WSDS 2025 Thematic Track: Grassroot Action for Ecosystem Restoration through Implementation of Seventh Operational Phase of the GEF Small Grants Programme in India

The World Sustainable Development Summit (WSDS) 2025, titled ‘Partnerships for Accelerating Sustainable Development and Climate Solutions,’ hosted by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), serves as a vital platform to address critical global environmental challenges, including ecosystem restoration. The UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021–2030) underscores the urgent need to protect and revitalize ecosystems to benefit both people and the planet[1]. Current discussions on ecosystem restoration highlight the role of indigenous species[2], traditional knowledge, community-led initiatives, and social innovation.

Against this backdrop, this knowledge session focuses on the pivotal role of community-led initiatives in advancing ecosystem restoration goals through the Global Environment Facility’s Small Grants Programme (GEF-SGP). Established in 1992, during the Rio Earth Summit, the GEF-SGP epitomizes sustainable development by ‘thinking globally, acting locally’. By providing financial and technical support, the SGP fosters projects that conserve and restore the environment while enhancing livelihoods, demonstrating how community-driven efforts can harmonize human needs with ecological priorities. Over the years, the SGP has proven effective in mobilizing local communities for sustainable environmental outcomes. This session will examine its successes, challenges, and future strategies for amplifying its impact on ecosystem restoration.

Bringing together diverse stakeholders—including policymakers, UN agencies, Regional Advisory Committee members, corporate representatives, the GEF-India team, knowledge partners, SGP grantees, subject experts, media, and civil society—the session aims to facilitate meaningful dialogue, knowledge exchange, and collaboration. By strengthening the impact of SGP interventions, this session seeks to advance sustainable ecosystem restoration efforts in India and beyond, enhancing ecosystem and community resilience while furthering global sustainable development goals.

Objectives of the Knowledge Session

• Highlight the role of grassroots action in ecosystem restoration under the GEF-SGP framework.
• Discuss the outcomes of SGP interventions, under Operational Phase 7 (OP7) and before, across key themes: climate change, biodiversity, and land degradation.
• Identify existing challenges and innovative solutions for scaling up ecosystem restoration efforts.
• Facilitate knowledge exchange among stakeholders, including policymakers, donors, experts, and local NGOs.
• Develop actionable recommendations for improving the effectiveness and sustainability of GEF-SGP initiatives.

[1] FAO. UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration Regional Meeting - Investing in Ecosystem Restoration Towards an Integrated Approach for Ecosystem Restoration and Development Solutions in the Near East and North Africa Countries. Virtual Event, 13/11/2024.https://www.fao.org/neareast/events/details/un-decade-on-ecosystem-restoration-regional-meeting-investing-in-ecosystem-restoration/en.

[2] Pradip Krishen interview: Ecological restoration is more than just planting trees. Scroll. Jan 05, 2025 · 11:30 am. https://scroll.in/article/1077515/pradip-krishen-interview-ecological-restoration-is-more-than-just-planting-trees.