Canada welcomes international leaders to Seventh Assembly of the Global Environment Facility
As the world experiences the triple crises of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution, Canada is once again bringing leaders together to take action and build a healthy future for people everywhere.
This week, from August 22 to 26, 2023, Canada is hosting the Seventh Assembly of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) in Vancouver, British Columbia.
The GEF Assembly, which meets every 4 years, is a global body that coordinates financing for international efforts to address climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution, and strains on land and ocean health.
The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of International Development, as chair and co-host of the GEF Assembly, will welcome up to 1,500 participants from Canada and 185 other countries, including environmental leaders, government ministers and representatives of international organizations, Indigenous communities, young people, businesses, academia and civil society.
The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, and the Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of Emergency Preparedness and Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada and Member of Parliament for Vancouver South, will open the GEF Assembly tomorrow evening. They will be joined by members of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations, who will welcome delegates on their traditional, unceded lands.
The opening event, as well as many other parts of the GEF Assembly, will be livestreamed on Global Affairs Canada’s international-development social media accounts.
In keeping with the priorities established at the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP15) to the Convention on Biological Diversity in Montréal, Canada and the GEF are jointly committed to making this assembly as inclusive as possible to ensure that Indigenous Peoples, women, youth, civil society organizations and local communities are engaged in delivering global environmental benefits and building resilience to climate change through inclusive and innovative approaches.