To support the first GCF formal replenishment, the Fund appointed Johannes F. Linn, a renowned development economist and practitioner, as a global facilitator to help oversee and streamline the replenishment process. Mr. Linn is currently serving as a Senior Fellow of the Global Economy and Development program at the Brookings Institution and is a former Executive Director of the Wolfensohn Center for Development.

In his role as a global facilitator, Mr Linn will work closely with the Fund’s Executive Director, Co-Chairs, Board members, the participants in the replenishment consultations, and the Secretariat to ensure the ambitious and successful GCF replenishment. He will chair the replenishment consultation meetings, report the progress to the Board and liaise with prospective GCF contributors and partners. Mr Linn will also provide strategic advice on the direction of the Fund and the upcoming replenishment period.

“I am very excited about this challenging opportunity and the work with the Green Climate Fund on its first formal replenishment. GCF plays an instrumental role in delivering on the Paris Agreement commitments, and the outcome of the replenishment process is crucial for the continuous support of developing countries” said Mr Linn. “I am looking forward to working with the Fund’s Board, the Secretariat, the contributing countries and other participants and stakeholders in the replenishment process to make it a success” he added.

Mr Linn has extensive experience in development economics spanning over 40 years, including working with multilateral development banks and their replenishment processes. In 1991, Mr Linn was appointed the World Bank’s Vice President for Financial Policy and Resource Mobilization, in charge of overall financial policies and prudential management of the World Bank (IBRD and IDA) and of mobilising capital resources for IBRD as well as donor resources for IDA and for the Global Environment Facility (GEF). From January 1996 through September 2003, Mr Linn served as the Bank’s Vice President for Europe and Central Asia (ECA). In 2011, 2014 and 2017 he also served as Chair of the 9th, 10th and 11th Replenishment Consultations of the International Fund for Agricultural Development. Currently, he is an Advisor to the World Bank on replenishment of Global Financial Facility for Every Woman Every Child (GFF).

The first formal GCF replenishment was launched during the 21st Board meeting in October last year. The process will include at least two consultation meetings this year where potential contributors, developing countries, board members and interested stakeholders will be exchanging views and discussing the way forward. The replenishment process will conclude with a pledging conference in late 2019.

GCF enters the replenishment process after a successful year with the overall portfolio now including 93 projects in 96 countries with total GCF investments over USD 4.6 billion. More than half of the projects worth over USD 2 billion are already under implementation.