News

Thailand and the Maldives are strengthening efforts towards nutrient pollution under the Clean and Healthy Oceans Integrated Program (CHO-IP), a global initiative advancing ocean protection by addressing marine hypoxia and land-based ocean pollution.

Along Libya’s Mediterranean coastline, marine ecosystems support fisheries, food security and local livelihoods. Yet strengthening Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) requires more than ecological data — it demands inclusive governance, community trust, and gender-responsive approaches.

In the rural community of El Mora in Turrialba, Costa Rica, a long-standing commitment to collective water stewardship has laid the foundation for an innovative transformation. Known for its organised community water system and strong culture of conservation, El Mora is now demonstrating how local leadership can drive regional progress through the UNEP and IADB–led, GEF-funded and Cartagena Convention-executed  CReW+ project.

Lebanon’s Damour region is taking important steps toward a more resilient, climate-smart future through the GEF-funded, UNEP-implemented, UNEP/MAP-executed MedProgramme. With pressures on land, water and coastal ecosystems increasing, stakeholders from across the country recently came together to advance an Integrated Management Plan (IMP) that embraces a holistic source-to-sea vision for the Damour River Basin.

In the heart of central Mali, the village of Diaborki has long lived with uncertainty, shaped by drought, insecurity and dwindling opportunities. But in 2025, a turning point arrived with the UNEP–led, GEF–funded NB-ITTAS project, which selected the village as a pilot site for sustainable groundwater management. What followed is a powerful example of how access to water can restore stability, dignity and economic hope in communities at the frontline of climate impacts.

The health of our oceans depends on strong institutions, informed decision-making and political will. In Mexico, these elements have come together through a UNEP-implemented, ICCF-executed, Global Environment Facility (GEF)-funded initiative that is strengthening ocean governance from the legislative level outward.

Coastal communities in southern Cambodia are strengthening their resilience to climate impacts through innovative, science-based aquaculture solutions supported by the UNEP-implemented, GEF-funded Natural Infrastructure (NI) Cambodia project. As shifting environmental conditions challenge traditional livelihoods, the project is helping local fishery communities diversify income sources while safeguarding the health of vital mangrove ecosystems.

The 7th SADC Groundwater Conference, held in Johannesburg from 19–21 November 2025, brought together regional institutions, policymakers, researchers and young professionals to highlight the significant role of groundwater in climate resilience and water security.

Bangkok, 7 November 2025 – Seven community-based organisations across the East Asian Seas have been awarded a total of USD 350,000 through the SEA Grants program to protect and conserve marine and coastal ecosystems in the South China Sea and Gulf of Thailand.

The ratification of the Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement) by Sri Lanka, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Morocco and Sierra Leone has pushed the total number of supporting countries past the critical threshold of 60, setting in motion the treaty’s entry into force for 17 January 2026. 

Cambodia’s coastal landscape is a mosaic of vital ecosystems: mangroves, coral reefs, seagrass beds, and wetlands. These habitats are the lifeblood of the region, providing food security and livelihoods for millions; protecting them is central to the Strategic Action Programme (SAP) for the South China Sea and Gulf of Thailand Large Marine Ecosystems (LME).

The indigenous communities of Yaxley, San Antonio Segundo, and Yodzonot Nuevo share not only the scenic beauty of Mexico's Caribbean coast, its customs, and way of life, but they have also experienced common challenges in water and sanitation. Paradoxically, water surrounds them; their proximity to the ocean and the Sian Ka'an reserve contrasts with the lack of water for everyday use, a common element of daily life.

As the Mediterranean is celebrating Coast Day, the future of the region is more challenging than ever: rising sea levels and coastal erosion are already affecting many shores, while communities and authorities must also deal with increasing extreme weather events, pollution and biodiversity loss.

Yet one thing is clear: when people understand the risks and feel empowered to act, they become a powerful force for change.

The GEF is part of the financial mechanism to the BBNJ Agreement, supporting the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction.   Ratification of the 60th and 61st countries to the BBNJ Agreement sets into motion its entry to force in 120 days.   The GEF has allocated $34 million for ratification support and implementation activities and is the largest multilateral public funder for oceans, having invested over $2.5 billion since 1992.

On July 24, 2025, an awareness workshop on Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) was held in Gusau, Zamfara State, Nigeria. Bringing together public institutions, technical experts, civil society, and local communities, the event highlighted the urgent need to address the mounting pressures on water resources in the Niger Basin and the Iullemeden-Taoudéni/Tanezrouft Aquifer System (ITTAS).

Once upon a time, in the vibrant lands of Morocco and Lebanon, two nations embarked on an extraordinary journey to protect their precious water resources. Their story is one of innovation, resilience, and unity, overcoming challenges and driving a vision for a sustainable future.

The story of Morocco

The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

The GEF funded Mediterranean Sea Programme (MedProgramme) is more than a collection of projects; it’s a powerful force for change, bringing together countries, partners, and sectors to drive environmental progress.

At the Third Annual Stocktaking Meeting (ASM) in Istanbul, Türkiye, participants gathered to reflect on achievements, share knowledge, and explore new ways to amplify impact under the theme “The MedProgramme: Greater than the Sum of its Parts”.

This week, delegates from around the world will gather in New York City to discuss what has been called one of the most important environmental accords in recent history: the Agreement on Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (

Dar es Salaam, 26 February 2025 – The governments of Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania and Zambia have launched a five-year project to assess and address transboundary threats to the biodiversity of the Lake Tanganyika Basin.

Findings from the new Global Nitrous Oxide Assessment (N₂O) warns that without urgent action on rising N₂O emissions, there is no viable pathway to limiting global warming to 1.5°C, and provides tangible tools to reduce emissions by more than 40% from current levels. The assessment shows that N₂O is currently the most s

A couple of years ago, in the turquoise waters off the coastal village of Mahébourg in Mauritius, a Japanese oil tanker ran aground.  

Floating through the crystal-clear waters off the east coast of Thailand, fisher Sutham Hemmanee spots a large female crab amidst the morning’s haul, its underside swollen with the promise of offspring.  

The Global Environment Facility has approved the first funding related to the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement, an important milestone for ensuring the health and resilience of more than two-thirds of the world’s ocean ecosystems. 

Bahamas, Dominican Republic, Grenada, St. Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines unite to strengthen blue economy and coastal and ocean management through innovative financing mechanisms. 

Coastal and marine resources – coral reefs, mangroves, seagrass beds, tidal marshes, and beaches – are critical economic drivers in the Caribbean. 

The initiative brings together lake and phosphorus management communities, marking a significant step toward establishing a global framework for sustainable phosphorus management. The $2 million initiative will increase clarity on global phosphorus emissions, drivers and impacts through science, data and evidence. Excess nutrient loading into lakes endangers human health, drinking water supplies, and drives biodiversity loss.