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IEO NEWS

JULY 2018

What we have learned

The Sixth GEF Assembly

The Sixth Assembly of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) celebrated the recent replenishment in Viet Nam in June 2018. 1,200 people, including representatives of member countries, agencies, conventions, civil society, private sector, media, and academia were present. The meeting highlighted the importance of accelerating systems level changes to address global environmental issues during GEF-7, the next replenishment phase. The total amount of this replenishment was USD 4.1 billion. The Sixth Comprehensive Evaluation of the GEF (OPS6) was an important input into the replenishment process and provided recommendations that were incorporated into the programming and policies for GEF-7. The key evaluation messages are included in the infographics, the executive summary, and the full report.

IEO outreach during the Assembly

The Independent Evaluation Office participated in the Sixth GEF Assembly and associated sessions. In addition to presenting at the GEF and LDCF/SCCF Council Meetings, we shared evaluation findings with six country constituencies, providing country and regional specific information. We participated in events on gender-responsive approaches, clean technology, Small Grants Programme, transformational change and more. Juha I. Uitto, Director of the Independent Evaluation Office, provided a statement during the Assembly.

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Recently completed evaluations

Factors influencing sustainability of outcomes.

The recent Annual Performance Report has a special focus on sustainability and looks at the outcome sustainability at project completion and after completion, as well as the factors associated with sustainability.

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What will it take for the Global Wildlife Program to be successful? Results from a formative review.

Illegal wildlife trade is one of the leading global threats for biodiversity. The Global Wildlife Program, launched in 2015, is the first GEF's effort to address this challenge in a coordinated and comprehensive manner. The IEO evaluation formatively assessed the program and its 20 country-specific projects to inform future GEF interventions in this area.

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Addressing environmental challenges through multifocal interventions involves a better understanding of synergies and trade-offs.

Evaluation of the Multiple Benefits of GEF’s Multifocal Portfolio found project design characteristics that help produce more benefits and transform potential trade-offs into positive outcomes for biodiversity, land, climate, and people.

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Evaluations currently underway...

The GEF Council approved IEO work program for fiscal year 2019. Evaluations currently underway include:

Evaluation of GEF's approach to mainstreaming biodiversity
Effectiveness, results, and progress toward impact of the GEF biodiversity mainstreaming portfolio

Evaluation of the Clean Technology Program
The program's effects on small enterprises

Evaluation of GEF support to scaling up impacts
How impacts are scaled up through GEF support

A framework for measuring GEF's additionality
A framework for assessing GEF’s additionality to capture GEF’s contributions to Global Environmental Benefits (GEBs)

Strategic country cluster evaluations: LDCs, SIDS, and African Biomes
Assessing GEF portfolios and experience with GEF programming in the least developed countries (LDCs), small island developing states (SIDS), and the African biomes

Evaluation of GEF medium-sized projects
Effectiveness of medium-sized projects

Kimberley Westby from Belize contributed to the SIDS strategic country cluster evaluation.

The IEO hosted Kimberley, an economist from Belize, as part of the World Bank’s Voice Secondment Program. The Voice program is a World Bank flagship diversity initiative which hosts officials from developing and transition countries, with a specific focus on Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and Fragile and Conflict Affected States. During her time with the IEO, Ms. Westby supported the development of the approach paper for the SIDS Strategic Country Cluster Evaluation (SCCE). She analyzed environmental challenges SIDS have to cope with, such as coral reef degradation, sea level rise, and issues around waste management. In June she went on a scoping mission to the Seychelles where she interviewed government officials and other key stakeholders.

The Director's cut:

We are proud of OPS6 - it was timely and influential

The Sixth Comprehensive Evaluation is a significant contribution to the seventh replenishment phase of the Global Environment Facility. The OPS6 evaluation examined a broad spectrum of issues ranging from GEF’s performance to its comparative advantage, policies and governance and institutional issues.

The comprehensive evaluation was timely – its findings were delivered early in the replenishment process and informed the negotiations and program planning for GEF-7. To achieve this timely delivery, the planning and work on 29 contributing evaluations had started well in advance of the replenishment. The recommendations from the component evaluations underpinning OPS6, were endorsed by the Council. The OPS6 recommendations were addressed in the programming and policies for GEF-7.

Despite the volume of work, we gave a high importance to our methods and quality. We applied a variety of innovative methodologies, such as rapid impact evaluations and quantitative approaches involving geospatial analysis. The quality of the methods, evidence, and arguments was validated by the Independent Advisory Panel comprising of five internationally recognized experts in the environment, development, and evaluation: Hans Bruyninckx, Holly Dublin, Osvaldo Feinstein, Sunita Narain, and Kazuhiko Takemoto.

We also would like to commend the motivated IEO evaluation team and the full support of all GEF partners: the Council, the Secretariat, the GEF Agencies, the Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel, the GEF focal points in the countries, and the GEF Civil Society Organization (CSO) Network. We are grateful for your participation in surveys, interviews, focus groups, responses to email inquiries and for receiving OPS6 team members in the field. The comprehensive evaluation would have not been possible without your support.

Wishing you a good summer break!

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