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The Global Environment Facility Council approved in December 2024 an exciting sustainable tourism initiative that will be led by the UN Development Programme (UNDP). The ultimate goal of the iCOAST (Integrated Collaborative Approaches to Sustainable Tourism) program is to reduce pollution of water, soil, and air; reduce emissions of greenhouse gasses; reduce the over-consumption of natural resources, products, and materials; and reverse the tourism sector’s impact on biodiversity loss, while creating equitable livelihoods and jobs for local communities.

Innovative initiative to address barriers preventing transition to a circular economy Program to be launched in Turkey and Western Balkans, with support from GEF and Austria First dedicated regional program for circular economy To address barriers to the transition to a circular economy, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is launching a new program, called the “Circular Economy Regional Initiative,” in Turkey and the Western Balkans.

The Good Practice Briefs were produced by the GEF Secretariat in collaboration with relevant GEF Agencies. Shared at the 57th Council meeting, this pilot series identifies good practice examples from the GEF project portfolio, in line with key GEF2020 strategic priorities and GEF-7 programming directions and policy recommendations. This brief features a project which promoted integrated forest management in Turkey, demonstrating multiple environmental benefits in high conservation value forests in the Mediterranean forest region.

The 55th Global Environment Facility (GEF) Council meeting wrapped up today following the approval of its first work program under its new, four-year investment cycle, known as GEF-7, and a series of decisions that will firm up its implementation policies and procedures.

This publication shows that improving energy efficiency can play an important role in helping countries meet their commitments under the Paris Agreement. The first part of the brochure presents eight case studies of technical assistance projects by UNDP and GEF in energy efficiency in eight countries: Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Romania, Russian Federation, Serbia, Turkey, and Ukraine. The second part presents UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) experiences related to energy efficiency in the region.

By Akif Õzkaldi, Undersecretary & GEF Operational Focal Point, Ministry of Forestry and Water Affairs Turkey both actively works to eliminate the negative impacts of today’s industrialized world on the environment and to conserve its basic components - such as water, air, earth, and flora and fauna - against them. And it attempts to provide substantial contributions to environmental protection, nationally, regionally and globally.