Do GEF interventions deliver value for money in land degradation projects?
Juha Uitto shared the results of the Land Degradation Focal Area Study at the Conference of Parties of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in Ordos, China. The GEF's land degradation investments reduced forest loss and fragmentation, and demonstrated value for money. While the number of integrated landscape projects have increased, there is a need to step-up the restoration activities. Read the presentation here.
RECENT EVALUATIONS AND EVENTS
Evaluation of Gender Mainstreaming in the GEF
Anna Viggh and Dennis Bours led the recently completed Evaluation of Gender Mainstreaming in the GEF which focused on GEF's progress in gender mainstreaming and women's empowerment. The findings show that the GEF has made some progress in gender mainstreaming, but as in other agencies, implementation remains a challenge. A successful part of the strategy has been an engaging platform for exchange of skills and experiences on gender between international and civil society organizations. The GEF Gender Partnership is slowly developing into a relevant and effective platform for building a wider constituency on gender and the environment. The full report is here; and a blog on best practices in gender policies and gender action plans here.
How can the private sector be leveraged as a partner to the GEF in environmental financing?
Baljit Wadhwa led a discussion building on the findings of a recent Evaluation of the GEF's Engagement with the Private Sector. The GEF’s engagement with the private sector has focused on transforming policy and regulatory environment, strengthening institutional capacity, and developing innovative financial instruments. Read more.
What indicators should policymakers use to track performance in renewable energy?
Neeraj Negi shared GEF experience at the 2nd Gathering of Parliamentary Network on Climate Change in Panama. The GEF tracks indicators at the project and program levels, such as installed electricity generation capacity, GHG benefits, effects on women and other vulnerable groups. Quality of information can be ensured, among other ways, by using the standard methodologies, post-project tracking arrangements. Read more.
Geospatial analysis and technical innovations in impact evaluations
Juha Uittodiscussed the use of geospatial methods in IEO impact evaluations and value-for-money analysis in biodiversity, land degradation, and international waters focal areas at the ICT4Eval Conference in Rome. Geeta Batra and Anupam Anand presented IEO experiences in using innovative technology, machine learning, geospatial, and econometric methods in MERL Tech Conference in Washington, DC. Read about innovative methods in measuring environmental outcomes here.
Achieving transformation requires a clear ambition for change
Geeta Batra and Kseniya Temnenko presented the results of the IEO Review of GEF Support for Transformational Change at the Transformational Change Learning Partnership's workshop organized by the Climate Investment Funds. The key drivers that support transformational change include the level of ambition in projects and programs (i.e. design for fundamental changes affecting the entire system), establishing effective mechanisms for scaling-up, and harnessing market forces whenever such opportunity exists. Read more.
MEET THE EDITORS Meet the editors of the book Evaluating Climate Change Action for Sustainable Development The book presents the state of the art in evaluating climate change strategies, policies, and action
Rob D. van den Berg, IDEAS: If you want to know how a sustainable society would look like, read this book!
Jyotsna Puri, GCF: this book is addressing key attributes of climate change and evaluation. The technology and big data create exciting possibilities for the field…
This open-source e-book provides an overview of independent evaluations of major organizations supporting climate change action in developing countries. The authors share methodologies, challenges, solutions, and lessons learned.
THE DIRECTOR'S CUT
Critical evidence on the GEF performance and impact
Juha I. Uitto, Director of the Independent Evaluation Office of the GEF
Current trends in the global environment and changes in the environmental finance create a sense of urgency for the GEF to respond to the fundamental issues at stake. The Sixth Comprehensive Evaluation of the GEF (OPS6) provides a critical evidence for the next GEF phase. The OPS6 findings will be discussed in the second GEF-7 replenishment meeting in Addis Ababa in October, and the final OPS6 report will become available in December this year.
Last year, to ensure quality of OPS6, we established the Independent Advisory Panel comprising of five independent experts: Dr. Hans Bruyninckx, Dr. Holly Dublin, Prof. Osvaldo Feinstein, Dr. Sunita Narain, and Dr. Kazuhiko Takemoto. The panel provided quality assurance through all stages of OPS6, and their statement will be included in the final report.
Get more information about OPS6 and its component evaluations here.
