Namibia prepared and submitted its 'Green Plan' to the UNCED conference in 1992. This plan proposed to accomplish a number of actions to protect the environment while ensuring economic development and social progress. It was recognized however, that the government did not possess the resources required to fulfill all the actions necessary to achieve the objectives of the plan. Government and its partner agencies decided to establish an environmental trust fund and so the idea of the EIF was born. The EIF would be established by an Act of the Parliament of Namibia and would raise funds within country and from international sources. The funds realized would be invested in long-term instruments that would yield stable returns that could then be used to finance projects and activities for the prudent management of natural resources and for environmental protection.