“What we are seeing now is a clear shift: GCF-led investment has more than doubled, there is a stronger focus on system-level resilience, and we are delivering closer to countries. We are positioning GCF as the region’s climate partner of choice—in both ambition and delivery,” Thomas Eriksson said.
At its latest Board meeting, the Fund approved two new projects for Tajikistan and the Kyrgyz Republic worth nearly USD 220 million, including USD 94 million in GCF financing. The projects focus on strengthening climate resilience, improving water security and developing climate-resilient infrastructure.
According to Eriksson, GCF investments in the region have more than doubled since September 2024 following the adoption of the Region-first Approach, which aligns investments more closely with national priorities.
To date, GCF and its partners have reached more than 10 million people across Central Asia and the Caucasus. Their projects have provided access to water for nearly 40,000 people, supported more than 51,000 farmers, installed 550 MW of clean energy capacity and helped avoid more than 3 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions.
One of the Fund’s flagship initiatives is the Glaciers to Farms programme, implemented with the Asian Development Bank. GCF has committed USD 250 million to help countries adapt to accelerating glacier melt, with the programme expected to mobilise more than USD 3 billion in additional investment and directly benefit around 13 million people across nine countries.
In Armenia, a joint GCF-UNDP programme has retrofitted more than 470 buildings, reducing energy consumption by up to 60%, benefiting over 550,000 people and avoiding approximately 32,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions annually.
To strengthen regional delivery, GCF is expanding cooperation with national institutions and financial partners, including the Development Bank of Kazakhstan, and plans to open a regional office in Amman, Jordan, in 2027 to serve Central Asia, the Caucasus and the Middle East.
According to Eriksson, the Fund aims to become the region’s preferred climate finance partner by delivering practical solutions that translate climate finance into tangible improvements in people’s lives.
Remind that the Green Climate Fund (GCF) introduced its regional operating model in late 2024 to improve access to climate finance and accelerate project delivery in developing countries. The Fund’s 45th Board meeting—the first ever held in Central Asia—took place in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, from 29 June to 2 July 2026.
The Board approved 10 new projects totaling USD 369.1 million in GCF funding and USD 700.6 million including co-financing. The portfolio includes the Fund’s first projects in Syria and the Central African Republic, as well as two new projects for Tajikistan and the Kyrgyz Republic focused on climate resilience and water security.
Following these approvals, GCF-led investments in Central Asia reached USD 4.43 billion, including co-financing, while the Fund’s direct investment in the region totals USD 844 million.
https://qazaqgreen.com/en/news/world/3691/