Loading.....

Home » Evaluations & Studies » Thematic Evaluations

Thematic Evaluations

On-going Evaluations

The Evaluation Office has recently started an evaluation of the GEF National Self-Assessments of Capacity-Building Needs (NCSAs) and an evaluation of the Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF).

 Evaluation of GEF National Self-Assessments of Capacity-Building Needs (NCSAs) .
 At the request of the GEF Council, the Evaluation Office is currently conducting an evaluation of the GEF support to the National Capacity Self-Assessment (NCSA) program. An evaluation team has been established comprised of the GEF Evaluation Office Chief Evaluation Officer, a senior consultant and two research assistants. Findings and recommendations from this evaluation will be presented to the GEF Council, at its November 2011 meeting. The evaluation report is expected by the end of 2011.

Read more about this evaluation Evaluation of GEF National Capacity Self Assessment (NCSA)

Evaluation of the Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF).
At the request of the LDCF/SCCF Council, the Evaluation Office is currently conducting an evaluation of the Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF). The evaluation team endeavors to explore the overarching question: What are the key lessons that can be drawn from the implementation of the SCCF ten years after its establishment?

Read more about SCCF evaluation Evaluation of the Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF)

 

Types of Thematic Evaluations

The GEF Evaluation Office and the GEF Implementing Agencies conduct different studies and evaluations that assess topics of concern to all GEF operational programs. These studies provide a basis for decision aking and lesson learning on a specific theme, and are organized in three levels:

 

Program evaluations: of a set of interventions to attain specific global, regional, country, or sector objectives. These include operational programs or strategic priorities, such as evaluation of the Strategic Priority on Adaptation (SPA), Joint Evaluation of the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF), and Joint Evaluation of the Small Grants Programme (SGP).

 

Process evaluations: of the internal dynamics of participating organizations, instruments, mechanisms, and management practices. These include evaluations of institutional and procedural issues across GEF Focal Areas and assessments of experience with GEF policies, criteria, and procedures. Included in this category are evaluation of the Resource Allocation Framework (RAF), Joint Evaluation of the GEF Activity Cycle and Modalities, and GEF Executing Agencies under Expected Opportunities.

 

Focal Area evaluations: of the GEF Focal Areas, including Climate Change Program Study, Biodiversity Program Study, International Waters Program Study, and Ozone-Depleting Substances.

 

Cross-sectoral evaluations: of issues that apply across GEF Focal Areas and projects, such as Capacity Development Activities in the GEF, the Catalytic Role of the GEF, and the Local Benefits Study.

Program Evaluations

 

Joint evaluation of the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF): The GEF Evaluation Office and DANIDA Evaluation Department  undertook a joint evaluation of the LDC Fund. The objective of the evaluation was to analyze and document the results and lessons learned from the use of the LDCF in financing and promoting climate change adaptation in development programs in LDCs, and to provide recommendations regarding the future role of the LDCF. More...

 

Joint Evaluation of the Small Grants Programme: The purpose of this evaluation was to assess the relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, sustainability, and cost-effectiveness of the SGP in relation to the overall mandate of the GEF. In addition, the evaluation traced the evolution of the SGP, the changes that have taken place in the program, and the drivers of these changes. More...

Process Evaluations 

Mid-term Review of the Resource Allocation Framework: In September 2005, the GEF Council adopted the Resource Allocation Framework as a new system for allocating financial resources to recipient countries. The RAF was endorsed as part of a package of "institutional reforms" of the GEF-4 Replenishment. The main objective of the mid-term review of the RAF was to increase the impact of GEF funding on the global environment, improve on the existing GEF country-driven approach and partnerships, and increase the predictability and transparency of GEF funding allocations. More...

Joint Evaluation of the GEF Activity Cycle and Modalities: The objective of this evaluation was to help improve the effectiveness, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness of GEF operations. The evaluation aimed to demonstrate the strengths and weaknesses in the GEF Activity Cycle and Modalities and identify the contributing factors; identify and analyze the constraints that need to be addressed to improve efficiency in GEF operations, including possible changes in procedures and systems; and provide recommendations to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of GEF operations and modalities. More...

Focal Area Evaluations

 

Biodiversity Program Study 2004: The objective of the study is to provide the GEF Council, the GEF Secretariat and its Biodiversity Team, the GEF Biodiversity Task Force, and the general biodiversity community with an assessment of how the GEF Biodiversity Program is performing and recommendations on how to continue its development. In addition, the study  provides information on how the GEF implements its biodiversity focal area, discusses the difficulties in measuring achievements and impacts in this focal area, and presents some ideas on the way forward. Other biodiversity evaluations: Review of Financial Arrangements in GEF Support to Biodiversity Projects; UNEP-GEF Toolkit Evaluation; Biodiversity Indicators for Monitoring Program Implementation and Impact GEF Support to Biosafety 2006.
 

  
Climate Change Program Study 2004
This study evaluates  performance and results, and how results were achieved. Given the size of the GEF portfolio and the need to identify overall lessons, this study focuses on outcomes and impacts of groups of mitigation projects, rather than detailed or immediate project outputs.

Other climate evaluations:

 

International Waters Program Study 2005: Program Study on International Waters 2005 The study had three major objectives: an assessment of the impacts and results of the IW Focal Area to the protection of transboundary water ecosystems; an assessment of the approaches, strategies, and tools by which results were achieved; and identification of lessons learned and formulation of recommendations to improve GEF IW operations.

Other international waters evaluations:

 

Ozone-Depleting Substances Impact Evaluation: the overarching objective of this impact evaluation was to evaluate the impact of GEF  portfolio of projects on Ozone-Depleting Substances Program phase-out in countries with economies in transition.

  • GEF Ozone Depleting Substances in Countries with economies in transition
  • Impact Evaluations

Cross-Sectoral Evaluations

 

Capacity development activities in the GEF: Capacity development is a major priority within the global environmental conventions. This evaluation assessed the capacity activities and modalities supported by the GEF.

 

 

Evaluation of the catalytic role of the GEF: The catalytic role of the GEF is reflected in the GEF Operational Strategy (OS, 1994) as one of 10 Operational Principles for the development and implementation of the GEF Work Program. This evaluation points the difficulties in implementing and assessing this principle and explores in more depth various approaches to the GEF catalytic role and its implications.

 

 

Local Benefits Study:

The Role of Local Benefits in Global Environmental Programs 2006: This study analyzes the relationship between local benefits and global environment benefits in the GEF. This study covers 132 GEF projects, including 18 field case studies. It was cofunded by Canada, Norway, and Sweden.

 

 

Please click on the ASK ME database to access the full range of evaluations from the GEF Evaluation Office.
 

Evaluation of the GEF Strategic Priority for Adaptation (SPA)

 

Quick Links