The funding was approved during the Green Climate Fund’s 45th Board meeting in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, held from June 29 to July 3. Syria’s delegation was led by Deputy Minister for Environmental Affairs Youssef Sharaf, according to the Ministry of Local Administration and Environment.

The ministry said the project followed six months of technical preparation carried out by its central directorates in cooperation with development partners before being submitted for consideration by the GCF Board.

Officials described the approval as a milestone for Syria’s engagement with international climate finance, ending years without access to Green Climate Fund financing and opening a new phase of cooperation on climate adaptation and sustainable development.

According to the ministry, the project is designed to strengthen the country’s ability to manage increasingly scarce water resources while improving water security in both urban and rural communities. It also aims to protect agriculture, safeguard livelihoods in regions most affected by climate change and improve Syria’s capacity to respond to future climate-related shocks.

The ministry said the initiative forms part of broader efforts to expand Syria’s participation in international environmental programs and strengthen partnerships with global institutions supporting climate adaptation, environmental recovery and reconstruction.

The Green Climate Fund was established in 2010 under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to assist developing countries in financing climate mitigation and adaptation projects. Since its creation, the fund has approved more than $20 billion for projects in over 130 countries, including approximately $6 billion during 2025.

Syria’s successful application follows several years of institutional preparation. In 2021, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), working with the Green Climate Fund, implemented a capacity-building program aimed at strengthening Syria’s National Designated Authority and improving the country’s ability to prepare climate-related investment proposals.

Those efforts contributed to the development of Syria’s Country Programme for the Green Climate Fund, published in June 2023. The strategy identified agriculture, resilient cities, sustainable infrastructure and climate adaptation as national priorities for future international financing.

Water scarcity has become one of Syria’s most pressing environmental challenges after years of below-average rainfall, prolonged drought and the growing effects of climate change. Reduced water availability has placed increasing pressure on agricultural production, rural livelihoods and public water supplies across several parts of the country.

The newly approved project is intended to improve long-term resilience by strengthening water resource management systems and supporting communities facing the greatest climate-related risks.

The approval also represents a significant institutional development for Syria, providing a framework through which additional nationally driven climate initiatives could be presented to the Green Climate Fund in the future. Syrian officials said the project establishes a foundation for further cooperation with international climate finance institutions as the country seeks to address environmental vulnerabilities while advancing sustainable development priorities.

The Green Climate Fund operates as the principal financial mechanism supporting the objectives of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, providing grants, loans and other financial instruments to help developing countries adapt to climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.