In 2015, the world achieved several crucial milestones for safeguarding the global commons. Most prominently were the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. These agreements clearly recognize that the health of the global commons, like land, forests, oceans, and climate, is vital for our future development prospects – a recognition that was embedded in the very creation of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) 25 years ago. It is very timely to reflect on what we have achieved, what is still to be done, and how we can scale up our efforts in helping countries along the way to implementing these agreements.