The GCF’s imperfections and potential reflect many of the overarching tensions and hopes in climate and development finance. As an advocate for gender-responsive climate finance at WEDO, I have been part of the GCF observer network of civil society, Indigenous Peoples, and local communities since 2018, working with colleagues to advance effective, equitable climate action. Here in Songdo, South Korea, we continue to voice our analyses, concerns, and recommendations regarding the GCF. Entering this first Board meeting of 2026, the observer network’s resolve, expertise, and commitment to justice power our work. Yet, I am equally frustrated that the fundamental possibilities for climate action still at hand, even in this geopolitical context, are not being pursued.

Last year, after the first board meeting of 2025, I called for not losing sight of the GCF’s transformative potential amid a push for “quick fixes” and attention-grabbing announcements that fail to center the people and communities who should most benefit from the GCF and be safeguarded from harm. This year, efficiency may continue to override effectiveness in key ways, while appearance may be valued over outcomes. It is our role as observers to hold the GCF to account. The GCF can and should achieve more for human rights-based climate action, rather than just counting dollars out the door or being mobilized.

The right to access information is a human right, and this holds true for beneficiaries of the GCF. We have noted some important improvements in transparency in 2025 — our observer network advocacy resulted in the interim and final evaluations for funded projects and programmes to be posted on the GCF’s website. Plus, the annual performance reports are promised to be posted more quickly, reducing the lag between when activities happen and when information on them can be viewed.

With the GCF’s continued attention to artificial intelligence and data repositories, though, the availability of more data and information must not be conflated with the right data and information being truly accessible. We will continue to call not for some A.I.-powered all-seeing or searchable system, but for fundamental information for communities and advocates about funded climate action: short, accessible project descriptions in multiple languages, basic descriptive information on subprojects (under large programmes), and the gender action plans of subprojects, to name a few.  

Indeed, gender is simply a watchword until and unless substantive actions toward gender equality are taken. As the update to the GCF’s Gender Action Plan (due in 2024, set to be delivered at last this year) gets underway, current projects and programmes are unfortunately failing to “advance gender equality through climate change mitigation and adaptation actions,” in line with the GCF’s Gender Policy. Adequate standards and meaningful monitoring of projects and programmes (and those programmes’ subprojects) are ever more imperative, not the empty rhetoric of “gender considerations” without real effort to move the needle toward equality.

Alongside recognizing the GCF’s history as the first multilateral climate fund to integrate gender from its founding, we recall its original premise: to deliver climate finance differently by scaling up direct access for national and regional institutions. Yet 80% of the GCF’s funding continues to flow through the same international development actors. As the new accreditation framework — last year’s touted reform — goes into effect, we will monitor whether it indeed increases access by direct access entities, while upholding the GCF’s environmental and social standards for climate action. (In a frustrating but unsurprising move, the update to the GCF’s environmental and social safeguards has been postponed for the fifth year running.)

As the Board develops the next strategic plan of the GCF, for 2028 through 2031, and considers next year’s replenishment pledges, there is still much the GCF can do to deliver more just, equitable, gender-responsive climate finance. Going into B.44, the observer network is here with ideas, energy, and years of technical expertise, sharing our thoughts directly in the Boardroom and on the sidelines as we engage with Board members, alternate board members, advisors, the Secretariat, panels and groups, and the independent units. We are calling for effective climate finance that delivers real action, addresses our climate catastrophe in ways that center human rights and accountability, and gives us hope.