UNDP South Africa

The GEF Small Grants Programme (SGP) is a programme of the Global Environment Facility (GEF), implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on behalf of the GEF partnership (UNDP, UNEP and the World Bank), and is executed by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS). It is a decentralized and country driven delivery mechanism seeking to support local community initiatives that ensures global impact on environment as well suitable livelihoods. Hosted and implemented by UNDP South Africa, the SGP operates with the guidance from its National Steering Committee (NSC), which is constituted by members from government, UNDP, universities, parastatals as well as civil society organizations.

Since its inception in 2001, the GEF SGP in South Africa has strived to achieve global environmental benefits at the community level through conservation of the environment, promotion of sustainable livelihoods interventions, and empowerment of local communities for self reliance. To achieve its objectives, the SGP SA works in partnership with various local and international stakeholders with interest in the environment and development of rural communities.

Through the GEF, UNDP South Africa supports the Government's plans for the 2010 FIFA World Cup to create long-term sustainable socio-economic benefits for communities. The UNDP/GEF unit and the UNDP corporate HQ Communications Office provides support through its network of sports stars, in particular footballers, to highlight the issue of infrastructure and development. Through identified technical expertise UNDP assists Department of Trade and Industry studies to look at the potential for infrastructure development to contribute to the promotion of sustainable livelihoods and poverty reduction. UNDP has built a strong partnership with DEAT since the lead-up to WSSD in 2002, and will use this partnership and experience to build the outreach platform.

UNDP's work on Energy and Environment is focused on six priority areas:

• Frameworks and strategies for sustainable development
• Effective water governance
• Access to sustainable energy services
• Sustainable land management to combat desertification and land degradation
• Conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity
• National/sectoral policy and planning to control emissions of ODS and POPs

List of Projects in Environment & Sustainable Development

GEF Small Grant Projects