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The Global Environment Facility (GEF) was established in 1991 and provides funding to developing countries and countries with economies in transition for projects related to the focal areas of biodiversity, climate change, international waters, land degradation, the ozone layer, and persistent organic pollutants. The funding comes in the form of grants and concessional funding and covers the incremental or additional costs associated with transforming a project with national benefits into one with global environmental benefits.

A large share of financial resources for climate change is mobilized through the GEF Trust Fund. In addition, the Facility administers two funds under the Convention: Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF) and Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF).

The relationship between the Conference of Parties to the UNFCCC and the GEF as an operating entity of the financial mechanism of the Convention was agreed in a memorandum of understanding (MOU) contained in decision 12/CP.2 and decision 12/CP.3. As outlined in the MOU and pursuant to Article 11.1 of the Convention, the COP provides regular guidance to the GEF, as an entity entrusted with the financial mechanism of the Convention, on policies, programme priorities and eligibility criteria for funding. The MOU also stipulated that the GEF reports annually to the Conference of Parties. In order to meet the requirement of the GEF's accountability to the COP, the annual report of the GEF covers all GEF-financed activities carried out in implementing the Convention, whether such activities are carried out by the GEF Implementing Agencies, the GEF Secretariat or by executing agencies implementing GEF-financed projects.

This module is a joint effort between the secretariats of the UNFCCC and GEF aimed at enhancing accessibility of information on financial flows that have been channeled, mobilized and leveraged by the GEF. The data presented in this module has been extracted from the data provided by the GEF and every effort has been made to insure accuracy and consistency to the extent possible. More detailed and comprehensive information communicated on the provision of financial resources can be found at The GEF Project Database.

The data provided in this module has last been updated in May 2012.

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