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Integrated approaches addressing global environmental issues: a formative evaluation
During the sixth replenishment phase, the GEF introduced three integrated approach pilot (IAP) programs: Taking Deforestation Out of Commodity Supply Chains, Sustainability and Resilience for Food Security in Sub-Saharan Africa, and Sustainable Cities. In the formative evaluation of these ongoing programs, the Independent Evaluation Office focused on their relevance, process, and design. The evaluation found that integrated programming enables response to objectives of multiple conventions, while allowing participating countries to address their national environmental priorities. At the same time, the involvement of several implementing agencies in each IAP has added to their organizational complexity. The most innovative feature of the programs is their knowledge platforms. The platforms are viewed as a forum for learning about innovations and exchange of ideas. Read more...
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Climate change – the GEF’s added value
The global landscape for climate change finance has significantly evolved since the GEF became the first operating entity of the Financial Mechanism of the United Nations Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 1996. New institutions have been established; the designation of the Green Climate Fund as a second operating entity of the Financial Mechanism is an important milestone in the climate finance architecture. The GEF's available resources continue to be important for its many recipient countries. The challenge is to use these resources in the most effective way to engage other sources of finance and catalyze transformational change. The recent Climate Change Focal Area Study found several features that distinguish the GEF from other multilateral climate funds. These features include the provision of significant and flexible grant financing; a focus on the enabling environment to support scaled-up public and private climate investment; an emphasis on demonstrating technologies and financial approaches, including innovative and risk-sharing approaches; an ability to fund integrated projects across environmental issues; and the GEF's support for countries to meet their Convention obligations. Read more...
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Measuring environmental impacts with geospatial data
Environmental projects benefit from global geospatial data sets on land cover change, vegetative density, and biodiversity. The IEO knowledge sharing session --held in Washington, DC on December 6 -- presented a recent evaluation demonstrating the value for money from GEF interventions in land degradation and biodiversity. Access the findings and the presentations online.
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Evaluating the nexus between environment, climate change, and development
Evaluators from across the globe gathered in Guanajuato, Mexico on December 4 - 8 at the conference organized by ReLAC, REDLACME, and IDEAS to deliberate on evaluation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Drawing on the Sixth Comprehensive Evaluation of the GEF, the IEO held a one-day workshop on the evaluation of the nexus between environment, climate change, and development, as well as presented on the use of complex systems thinking in evaluation, and the evaluation of transformative change. Access the presentations online.
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Earth-Eval is a community of evaluation practitioners that aim to establish standards and norms, build capacities, and share best practices in evaluations tied to the environment and development
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RECENT EVENTS AND PRESENTATIONS
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Global Environment Facility in the changing landscape
Juha I. Uitto, Director of the Independent Evaluation Office of the GEF
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In 2018, the Global Environment Facility will start its 7th replenishment phase, which collectively gives us an opportunity to reflect and respond to changes in GEF's approaches and its external landscape. The Sixth Comprehensive Evaluation of the GEF presents solid evaluative evidence to inform the replenishment negotiations and planning for GEF-7, measuring the performance, results, and impact of the Facility through a variety of quantitative and qualitative evaluation methods.
The GEF remains highly relevant and has its unique niche areas such as biodiversity, international waters, land degradation, and chemicals and waste, where there are limited resources of financing available and only a few other multilateral environmental actors with the GEF's depth of knowledge and experience exist. At the same time, the number of climate change multilateral funds has grown, so the GEF clearly needs to reflect on its role and focus on a few niche areas that play to its comparative advantage.
The evaluation shows that the GEF has continued to perform well over 26 years, while being responsive to country priorities and the guidance of the Conventions. Over the years, the Facility has shifted its focus to addressing drivers of environmental change and to integrated approaches. The evaluative evidence on multi-focal area projects, programmatic approaches, and integrated approach pilots, while overall positive, reveals the challenges of designing complex programs that may lead to higher costs in project design and monitoring, if not well managed.
I am pleased to note that the report was presented at the second replenishment meeting held in Addis Ababa in October and to the GEF Council last month, and the recommendations for the 29 studies and the overall report have been adopted.
Best wishes for the holidays and a very Happy New Year!
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