GEF-IP Forum 2026 Tackles Future of Global Environmental Financing in Nairobi
The 2026 Forum of the GEF Integrated Programmes provided a space to critically examine the operationalisation of the Integrated Programs (IP). With discussions spanning the full program cycle - from design principles and theories of change to financing, governance, and knowledge management - and considering many topics addressed by the IPs, the forum clarified key opportunities for the future to enhance GEF integrated programming, investment strategies, and practices.
The Forum of the Global Environment Facility Integrated Programmes
The Global Environment Facility (GEF) is the world's largest multilateral fund for the environment, working to address critical planetary issues, meet international environmental goals, and assist developing countries in overcoming their environmental challenges. Over the past 30 years, the GEF has provided more than $27 billion in grants financing.
The first Forum of the GEF Integrated Programmes (GEF-IP Forum) took place from April 13th to 17th in Nairobi Kenya, bringing together agencies, countries and experts involved in the IPs from across regions to exchange experiences, and to reflect on how integrated approaches have been implemented in practice and, overall, how they can be improved to achieve greater impact. Through plenary discussions, interactive exchanges, and learning sessions, participants reflected on progress and evolution achieved under GEF integrated programmes and identified insights to inform ongoing and future GEF programmes from design to implementation. More than 10 years after the first GEF IPs, the forum reinforced the value of the GEF-IP approach and help address the structural barriers that continue to constrain its effectiveness.
"For the first time, the Forum created the space for GEF partners to connect across programmes, sectors, and stakeholders-and to move from isolated Programs to a shared, systemic deep dive. By strengthening these links and sharing practical lessons, the partnership is raising the level of integration needed to deliver more sustainable results and stronger impact at scale." said Pascal Martinez, GEF Secretariat Forests and Wildlife Thematic Lead.
Lessons Learned: Cooperation and Coordination
One important recurring theme was the need to move beyond conceptual alignment toward more deliberate operational coordination across IPs. "While individual programs are generating important results, there remains a lack of systematic linkage across geographies, themes, and agencies," said our website Senior Programme Coordinator, Paula Prist. "Without stronger coordination mechanisms, the potential for cumulative, system-level impact risks being under-realized."
Building upon this, the Forum underscored the need for a more structured coordination across IPs to support the full potential of the IP model. As Integrated Programs increasingly serve as key delivery mechanisms for addressing interconnected challenges, such as deforestation, land degradation, and food systems transformation, their effectiveness depends on stronger interoperability across programs, tools, and institutional arrangements. At present, fragmentation in approaches, data systems, and implementation modalities limits the ability to fully leverage synergies and scale impact. Promoting global coordination platform - such as this Forum - or knowledge hub to consolidate best practices, enable cross-program learning, and promote interoperability would be a critical step toward enhancing coherence, improving efficiency, and reinforcing the strategic positioning of IPs within and beyond the GEF architecture.
Lessons Learned: Sustainable Financing
Another key topic discussed at the Forum was innovative financing. An absence of a sufficiently structured community of practice around sustainable finance within programme framework limits the ability to systematically capture and scale lessons, particularly in relation to blended finance and private sector engagement. In this context, a critical gap that warrants greater attention is the integration of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs) within financing frameworks. Despite their well-documented role as primary stewards and protectors of forest ecosystems, particularly in safeguarding primary forests, where their territories consistently overlap with areas of highest ecological integrity, IPLCs remain underrepresented in financial flows and decision-making processes. Reinforcing their role in primary forest conservation is essential, not only for maintaining biodiversity and carbon stocks, but also for sustaining long-term ecosystem resilience. Strengthening direct access to finance and embedding IPLC-led governance mechanisms are therefore critical steps, not only from an equity perspective, but also for ensuring the effectiveness and durability of interventions in critical forest biomes.
Conclusions
The 2026 GEF-IP Forum reaffirmed that integration is not a static design feature, but an ongoing institutional and operational challenge. Realizing the full potential of the GEF integrated programmes will require, in addition to the interventions on the ground to conserve the ecosystems, sustained investment in coordination, data infrastructure, and knowledge exchange.
