The National Park Service (NPS) has unveiled Nigeria’s first National Elephant Action Plan for 10 years (2024 to 2034) in collaboration with Elephant Protection Initiative (EPI).
A camera trap photo of an African Forest Elephant at the Omo Forest in Ogun State, Nigeria. Photo credit: World Conservation Society (WCS) Nigeria
Dr Ibrahim Goni, Conservator-General, NPS, who disclosed this in a statement on Monday, December 23, in Abuja,
He said that the service unveiled the plan in collaboration with Elephant Protection Initiative.
Goni said that the service equally inaugurated several conservation initiatives adding that 25 African Grey Parrots were rescued from wildlife traders and released back into the wild in Cross River.
He said that the initiatives had resulted in 621 arrests, with 466 prosecutions and 94 warnings issued.
The conservator-general said the significant increase in arrests and prosecutions demonstrated the service’s dedication and renewed effort to combat wildlife crime.
He expressed satisfaction over partnerships with governmental, non-profit and international organisations which had enhanced anti-poaching efforts.
Goni said that 161 hectares of degraded lands were replanted and maintained across the National Parks under the Green Bond initiative.
He said that the service, in 2024, expanded its reach with the takeover of three Forest Reserves as National Parks.
“The new National Parks are Hadejia Wetlands, Oba-Hills and Marhai National Parks in Jigawa, Osun and Nasarawa states respectively.’’
The conservator-general said the achievements of the service in 2024 had demonstrated its commitment to conservation, protection and community engagement.
He said the service had enhanced its anti-poaching efforts through the deployment of high-tech equipment such as drones, SMARTS, Power-chute and GSM technology.
Goni said a number of the partnerships had facilitated donations from organisations such as the Nigerian Conservation Foundation and United Nations Office on Drug Crime (UNODC).
“We also have donations also from Sustainability and Conservation Education for Rural Areas (SCERA) and ACReSAL, supporting the service with essential equipment, training and funding.’’
The conservator-general said that the service prioritised training and capacity building, with 100 park rangers receiving tactical operations and counter-terrorism training in collaboration with the Nigeria Army.
“Furthermore, 30 forest guards from the Federal Capital Territory Forestry Department were trained in forest resources conservation and protection by the service.’’
He said that, despite the achievements, the service also faced some security challenges occasioned by banditry and terrorism.
Goni said that some other challenges confronting the service were inadequate anti-poaching, patrol equipment such as vehicles, inadequate arms and ammunition, the vulnerability of protected areas around the National Parks, among others.
He commended the support the service enjoyed from the media and expressed hope that such robust relationship would be strengthened and sustained subsequently.
The Nigerian Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) has reaffirmed its commitment to improving water resource management through strategic policies and programmes.
NIHSA’s Director General, Mr Umar Mohammed
The agency’s Director-General, Umar Mohammed, made this commitment at a workshop on Monday, December 23, 2024, in Abuja.
The workshop was to validate the draft regional Strategic Action Plan (SAP) for the Niger Basin and the Iullemeden-Taoudeni/Tanezrouft Aquifer Systems (NB-ITTAS).
Mohammed stated the workshop’s importance in educating stakeholders about improving the management, governance, conservation, and protection of water resources.
“Strengthening water resource management frameworks and institutions in the region will significantly enhance the livelihoods of citizens,” he said.
The NIHSA D-G emphasised the need to boost water resource availability by improving groundwater recharge systems and enhancing existing groundwater extraction facilities.
He also stressed the importance of raising awareness among local stakeholders and building their capacity for the sustainable management and protection of water resources.
“It is essential to ensure that local stakeholders are informed about these issues and equipped to improve water resource management and protection.
“Water resources must be managed efficiently and adaptively by implementing economically viable agricultural practices resilient to climate change,” Muhammed said.
He further said that NIHSA’s capacity was being strengthened for effective quantitative and qualitative monitoring of the region’s water resources.
Prof. Tiegaan Amada, Regional Consultant for the NB-ITTAS Strategic Action Plan, said that the workshop aimed to identify and address gaps in existing water resource policies.
He said that the initiative integrated the management of surface water, groundwater, and related ecosystems to improve water security for the population.
“By analysing policy gaps, this initiative creates an opportunity to introduce strategies that promote the joint management of surface and groundwater resources and associated ecosystems,” Amada said.
The Director of Hydrogeophysics at NIHSA, Mr Stephen Jabo, announced plans to establish an institutional body to manage the shared water resources of the participating countries.
Jabo highlighted the importance of regional collaboration, especially in the Sahelian regions where water scarcity is a critical issue.
“A mechanism will be established to govern and manage shared water resources, encompassing both surface and groundwater systems.
“For Sahelian regions facing acute water scarcity, it is vital for the countries involved to collaborate effectively to manage these limited resources,” he said.
He identified six participating countries; Nigeria, Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, Benin, and Mauritania, that are expected to foster regional cooperation for the NB-ITTAS Aquifer System.
Jabo said that each country was dedicated to building a strong knowledge base for shared water resources.
He said that they were also establishing governance frameworks to ensure equitable and sustainable management for current and future generations.
“This workshop aims to facilitate collective commitment among these nations to equitable sharing and sustainable management of joint water resources, benefiting both current and future generations,” he said.
The Federal Capital Territory Emergency Management Department (FEMD) says it has saved 3,500 lives from different emergencies as of Dec. 23, 2024, while eight others lost their lives.
A total of 105 persons were rescued from building collapse while four fatalities were recorded
The acting Director-General (D-G) of the department, Mr. Abdulrahman Mohammed, disclosed this at the 2024 end-of-year media briefing, in Abuja on Monday, December 23.
Mohammed said that the people were saved through 165 emergency calls on the department’s 112 emergency toll-free line.
He identified the major emergencies in the year as building collapse, fire outbreaks, flood, earth tremors, and suicide attempt.
He said that, out of the figure, 75 lives were rescued from various flood disasters while one life was lost to flood at Ungwan Hakimi, Orozo, in Abuja Municipal Area Council.
He added that a total of 105 persons were rescued from building collapse while four fatalities were recorded.
The acting D-G also said that 1,230 persons were rescued from various fire outbreaks with no life lost within the year under review.
He also said that 89 persons were rescued by the department from road crashes while persons lost their lives.
“FEMD equally responded to reported earth tremor in Mpape, Katampe, and some parts of Maitama Extension, where over 2000 residents were traumatised.
“The department with support form the Nigeria Police also prevented a suicide attempt by a youth on a mast at the top of Katampe Hill,” he said.
On provisions of relief materials, Mohammed further said that the department, in collaboration with the National Emergency Management Agency, had equally distributed food items to more than 200 persons living with disabilities in FCT within the year.
He added that FEMD, in collaboration with NEAR Foundation, equally distributed Ramadan food packages to 150 Internally Displaced Persons in Kabusa and persons affected by disaster in Dutse, Bwari Area council.
“We also distributed hospital equipment to Kuje District Hospital and donated school beds to the Government Secondary School in Kuje,” he added.
The FEMD boss, however, said that in spite of the successes recorded in the outgoing year, several challenges such as obsolete equipment, limited office space, security and inadequate funding hampered the activities of the department.
Benin City-based Environmental Defenders Network (EDEN) has congratulated a member of its Board, Chief Constance Meju, on receiving multiple awards for her work and meaningful contribution to the environment, gender justice and electoral integrity.
Chief Constance Meju
Chief Meju, who is also the co-publisher and managing editor of National Point Newspaper, received the WRAPA award for Improving Electoral Integrity and Accountability Project Merit Award for, “Outstanding efforts in promoting Gender Equality and Social Inclusion in the Media Space and Community” in November.
Her recent award was the Eco-Defenders Award presented by Kebetkache Women Development and Resource Centre, in recognition of her services to protect the environment, fostering solutions to climate change.
Capping the awards, on Thursday, December 12, 2024, the managing editor received The Defender of the Environment Award from the publishers of The Environment Outreach Magazine.
An NGO in the Niger Delta, the Stakeholder Democracy Network (SDN) had while celebrating its 20th anniversary, in March 2024 honoured her with a Long Service Partnership Award for her, “contributions that have significantly enriched our journey together, and we are deeply grateful for your enduring loyalty.”
Executive Director of EDEN, Chima Williams, commended Chief Constance for another milestone conquered in her career and life, stressing that the award is well deserved, due to her courageous impact on upholding environmental justice in the Niger Delta, through her reportage and genuine commitment to building a better society.
“These awards and recognition depict her commitment to the need for development and positive change in the society, with an exemplified passion worth emulating. The entire staff and board of EDEN is felicitating with Chief Constance Meju for her exceptional work in the media, promoting social and environmental justice across board,” said Williams.
Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) crops are healthier to eat, in many cases than non-GMO crops, says Prof. Sylvia Uzochukwu, President of Biotechnology Society of Nigeria (BSN).
GMOs
Uzochukwu said this in an interview in Abuja on Monday, December 23, 2024.
GMO is a plant, animal, or microbe in which one or more changes have been made to their genetic makeup, using genetic engineering.
According to the professor of Food Science and Biotechnology, the technology protects crops from pest damage, which encourages the growth of moulds that produce mycotoxins in food that directly cause cancer.
“The technology is also deployed to remove or reduce toxins and allergens from food for better health.
“It is also used to protect biodiversity and the environment,’’ Uzochukwu said.
Quoting statistics from the World Food Programme (WFP) 2024, Uzochuckwu pointed out that the number of food-insecure Nigerians increased significantly from 66.2 million in the first quarter of 2023 to 100 million in the second quarter of 2024.
She noted that 18.6 million people faced acute hunger, while 43.7 million Nigerians showed crisis-level or above crisis-level hunger coping strategies as of March 2024.
“Genetically modified crops have the potential to increase agricultural productivity on existing arable land and address issues of loss related to pests, disease and drought.
“It can increase access to food through income gains, raise nutrition levels, and promote sustainable agriculture.
“The technology is one of the most important ones available that can reverse food insecurity in Nigeria, when correctly deployed,’’ Uzochukwu said.
According to her, GMO technology is an attempt to alter the characteristics of the organism, adding that the process may be used for a variety of purposes.
She listed some of the purposes to include making drugs like human insulin for managing diabetes, producing fermented beverages, developing pest and drought-resistant crops, amongst others.
Uzochukwu said GMO technology could also be used to improve nutrients in crops and increase yields.
The Federal Government of Nigeria has lifted the ban on mining activities in Zamfara, after five years of its suspension.
L-R: Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Solid Minerals Development (MSMD), Dr. Mary Ogbe; Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake; and Director, Mines Inspectorate, Engr. Ganiyu Imam, during the press briefing announcing the lifting of ban on mining exploration activities in Zamfara State, in Dec. 22, 2024
Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake, disclosed this on Sunday, December 22, 2024, in Abuja.
Alake said the move was made following significant improvement on the security situation in the state.
The Federal Government banned all forms of mining activities in Zamfara in 2019, following alarming reports of banditry and its link to illegal mining.
Alake said that insecurity in the state had been reduced to a manageable level to facilitate the operation of legitimate mining activities.
He said that reversing the ban would support efforts to boost the country’s economic profile, particularly as the state possessed critical minerals in commercial quantities needed for energy transition.
“The nation has a lot to gain from reawakened economic activities in a highly mineralised state like Zamfara that is imbued with vast Gold, Lithium, and Copper belts,” he said.
The minister explained that the ban had created a vacuum, which was exploited by illegal miners to rob the nation of its resources.
“The concomitant result was the colossal loss of revenue to the affected communities, local government, the state and the Federal Government as legitimate owners were forced to shut down operations,” he explained.
According to Alake, President Bola Tinubu is determined to address insecurity in the country by deploying intelligence-gathering and other security operations to neutralise merchants of insecurity
He stated that Tinubu’s strategy had led to the neutralisation of key bandit commanders, thereby significantly reducing incidents of insecurity across the nation.
“A recent success was the capture of one of the most wanted bandit commanders, Halilu Sububu, in a covert operation in Zamfara.”
According to him, government is responsible for protecting lives and property, and contingency plans have already been made to protect mining operators in Zamfara and other states.
He further explained that the strategies adopted to achieve the feat were increased intelligence gathering by relevant security agencies, who would work alongside the mining operators.
The minister stated that lifting of the ban would also facilitate better regulation of mining activities in the state.
He added that the host communities would also benefit from the ban lift through the implementation of corporate social responsibility projects by the mining companies.
According to him, the move will ensure the country benefits from the state’s rich mineral resources, and the significant contributions of the sector to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product.
In another development, the minister explained the provisions of its Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with France, on boosting mining in the country.
He reassured that the agreement does not imply Nigeria was relinquishing control over its mineral resources or entering into any military pact with France.
The minister on Dec. 1 announced the signing of an MoU with France to develop joint projects to promote and diversify the value chain of the critical minerals in the solid minerals sector of both countries.
The partnership is also to open opportunity for the remediation of more than 2,000 abandoned pits in the country through environmental rehabilitation and post-mining projects intervention plans.
“The high point of the MOU is on training and capacity building for our mining professionals.
“We need all the assistance we can get in terms of capacity, technical, and financial support from abroad, and that wasn’t even the first we are signing,” he said.
The Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) says the active participation of Ogoni stakeholders is fundamental to the success of the remediation project.
Prof. Nenibarini Zabbey, Project Coordinator, HYPREP, addressing a stakeholders engagement forum
Prof. Nenibarini Zabbey, Project Coordinator, HYPREP, communicated this in a statement made available on Sunday, December 22, 2024, in Abuja.
Zabbey said HYPREP had organised an engagement forum with Ogoni key stakeholders in Port Harcourt and presented its scorecard.
He commended the stakeholders for their support for HYPREP while seeking continuous collaboration for the project’ completion.
”HYPREP cannot succeed in isolation; the active participation of Ogoni communities, traditional institutions and all other parties in a constructive manner is fundamental to the success of this transformative initiative.”
He said that the project had performed well in some areas with a 75 per cent completion of restoration of 560 hectares of oil-degraded mangroves.
“More than 1 million mangroves were planted; 20 per cent completion rate recorded for shoreline remediation while substantial advancement has been recorded in the land remediation.
“Similarly, there were interventions in soil and ground water and also the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration (CEER) hit 70 per cent completion.
“The Ogoni Specialist Hospital, Buan Cottage Hospital and the Ogoni Power Project are all progressing steadily.’’
Zabbey said that following the remediation of land and shorelines, more areas were being freed up for farming, fishing and other productive uses.
He said that the project was in talks with the African Development Bank to establish an agro-processing hub in Ogoni.
Zabbey said that HYPREP recognised the importance of access to sustainable clean water in enhancing public health and well-being and reaffirmed the project’s commitment to sustaining these interventions.
According to him, alongside the other water schemes in the Phase 1 contracts, the project is embarking on another 14 schemes that will cover more than 68 Ogoni communities.
“Two water stations have been commissioned in Bomu and Kporghor in Gokana and Tai Local Government Areas respectively.’’
He said that the project had created a Technical Coordination Committee, Remediation Documentation Review Committee and Milestones Committee with members drawn from post-UNEP consultants, Shell Petroleum Development Company and Civil Society Organisations.
“We achieve value for money and sustain stakeholders’ confidence in our ability to deliver on our mandate, address bottlenecks and interventions as well as meeting high standards of impact and sustainability,” Zabbey said.
He said the project had created more than 7,000 both direct and indirect jobs and prioritised human capacity development as evident in the training of 5000 youths and women in 20 skill sets and other strategic workshops.
The project coordinator said that HYPREP’s achievements underscored Federal Government’s commitment to restoring Ogoniland in order to sustain development in the area.
The C2Rest Study Nigeria has concluded plans to start medical research to understand the impact of climate change on the respiratory health of people living in grassroots communities using some selected locations in Lagos and Ogun states as a case in study.
Participants at the workshop organised by C2Rest Study on Community Engagement in Climate Change and Respiratory Health, in Ogun State
Dr. Obianuju Ozoh, Principal Investigator, C2Rest Study Nigeria, made the disclosure in her speech at the workshop on “Community Engagement on Climate Change and Respiratory Health” which held in Atan-Ota Area of Ogun State from December 20 to 21, 2024.
Ozoh, who is an Associate Professor of Medicine at the College of Medicine, University of Lagos, and a Consultant Pulmonologist at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, disclosed: “The purpose of this workshop is to engage the community because we are planning to embark on the study where we are going to assess the health impacts of climate change, on the respiratory health of the members of this community and, to do this, we understand that it we can’t just come and begin to assess their health without them understanding the impact of climate change, what they are doing to contribute to climate change and how to also empower them to understand ways they can mitigate the impact of climate change. The session has been a very interactive session because the community members also have their ideas and understand some of the things that they are doing that are impacting climate change and they also have solutions and suggestions on how things can be better.”
According to her, “This study is not just to engage the community going forward. Starting from January 2025, we’re going to engage on a longitudinal study in which we are going to measure the health impact of climate change. We are going to place monitors in the community that will measure the air quality because we know that air quality is an effect of climate change and poor air quality attacks the health. So we measure the air quality and the community, and then we will take the community members and follow them up over a period of time to see how this air quality is impacting their respiratory health.
“In particular, we are focusing on the respiratory health because we know that when it comes to air pollution and air quality, the first contact is through the nostrils because we breathe it in. So, our lungs and our respiratory system is the first part of the body to be exposed to air pollution, so that’s why this study is focused on respiratory health.
“This is a three-year project. We just started in 2024, and we’re hoping to continue to work on this up to 2027. And by then we’ll be able to have some results. With these results were going to come back to the community. So, this is not the end of our engagement with the community when we get the results in the next 18 months or so. We hope to come back to the community to share this result with them, we will tell them what the air quality in their environment is. We also want to tell them how it’s affecting their health with that information. They are empowered and are able to go back to their leaders and able to engage them to be able to demand for good air quality,” Dr. Ozoh stated.
In her remarks, Dr. Tolu Babatope highlighted the need to engage the residents of the community on the negative health impact of climate change.
Dr. Babatope, a medical doctor with Lagos State Ministry of Health, is of the opinion that “we want the communities to understand the role that they play in this issue of air pollution. For instance, when people burn refuse and then cook with their materials like charcoal and firewood, these contributes to the air pollution. We want the people in the community to know that they also have a role to play in ensuring that they keep the air that they breathe in clean.
“And there is need for us to talk to government about the issue of air pollution but, before we go ahead and talk about, we need to present the government with adequate evidence. That’s the essence of this community engagement.
In her submission, Ms. Titilope Akosa, Executive Director, Centre for 21st Century Issues, said: “We are collaborating with C2Rest on this research work on climate change and respiratory health in Nigeria in order to ensure provision of good quality air for people of the grassroots.”
On why the choice of Sango and Atan Ota in Ado-Odo Ota Local Government Area of Ogun State, Ms. Akosa said: “The choice of this location is because it’s a community and that we believe that it is at the local community that we understand the sources of pollution in the air. Also, there are several communities that will have gone, but we wanted to look at these communities because of the large concentration of commercial activities there.
“Our engagement with these communities has opened our eyes to different sources of air pollution in the community apart from the one that is caused by climate change. There is also an understanding of what climate change is all about and how pollution in terms of emission from different activities in the community can contribute to climate change and how that also affected respiratory diseases among the people.”
Oluwafemi Abe, Lead Project Facilitator with C21st Issues, explained further that, starting from January 2025, Purple Air – a device used in monitoring air quality – will be donated to the communities, to help in the conduct of the research.
Babatunde Owolewa, speaking on behalf of the residents of Ipamesan Community in Ado-Odo Ota Local Government, is full of praise for the facilitator of the programme because, according to him, it affords the residents of the community an opportunity to understand the health implication of air pollution.
He said: “We now know better, and we will be able to relate the message of this workshop to everybody in this community like desisting from the act of refuse burning, inhaling fumes from the generator and others which could damage their lungs.”
The C2Rest Study is led by researchers from Nigeria and United Kingdom with Principal Investigators from Teeside University and the University of Lagos.
The Global Biodiversity Framework Fund (GBFF) has approved $2.7 million for project preparation grants and set aside $91.2 million for 18 new projects in 17 countries, including nine Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS). The resources are expected to leverage $319.3 million in co-financing.
Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. The grants will fund development of projects on the KMGBF in the country
The grants will fund the development of projects on the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF) in Bolivia, Botswana, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cote d’Ivoire, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ethiopia, Honduras, India, Iraq, Lao PDR, Madagascar, Nepal, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and Tanzania.
The new projects to be developed cover a broad range of initiatives to support the KMGBF targets. In Colombia, a project will be dedicated to the conservation, sustainable use, and restoration of mangroves on the Pacific coast of Colombia with a focus on empowering Afro-Colombian Communities that manage 90% of these mangroves through collective land tenure.
In India, the CONSERVE project aims to strengthen the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan implementation through integrated spatial planning, community co-management approaches, and innovative financing instruments. The project in Botswana is to accelerate progress on KMGBF targets through biodiversity mainstreaming in the financial sector.
Among the projects to be developed in LDCs and SIDS, the GBFF is to support the long-term sustainability of Locally Managed Marine Areas and targeted conservation actions in protected areas covering Key Biodiversity Areas in Madagascar. Another project is to contribute to empowering Indigenous Peoples and local communities (IPLCs) of Papua New Guinea for the conservation and sustainable use of critical ecosystems spanning some 700,000 hectares.
With the new round, the GBFF has approved or set aside in 2024 a total of $202 million for 40 projects in 41 countries. To date, 36% of the total resources have been programed for LDCs and SIDS; 31% to support actions by IPLCs for the conservation, sustainable use, restoration, and management of biodiversity; and 20% have been programed through International Financial Institutions that are GEF agencies.
“The GBFF complements the substantial GEF Trust Fund investments in biodiversity and is a quick and effective way for supporting our efforts towards the Global Biodiversity Framework targets set for the next six years,” GEF CEO and Chairperson, Carlos Manuel Rodríguez, said during the 3rd GBFF Council meeting. “These projects, in combination with other GEF projects, are crucial to accelerate the achievement of vital international biodiversity goals meant to halt and reverse nature loss.”
The new preparation grants include projects involving eight GEF implementing agencies: the Development Bank of South Africa, the Development Bank of Latin America-CAF, the Food and Agriculture Organisation, the International Fund for Agricultural Development, the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the United Nations Development Programme, the World Bank, and World Wildlife Fund-US.
The GBFF is hosted by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and, so far, it has received contributions from 12 governments: Austria, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Japan, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Norway, Province of Québec, Spain, and the United Kingdom.
Representatives of Global Environment Facility (GEF) member states have approved $106.21 million in funding for urgently needed climate adaptation action in Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States.
Carlos Manuel Rodríguez, GEF CEO and Chairman, attending the 68th Meeting of the GEF Council (that held virtually) on December 20, 2024
Spanning 20 countries, the 11 newly announced projects and programmes will support governments to achieve national climate adaptation priorities, from upscaling nature-based solutions to build resilient rural livelihoods, to enabling climate-proof infrastructure and basic services in urban centres.
The latest announcement comes in the context of a renewed global commitment to financing climate adaptation, with COP29 in Baku seeing governments agree to triple annual outflows from multilateral funds including the LDCF and SCCF by 2030.
New donor funding announced during last week’s LDCF/SCCF Council meeting included a pledge of 2,269,680 euros to the LDCF from the Walloon Region of Belgium, an additional contribution of 15 million euros to the LDCF and a pledge of an additional 20 million euros to the SCCF from Germany, a contribution of 130 million Swedish kronor to the LDCF from Sweden, and a pledge of 10 million British pounds to the SCCF from the United Kingdom.
Newly approved LDCF initiatives include efforts to secure agricultural productivity and water resources in Sub-Saharan Africa, including projects in Benin, The Gambia, Ghana, Nigeria, Tanzania, Togo, and Uganda. In conflict-affected Yemen, LDCF funding will support climate-smart agriculture to build resilience for farming families across 21 of the country’s most vulnerable districts.
Scaling up GEF investments in the Pacific, SCCF projects will catalyse multilateral development bank funding in Fiji, Micronesia, and Nauru, reducing disaster risks through implementing multi-hazard early warning systems and climate proofing water and coastal infrastructure.
GEF CEO and Chairperson, Carlos Manuel Rodríguez, said that the support provided through the LDCF and SCCF to Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States was a vital element in enabling action on the frontlines of the climate crisis.
“In these countries, climate-induced disasters threaten not only lives, but livelihoods, and development progress,” Rodríguez said. “I am grateful that the international community continues to see the value in these funds, and to share our trust in their ability to meet the adaptation needs of the world’s most climate-vulnerable populations.”
The latest programming brings GEF adaptation investments to over $620.7 million in grants in the current GEF-8 funding cycle, complemented by over $2 billion in co-finance.
