The Global Environment Facility (GEF) is the central authority for financing climate and environmental protection measures in developing countries. Switzerland has a seat on the GEF Council. INFRAS supports the Federal Office for the Environment by providing project evaluations.
The Global Environment Facility (GEF) is one of the most important funding mechanisms for global climate and environmental protection. It supports projects and programmes in developing countries. Switzerland occupies one of the 32 seats on the GEF Council. INFRAS supports Switzerland’s GEF Council membership by providing scientifically substantiated project evaluations.
INFRAS’s support mandate
Switzerland’s seat on the Global Environment Facility Council is filled by the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) together with the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). INFRAS’s support mandate tasks for FOEN include the following:
- Evaluating selected programmes and projects at the conceptual stage across the GEF’s five focal areas and various integrated programmes – plus drafting Switzerland’s written submissions
- Isolated commenting and research on project, policy and other documents from the GEF Council
- One-off, targeted submissions on other projects from other environmental funds
INFRAS is supported in these activities by various partner organisations: Zoï Environment Network, SKAT, Andreas Obrecht, Silvaconsult, Natureconsult, the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW) and 4Climate. The support mandate runs from 2022 to 2025.
The Global Environment Facility’s work
The GEF was founded in 1991. Its funding work revolves around the five focal areas of climate change, biodiversity, chemicals and waste, land degradation, and international waters. It has funded more than 5600 projects since it was founded.
The GEF Council meets twice a year, and in particular rules on the Global Environment Facility’s strategic direction and the projects and programmes it will support.
More information
List of project partners
Project team
