Global Environment Facility - Structure

Structure

The GEF Assembly is the governing body of the GEF in which representatives of all member countries participate. It meets every three to four years, and is responsible for reviewing and evaluating the GEF's general policies, the operation of the GEF, and its membership. The Assembly is also responsible for considering and approving proposed amendments to the GEF Instrument, the document that established the GEF and set the rules by which the GEF operates.

Ministers and high-level government delegations of all GEF member countries take part in the meetings. The Assembly combines plenary meetings and high-level panels, exhibits, side events and GEF project site visits. Prominent environmentalists, parliamentarians, business leaders, scientists, and NGO leaders discuss global environmental challenges within the context of sustainable development and other international development goals.

The GEF Council is the main governing body of the GEF. It functions as an independent board of directors, with primary responsibility for developing, adopting, and evaluating GEF programs. Council members representing 32 constituencies (16 from developing countries, 14 from developed countries, and two from countries with transitional economies) meet twice each year for three days and also conduct business by mail. All decisions are by consensus. Council meetings are attended regularly by civil society organizations.

• List of GEF Constituencies, Council Members & Alternates
• Council Meetings & Documents
• Rules of Procedure for the GEF Council

The GEF Secretariat is based in Washington, D.C., and reports directly to the GEF Council and Assembly, ensuring that their decisions are translated into effective actions. The secretariat coordinates the formulation of projects included in the work programs, oversees its implementation, and makes certain that operational strategy and policies are followed.

The GEF CEO and Chairperson Dr. Naoko Ishii heads the Secretariat.

An independent GEF Evaluation Office is also located in Washington, D.C., and reports directly to the GEF Council. Its goal is to improve accountability of GEF projects and programs and to promote learning, feedback, and knowledge sharing.

The Office has responsibilities in three main areas: 1. Evaluation – independently evaluating the effectiveness of GEF projects and programs 2. Norms – establishing monitoring and evaluation standards 3. Oversight - providing quality control for monitoring and evaluation by Implementing and Executing Agencies of GEF projects and programs.

GEF Agencies are responsible for creating project proposals and for managing GEF projects. GEF Agencies play key roles in managing GEF projects on the ground. More specifically GEF Agencies assist eligible governments and NGOs in the development, implementation, and management of GEF projects.

GEF Agencies are requested to focus their involvement in GEF project activities within their respective comparative advantages. In specific cases of integrated projects that include components where the expertise and experience of a GEF agency is lacking or weak, the agency is invited to partner with another agency and to establish clear complementary roles so that all aspects of the project can be well managed (GEF Instrument, Paragraph 28). The list below describes 10 GEF agencies that currently operating and their comparative advantage specifically related to adaptation to climate change:

• United Nations Development Programme
• United Nations Environment Programme
• World Bank
• Food and Agriculture Organization
• Inter-American Development Bank
• United Nations Industrial Development Organization
• Asian Development Bank
• African Development Bank
• European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
• International Fund for Agricultural Development