Client: UNIDO
Date: 2023/24
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.
The Project:
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 marginalized 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 organization 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 recognized 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.
Our Role:
The Sustainable Business team at ITPEnergised supported UNIDO in the development and submission of the GEF CEO Endorsement Documentation package for this innovative project.
Outcome:
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)
| Name of the project | Project Proponent / Winner | Countries |
| Inclusive GEF Assembly Challenge Programme in LDCs | ||
| Implementation of nature-based solutions for the rehabilitation, improved management, and protection of Marine Protected Areas | Fondation pour la Protection de la Biodiversité Marine (FoProBiM) | Haiti |
| Youth-led Mangroves and Inland Wetlands Restoration for Regional Climate Adaptation and Resilience | The Kenyan Youth Biodiversity Network (KYBN) | Africa |
| Western Area Peninsula Tree Planting Project | The Environmental Foundation for Africa (EFA) | Sierra Leone |
| Promoting Inclusive led Approaches to Nature-based Solutions Initiatives within the Territories and Areas Managed by Local Communities in Madagascar | Jeunes Actifs pour le Développement Durable Madagascar (JADD Madagascar) | Madagascar |
| Promoting Climate Change Adaptation and Sustainable Energy (Pro-CCASE) in Juba and Magwi Counties | Base Net | South Sudan |
| Strengthening Commitment to Maasai’s Indigenous Knowledge and Culture for Enhanced Climate Resilience in Tanzania (SCMIKC) | Kesho Trust | Tanzania |
| Inclusive GEF Assembly Challenge Programme in Developing Countries | ||
| Women and Girls Coastal Stewardship and Wellness Initiative | Adoptacoastline | Antigua and Barbuda |
| Belize Wildlife Ambassador Programme – One Health Awareness, Wildlife Conflict and Crime Prevention and Mitigation with Wildlife Emergency Response | Belize Wildlife & Referral Clinic (BWRC) | Belize |
| Upscaling Vetiver Systems Technology for Sustainable Farmland Recovery, Resilience and Agri-Heritage Protection in St. Vincent’s North Leeward Volcanic Hazard Zones | Hand2earth | St. Vincent and the Grenadines |
| The PlasticWize Fellowship (PLASTICWIZE 2.0) | U-Recycle Initiative Africa | Nigeria |
| Restoring Rangelands in Kenya’s Southern Rift Valley | Stichting Justdiggit Foundation (Justdiggit) | Kenya |
| Pass it on! The Indigenous-Led Education Global Network as Catalyst of Community Resilience and Youth Empowerment Towards Climate Adaptive Natural Resources Management | Rutu Foundation for Intercultural Multilingual Education (Rutu Foundation) | Global |
| C+216 “Upscaling the C6 Initiative” | Les Amis de CAPTE Tunisie (LACT) | Tunisia |
| Adaptive management to climate and beekeeping in agroforestry coffee production systems to provide additional income to peasant communities led by women in the Municipality of Caranavi | Local Central of Agricultural Cooperatives Caranavi RL (CELCCAR) | Bolivia |
| Community-based reforestation in the Andes Mountains of Colombia with the Pasto indigenous communities, through an innovative and replicable model | HUMY | Colombia |
| Rural youth, entrepreneurship, and empowerment through climate-smart conservation in La Cruz | Asociación Costa Rica por Siempre (Forever Costa Rica, FCR) | Costa Rica |
| Alliance for indigenous forests in the Peruvian Amazon | Asociación para la Investigacion y Desarrollo Integral (AIDER) | Peru |
| Socioeconomic and organizational strengthening of Tagua-collecting communities in Ecuador for the conservation and restoration of ecosystems and biodiversity associated with this species, with actions sensitive to gender and ancestral knowledge | FOREVER LUNG | Ecuador |
| Querétaro Low Emissions Seal, a strategy for landscape regeneration | Grupo Ecológico Sierra Gorda IAP (GESG) | Mexico |
| Citizen science for community empowerment, climate adaptation and locally led environmental monitoring in coastal zones | Songkhla Community Foundation | Thailand |
| Promoting Local Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures (OECMs) Practices in China | Shan Shui Conservation Center | China |
You can download a PDF of this Inclusive GEF Assembly Challenge Programme Case Study here.
