPs-related issues.

Congressional Research Service

International Environmental Financing: The Global Environment Facility (GEF)

Current Issues

Each year, billions of dollars in environmental aid flow from developed country governments—

including the United States—to developing ones. GEF is one mechanism in the larger network of

international programs designed to address environmental issues. While the efficiency and the

effectiveness of these programs are of concern to donor country governments, a full analysis of

the purposes, intents, results, and consequences behind these financial flows has yet to be

conducted.16 International relations, comparative politics, and developmental economics can often

collide with environmental agendas. Critics contend that the existing system has had limited

impact in addressing major environmental concerns—specifically climate change and tropical

deforestation—and has been unsuccessful in delivering global transformational change. A desire

to achieve more immediate impacts has led to a restructuring of the Multilateral Development

Banks’ role in environmental finance and the introduction of many new bilateral and multilateral

funding initiatives.

The effectiveness of GEF depends on how the fund addresses its programmatic issues, reacts to

recent developments in the financial landscape, and responds to emerging opportunities. The

future of GEF remains in the hands of the donor countries that can choose to broaden the mandate

and strengthen its institutional arrangements or to reduce and replace it by other bilateral or

multilateral funding mechanisms. The following section investigates some of the current strengths

and challenges facing GEF and summarizes some of the responses initiated by the program.

External Challenges for GEF

•

Rise of Climate Change Issues and Funding: The past decade has seen a rise in

the significance of global environmental issues—particularly climate change—on

the political agendas of many countries. Proposed policies have not only

attempted to address the environmental implications of greenhouse gas

mitigation and climate change adaptation, but have become linked to energy and

infrastructure issues through international economic, trade, and geo-political

concerns. To address these issues, governments have begun to incorporate many

global environmental objectives into their sustainable growth and development

strategies. Funding for these activities has increased, and various institutional

responses for this extensive portfolio are under consideration. Some critics

contend that existing environmental funds (e.g., GEF) are unsatisfactory because

they do not have experience managing investments of this scope.

•

The Changing Role of Multilateral Development Banks in Environmental

Funding: Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) are key actors in the global

system of environmental financing. As commercial lending institutions, some

have argued that they dispense funds more efficiently than many institutional

programs such as GEF; but as primary mechanisms for economic development,

their past environmental lending practices have produced perceived conflicts of

interest.17 Objectives began to shift in 2005 when MDBs were encouraged by the

See Hicks, et al., op. cit., for an initial foray into a quantified analytic and a discussion on the metrics involved.

The development portfolios of most MDBs strongly emphasize a bias toward conventional fossil fuel power

generation and infrastructure loans that often worked counter to environmental aims (e.g., the World Bank loaned more

than $2.5 billion for conventional power projects in 2005 compared to $109 million for renewable energy or energy

(continued...)

Congressional Research Service

International Environmental Financing: The Global Environment Facility (GEF)

G-8 leaders to play a more leading role in sustainable development and

environmentally friendly technologies.18 Since this time, MDBs have launched

many new initiatives to address the environment, including efforts to (1) account

for GHG emissions and improve energy efficiency; (2) support renewable

energy; (3) manage forests sustainably; (4) promote carbon finance; and (5) adapt

to climate change.19 GEF programs now find themselves in competition with

many of the new initiatives in MDB portfolios.

•

Increase in New Bilateral, Multilateral, and Private Funding Mechanisms: Many

donor governments perceive that the existing environmental finance system has

not produced satisfactory results.20 In searching for new and effective approaches

to environmental funding, donors have sought options that can be organized

quickly, administered directly, and be demonstrated to produce a more significant

impact on the environment. Many have turned to highly specified multilateral

programs, bilateral or even private sector measures to accomplish these aims, and

no fewer than 15 environmental finance mechanisms have been announced since

2007. GEF is in competition with many of these new initiatives for a share of

environmental funding.21

Internal Challenges for GEF

•

Low Level of Funding by Donor Countries: Donor countries never intended GEF

to cover all the financing needed to achieve developmental objectives. Rather, it

was designed to be a catalyst for additional measures to address global

environmental problems. As such, historical funding provided by donor countries

was never at the level required to produce significant progress in reversing global

threats. This experience has demonstrated that the initial assumptions underlying

GEF—that relatively small amounts of incremental grant financing could

leverage multilateral investment for transformational change—may be flawed.

(...continued)

efficiency). See Gareth Porter, et al., op. cit., for further comments.

See the Gleneagles Plan of Action at the 2005 G-8 Meeting in Gleneagles, Scotland. It should be noted that the

portfolios of many MDBs still retain significant provisions for conventional power and infrastructure projects as

compared to most bilateral environmental aid, albeit with a greater ratio of renewable and efficiency resources than in

the past. See Hicks, et al., op. cit.

For a full analysis of the rise of MDBs in environmental finance, see Smita Nakhooda, Correcting the World’s

Greatest Market Failure: Climate Change and the Multilateral Development Banks, World Resources Institute, 2008.

Statistics confirm these perceptions: as a point of comparison, the success rate for multilaterally funded

environmental projects often pales in comparison to education, health, or infrastructure projects. Only 25% of World

Bank-financed environmental projects during the years 2001-2003 received a “satisfactory” project outcome rating,

compared to 100% for education, 86% for health, and 87% for infrastructure. See Hicks, et al., op. cit., p.6.

Recent initiatives include the Global Climate Change Alliance (GCCA) of the European Commission; the

International Window of the Environmental Transformation Fund (ETF-IW) of the United Kingdom; the Spanish

Millennium Development Goals (MDG) Fund; the Japanese Cool Earth Partnership; the German International Climate

Initiative; the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD) Rainforest Initiative; the Australian Global

Initiative on Forests and Climate (GIFC); the German Life Web Initiative; the World Bank Forest Carbon Partnership

Fund (FCPF); the GEF Tropical Forest Account (TFA); the World Bank Clean Technology Fund (CTF); the GEF-IFC

Earth Fund; the World Bank Strategic Climate Fund (SCF) and Pilot Program for Climate Resilience (PPCR); the

Kyoto Protocol Adaptation Fund; and the Copenhagen Accord Green Fund. For an analysis and overview of these new

programs, see Porter, et al., 2008, op. cit.

Congressional Research Service

International Environmental Financing: The Global Environment Facility (GEF)

•

Limits of Grant-based Instruments: GEF was set up mostly to finance grants.

Grants have proven to be inefficient in many development contexts given the

greater leveraging and enhanced financial sustainability obtained from loanbased instruments. Such loans also provide reflows which can be lent again.

•

Difficulties in Defining “Incremental” and “Additional”: As stipulated in the

“GEF Instrument,” grants cover the “incremental” or “additional” cost of

“transforming a project with national benefits into one with global environmental

benefits.” Incremental cost calculations have also been used as preference in

project selection. Historically, GEF’s implementing agencies have had difficulty

producing a coherent methodology for calculating incremental cost, slowing the

rate of project development. Furthermore, countries continue to argue over the

requirements of additionality (i.e., whether or not the global environmental

elements of a project would have taken place in the absence of GEF funding).

•

Difficulties with Adaptation: GEF was established to finance global

environmental benefits, which has made it difficult to justify GEF financing of

climate change adaptation projects, which moreover provide local benefits.

•

Inefficient Procedures and Legal Status: GEF’s two-layer structure means that all

funding must be approved twice (by GEF and the relevant GEF Agency), leading

to inefficiencies. GEF’s lack of legal status (the trust is held by the World Bank)

prevents it from disbursing funding directly to countries with a one-step approval

process.

•

Slowness of GEF Project Initiation and Implementation: Since its inception, most

note that GEF’s project approval process has been long and complex. A 2006

internal report found a 66-month lapse between entry of a concept into the

project pipeline and its initiation. Significant effort has been exerted to reduce the

duration of the approval process, and the interval currently stands at 16 to 22

months. Bureaucratic structures, work program frequencies, Council

deliberations, and consensus politics have all factored into delays.

•

Lack of Strategic Approach: Historically, GEF has adhered to a project-byproject approach to allocating funds, wherein over 95% of pledges have been

allocated to individual countries and less than 5% have been set aside for

regional or global programs. The dynamic assumes that ongoing negotiations and

incremental adjustments could foster transformational change in economies over

time. While a project-by-project approach has allowed GEF to fulfill the

mandates of many of its conventions, large-scale environmental issues such as

climate change and biodiversity may demand more strategic and programmatic

funding modalities.

•

Unsuccessful History of Leveraging the Private Sector: While GEF has long

recognized a need to mobilize investment resources in the private sector,

successful collaboration may require a degree of experience and commitment that

GEF cannot achieve under its existing structure. The length and uncertainty

inherent in the GEF project cycle may make participation less attractive to the

private sector, and the organization’s emphasis on government entities at the

expense of forming relationships with investors and manufacturers may serve as

a further impediment.

Congressional Research Service

International Environmental Financing: The Global Environment Facility (GEF)

GEF Reforms

GEF 4

During the 2006 Replenishment meetings, GEF worked to address many of its program

deficiencies. The Council aimed to streamline costs and management fees, ensure project quality

upon proposal, and reduce the length of the project pipeline. A Sustainability Compact was

enacted that would oversee several issues, including (1) the shift away from a project-oriented

approach to a strategic and programmatic one; (2) a concentration on financing pre-market

innovation in an attempt to leverage private capital; (3) a heightened dedication to transparency,

accessibility, and equitability; and (4) a renewed focus on country-driven ownership through the

implementation of a Resource Allocation Framework (RAF) wherein funding is determined by a

country’s potential to generate global environmental benefits and its capacity to successfully

implement GEF projects. Further, in 2007, GEF initiated a pilot public-private partnership (PPP)

initiative called the “Earth Fund” to enhance engagement with the private sector. Internal

assessment of these reforms has shown promise.22

GEF 5

Meetings leading up to the Fifth Replenishment of GEF in 2010 saw the development of policy

recommendations along two lines:

1. Enhancing Country Ownership: A key finding in GEF’s recent performance

evaluation was the relationship between country-driven strategic development

and project success rate. Recommendations to strengthen country ownership

include (1) reforming in-country corporate programs to include greater project

portfolio identification and enhanced stakeholder coordination, (2) developing a

more flexible and transparent resource allocation framework, and (3) broadening

access to the GEF partnership to include national development agencies in

developing countries.23

2. Improving the Effectiveness and Efficiency of GEF Partnerships:

Recommendations to strengthen GEF partnerships include (1) enhancing

accountability to the conventions and protocols; (2) streamlining the project cycle

and refining the programmatic approach; (3) enhancing engagement with the

private sector; (4) implementing the results-based management framework; (5)

clarifying the roles and responsibilities of GEF entities, agencies, and

conventions; and (6) enhancing engagement with civil society organizations.

GEF 6

Meetings for the Sixth Replenishment of GEF began on April 3, 2013, and continue on

September 10, 2013. Policy recommendations are currently under development.

See GEF’s “Fourth Overall Performance Study” and “Policy Recommendations for the Fifth Replenishment of the

GEF Trust Fund,” February 12, 2010, p. 4, at http://www.thegef.org/gef/node/2483.

These policy recommendations correspond to those highlighted in the U.S. Budget for Fiscal Year 2011 contributing

to the U.S. pledge increase for the GEF-5 Replenishment, p. 862.

Congressional Research Service

International Environmental Financing: The Global Environment Facility (GEF)

Appendix. Global Environment Facility Trust Fund

Figure A-1. Commitments to GEF Pilot Phase and Replenishments

Congressional Research Service

International Environmental Financing: The Global Environment Facility (GEF)

Congressional Research Service

International Environmental Financing: The Global Environment Facility (GEF)

Congressional Research Service

International Environmental Financing: The Global Environment Facility (GEF)

Congressional Research Service

International Environmental Financing: The Global Environment Facility (GEF)

Congressional Research Service

International Environmental Financing: The Global Environment Facility (GEF)

Congressional Research Service

International Environmental Financing: The Global Environment Facility (GEF)

Congressional Research Service

International Environmental Financing: The Global Environment Facility (GEF)

Congressional Research Service

International Environmental Financing: The Global Environment Facility (GEF)

Source: Instrument for the Establishment of the Restructured Global Environment Facility - March 2008, at

http://www.thegef.org/gef/node/2552.

Congressional Research Service

International Environmental Financing: The Global Environment Facility (GEF)

Source: CRS correspondence with GEF.

Congressional Research Service

International Environmental Financing: The Global Environment Facility (GEF)

Figure A-2. Financial Status of GEF Trust Fund: Summary of Arrears

Source: GEF, “Global Environment Facility Trust Fund Financial Report,” GEF/C.43/Inf.08, September 30, 2012.

Author Contact Information

(name redacted)

Analyst in Environmental Policy

/redacted/@crs.loc.gov, 7-....

Congressional Research Service

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