Programme Priorities
Memorandum of understanding between the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Council of the Global Environment Facility 2. Guidance from the Conference of the Parties
2.1 In accordance with Article 21 of the Convention the Conference of the Parties will determine the policy, strategy, programme priorities and eligibility criteria for access to and utilization of financial resources available through the financial mechanism, including monitoring and evaluation on a regular basis of such utilization. GEF, in operating the financial mechanism under the Convention, will finance activities that are in full conformity with the guidance provided to it by the Conference of the Parties. For this purpose, the Conference of the Parties will communicate its guidance, and any revisions to such guidance as it may adopt, on the following matters:
(a) Policy and strategy;
(b) Programme priorities;
(c) Eligibility criteria;
(d) An indicative list of incremental costs;
(e) A list of developed country Parties and other Parties which voluntarily assume the obligations of developed country Parties;
(f) Any other matter relating to Article 21, including periodic determination of the amount of resources needed as detailed in paragraph 5 of this Memorandum.
2.2 The Council will communicate to the Conference of the Parties all relevant information, including information on the projects in the area of biological diversity funded by GEF outside the framework of the financial mechanism of the Convention.
Policy, Strategy and Programme Priorities for Utilizing GEF resources Article 21, paragraph 2: "2. Pursuant to the objectives of this Convention, the Conference of the Parties shall at its first meeting determine the policy, strategy and programme priorities, as well as detailed criteria and guidelines for eligibility for access to and utilization of the financial resources including monitoring and evaluation on a regular basis of such utilization. The Conference of the Parties shall decide on the arrangements to give effect to paragraph 1 above after consultation with the institutional structure entrusted with the operation of the financial mechanism."
Guidance to the financial mechanism, for a specific replenishment period, consists of a consolidated list of programme priorities that defines what to be financed, and an outcome oriented framework of programme priorities related to utilization of GEF resources for biodiversity.
The latest consolidated list of programme priorities is contained in
Decision XIII/21. The fourteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties will adopt additional guidance and the fifteenth meeting will consider a further consolidation of decision elements related to the financial mechanism.
The latest four-year outcome-oriented framework of programme priorities related to utilization of GEF resources for biodiversity during its seventh replenishment period is contained in
Decision XIII/21. The fifteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties will adopt a four-year outcome-oriented framework for the eighth replenishment of the Global Environment Facility Trust Fund.
In accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding, the GEF Council reports on its financed project activities to the ordinary meetings of the Conference of the Parties. The programme and project funding information is thus available from these reports.
CBD/COP/14/8
Financial mechanism: review of effectiveness and preparation for the determination of funds required for the eighth replenishment period Decision 14/23
Financial mechanism Decision 15/15