The GEF Pacific Ridge to Reef Programme:

  • Is a global test case of the GEF aimed at achieving the sustainable development of Pacific SIDS within a truly integrated environmental and natural resource management framework.
  • Is financed via a USD 91 million package of GEF grants and USD 333 million of co-financing from the participating countries and other development partners.
  • Has a goal “to maintain and enhance Pacific Island countries’ ecosystem goods and services (provisioning, regulating, supporting and cultural) through integrated approaches to land, water, forest, biodiversity and coastal resource management that contribute to poverty reduction, sustainable livelihoods and climate resilience.”
  • Supports and addresses national priorities and development needs of 14 Pacific Island Countries while delivering global environmental benefits by focusing on a more cross-cutting approach to water, land and coastal management.
  • Is a GEF multi-focal area programme that guides the coordinated investment of GEF grant funding across its focal areas of biodiversity conservation, land degradation, climate change adaptation and mitigation, sustainable land, sustainable forest management, and international waters in Pacific Small Island Developing States.
  • Is a multi-agency initiative involving the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) as GEF implementing agencies
  • Is provided coordination support by the Pacific Community (SPC), a regional intergovernmental organisation that works with Pacific Nations in a wide range of areas relevant to programme implementation
  • Promotes results-oriented approaches to programme delivery and reporting, including the harmonization of GEF results reporting frameworks with the SAMOA Pathway and the Sustainable Development Goals 
  • Captures and shares examples of best practices and lessons learned to guide the uptake of locally appropriate and effective approaches to the sustainable development of the Pacific’s Small Island Developing States
  • Guides the mainstreaming of gender and culture issues, and the effective engagement of young people, in environmental and natural resource management
  • Is supported in areas of science-based planning, human capital development, policy and strategic planning, results-based management, and knowledge sharing through a regional GEF International Waters project which is executed regionally by the Pacific Community.
  • Has a Programme Coordinating Unit, hosted by the Pacific Community’s Geoscience Division in the Fiji Islands providing technical, operational, reporting and monitoring support as requested by the participating Pacific Island Countries.