UNDP and GEF Launch $135M Blue and Green Islands Integrated Programme at SIDS4 Conference

The BGI-IP is among several interconnected programs aiming for systemic transformations aligned with national priorities.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF) have launched the $135 million Blue and Green Islands Integrated Programme (BGI-IP) at the Fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS4). This initiative underscores the critical role of nature and aims to expand nature-based solutions in urban development, food production, and tourism sectors to combat environmental degradation. Targeting fifteen SIDS, the program seeks to foster nature-positive changes from 2024 to 2034, aligning with the Decade of Action.

The BGI-IP will support 15 SIDS selected through a competitive "Expressions of Interest" process, representing all SIDS sub-regions: the Caribbean, the Pacific, and the Atlantic, Indian Ocean, and South China Sea (AIS). The program will provide resources to expand successful local initiatives addressing sustainable agriculture, fisheries, nature-friendly tourism, pollution reduction, and resilience to extreme weather events. Key partners include UNEP, FAO, the World Bank, WWF-US, IUCN, and UNCCD, among others, supporting sustainable economic diversification and job creation.

"SIDS are on the frontlines of climate change and nature loss as they face harsh realities of sea level rise, more unpredictable weather patterns, and degraded ecosystems, yet their unique situation also means that they are also driving forward a remarkable range of innovative and interconnected solutions," said Achim Steiner, UNDP Administrator. "With the invaluable support of the Global Environment Facility, the Blue and Green Islands Programme will scale up nature-based solutions in the food, tourism, and urban sectors, improving the daily lives of people in small islands and helping to revive the health of our natural world."

Carlos Manuel Rodríguez, GEF CEO and Chairperson, added, “Nowhere is the connection between a strong economy, a healthy environment, and healthy people clearer than in the SIDS. Given their unique vulnerabilities, SIDS are the best incubators of innovation for sustainable development with initiatives that can have a substantial impact on the planet and the people.”

The 15 selected SIDS are Belize, Cape Verde, Comoros, Cuba, Maldives, Mauritius, Micronesia, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Saint Lucia, Samoa, Seychelles, Timor Leste, Trinidad & Tobago, and Vanuatu.

The BGI-IP is among several interconnected programs aiming for systemic transformations aligned with national priorities. The GEF's investment strategy tackles drivers of environmental degradation and addresses systemic threats related to cities, food systems, plastics, and forest land use. The program's coordination platform will offer technical support and enhance national-level capacity for integrated solutions, leveraging external funding for impactful outcomes across multiple scales.

Aligned with the Antigua & Barbuda Agenda for SIDS (ABAS) and the Decade of Action, the BGI-IP aims to address key barriers and shift levers to transform ecosystem protection and management in SIDS, generating significant global environmental benefits over time.