Global leaders gather in Uzbekistan for the 2026 GEF Assembly on environmental action

The Eighth Global Environment Facility (GEF) Assembly will take place in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, from May 30 to June 6, 2026. This high-level gathering occurs every four years and brings together ministers, international leaders, business representatives, civil society groups, and Indigenous Peoples to push forward global environmental action. The Assembly serves as the GEF’s top decision-making body. Its goal is to speed up progress toward worldwide environmental targets through collaboration and policy discussions.

A series of side events will run alongside the main sessions. On June 3 at 17:00, the Onyx Room will host *Panama Setting the global decadal agenda for area-based conservation*. The following day, June 4, two events are scheduled for 12:30: *The Dryland Dividend* in the Emerald Room and *Transforming Food Systems through Regenerative Landscapes* in the Zircon Room. Later that afternoon, at 14:00, the Onyx Room will feature *Regional Cooperation for Connected Landscapes in Central Asia and Eastern Europe under GEF-9*. June 5 will see three final events. At 15:00, the Onyx Room will focus on *South-South and triangular cooperation for biodiversity resilience*, while the Zircon Room will explore *Scaling-Up CSO-led Environmental Solutions*. The Assembly’s closing side event, *Powering transformational conservation and accelerating environmental outcomes*, takes place at 16:30 in the Zircon Room. The full schedule of side events is available for participants and observers.

The GEF Assembly will unite key stakeholders to shape environmental strategies for the coming years. Side events will cover topics from conservation and food systems to regional cooperation and civil society-led solutions. Decisions and discussions from the week are expected to influence global sustainability efforts.