Consultations with Civil Society (70th GEF Council)

This CSO Consultation will be forward-looking, building on the consultations with civil society, Indigenous Peoples, local communities, women, and youth groups that the GEF Secretariat has organized and facilitated in GEF-8. The consultation will specifically serve as a follow-up on the TAG discussions on the whole-of-society approach in February 2025, previous CSO Consultations on this topic in May 2025 (Operationalizing the GEF Whole-of-Society Approach: Enhancing Engagement and Support to Civil Society in GEF-9), as well as the successful series "Whole-of-Society Talks," organized by the GEF-CSO Network as open virtual moderated conversations on the whole-of-society approach and GEF-9, engaging senior GEF staff and Council members.  

These consultations will allow the CSO Network and civil society to reflect on discussions leading up to GEF-9 strategy, recommendations generated in the "Whole-of-Society Talks" series and the GEF-9 replenishment programming directions and negotiations to-date. It will provide an opportunity for CSOs to hear about the GEF ambition around the whole-of-society approach and engage in a discussion with GEF leadership and Council members ahead of the third GEF-9 replenishment meeting scheduled in January 2026.  

Background

Evidence shows that engaging civil society, women, youth, Indigenous Peoples, and local communities as environmental leaders is effective and efficient in delivering global environmental benefits. Empowered civil society plays an important role influencing and setting national and global agendas, supporting domestic policy coherence and implementation of multilateral environmental agreements. They generate a sound complement to government and private sector actions while enhancing well-being, livelihoods, and resilience at the community level and beyond.

As the “Whole-of-Society Talks" have emphasized, the whole-of-society approach is not only a principle in text, but should be an engine for real change. Communities facing the climate and biodiversity crises do not have the luxury of waiting for outcomes to trickle down. Across regions, CSOs, Indigenous Peoples, youth, and local communities are leading climate and biodiversity action, yet barriers persist in participation, influence, and finance. Moving from principle to practice means establishing, among other things:

• Clear roles and expectations for CSO engagement across the GEF partnership
• Increased and simplified finance for community-led action
• Accountability to results that matter to people and nature

This consultation is an opportunity for open dialogue between Council members, the GEF CEO, and civil society leaders on what it takes to deliver impact on the ground during GEF-9.

Objectives

• Reflect on progress toward GEF-9, drawing from the "Whole-of-Society Talks," replenishment discussions, and recommendations ahead of the third GEF-9 replenishment meeting
• Identify opportunities to strengthen whole-of-society implementation during GEF-9, including participation, influence, and access to finance and translate inclusion commitments into practice through operational actions across the GEF partnership
• Consider entry points for promoting direct engagement of civil society, Indigenous Peoples, youth, and local communities in GEF project design, monitoring, and decision making

Tentative Agenda