Prof. Saleem Ali Appointed to Global Environment Facility's Science Panel

The world's largest multilateral trust fund for environmental projects, the Global Environment Facility (GEF), has appointed Professor Saleem H. Ali to its Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel (STAP). Ali has a joint appointment as Blue and Gold Distinguished Professor at the Biden School and the College of Earth Ocean and Environment at UD. 

The GEF was established following the Earth Summit in 1992 and is the primary funding mechanism for projects emanating from major environmental treaties including the Convention on Biological Diversity, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Minamata Convention on Mercury, the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, and the Convention on Desertification. 

The STAP is a seven-member expert panel that reviews all GEF proposals over $2 million and provides advice on the scientific viability of projects that are proposed by the 183 contributing member countries of the GEF through 18 lead organizations of the GEF, and the World Bank which also acts as a trustee for GEF funds. 

Professor Ali's portfolio with the panel will focus on climate change mitigation wherein he will also liaise with the Green Climate Fund secretariat on project synergies where appropriate. Since its inception, the GEF has disbursed over $17 billion in environmental program funding and leveraged an additional $90 billion in matching funds.