Introduction   The Global Environment Facility (GEF) is a unique international entity. Its mission, governance, management and internal procedures constitute innovative responses to the spirit and mandate of the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. The GEF’s mission is the protection of the global environment. It forges international cooperation and finances actions to address six critical threats to the global environment: biodiversity loss, climate change, degradation of international waters, ozone depletion, land degradation, and persistent organic pollutants (POPs).   The GEF Small Grants Programme GEF SGP is implemented by the UNDP on behalf of the three implementing agencies of the GEF_ UNDP, World Bank and UNEP_ and is executed by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS).   Launched in 1992, GEF SGP is rooted in the belief that global environmental problems can best be addressed if local people are involved and direct community benefits and ownership are generated.   In twelve years of operation, SGP has worked with thousands of community-based organizations (CBOs) and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in close to a 100 countries in five world regions: Africa, Asia/ Pacific, Arab States, Europe/CIS and Latin America/Caribbean.   In partnership with these local organizations, SGP has demonstrated that even with small amounts of funding, local communities can undertake activities that will make a significant difference in their lives and environments- and contribute to global environmental benefits at the same time- in contrast with top-down, expert-dependent development interventions.   Since its inception, SGP has operated in a decentralized, democratic, transparent, and country-driven manner, through National Coordinators and National Steering Committees.   SGP grant-making, guided by Country Programme Strategies developed on the basis of a global Strategic Framework in tandem with national environmental priorities, has funded close to 6,000 projects worldwide.   The Programme has paid special attention to local and indigenous communities and gender concerns, and aimed for the replication and sustainability of its initiatives.   As such, the programme has influenced national policies and donor agendas by increasing awareness of global environmental issues and communicating lessons learned, including best practices from community-based experiences.     The programme is managed globally by a small team comprising the Central Programme Management Team (CPMT) in New York.   On the country level, National Coordinators (NCs), Programme Assistants (PAs) and National Steering Committees (NSCs) representing the government, the UNDP Country Office, and the civil society manage country programmes and ensure that participatory, democratic, and transparent procedures are established and practiced in accordance with the GEF SGP strategies and guidelines.