About us

The Independent Evaluation Unit (IEU) ensures GCF is accountable and effective

The IEU's 2025 Work Plan and Budget 

At its fortieth meeting in October 2024, the Board of the Green Climate Fund (GCF) approved a budget of USD 7,672,039 to fund the Independent Evaluation Unit’s (IEU) activities in 2025, with provisional budgets of USD 7,845,067 for 2026 and USD 7,787,792 for 2027. The Board approval includes the work plan of the Third Performance Review and an update of the IEU’s three-year rolling objectives. The Board decision also includes engagement with the Risk Management Committee (RMC) with respect to the IEU’s work plans and the Co-Chairs consultation on the delineation of Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) functions between the IEU and the Secretariat. 

The IEU’s work plan for 2025 is structured around four strategic objectives, ensuring the delivery of high-quality evaluations, evaluation-based learning and advisory activities, strategic engagement, and institutional strengthening. 

IEU’s Strategic Objectives for 2025 

  • Objective I: Undertake and deliver high-quality evaluations to the Board of the GCF. 
  • Objective II: Build and deliver an evaluation-based learning, advisory, and capacity-strengthening programme. 
  • Objective III: Engage strategically to learn, share, and adopt best practices in the climate change evaluation space. 
  • Objective IV: Strengthen IEU and its positioning. 

Key Evaluations in 2025 

  • Synthesis note on gender – Informing a future independent evaluation of the GCF’s approach to gender. 
  • Evaluation of the GCF’s approach to early warning systems – Assessing relevance and effectiveness. 
  • Evaluation of the GCF’s approach to country ownership – Assessing the GCF’s success in ensuring country ownership. 
  • Evaluation of the GCF’s Simplified Approval Process (SAP) – Examining accessibility, efficiency, and value addition. 
  • Third Performance Review of the GCF – Assessing progress during GCF-2 and informing GCF-3 replenishment. 

The IEU will also continue the Learning-Oriented Real-Time Impact Assessment (LORTA) programme, which supports impact evaluations of GCF-funded activities. 

Evaluation-Based Learning and Advisory Work 

The IEU synthesizes evidence, facilitates knowledge-sharing, strengthens partnerships, and enhances evaluability assessments to improve the use of evaluation-based evidence in decision-making. 

Institutional Strengthening and Positioning 

The IEU is projected to have 24 staff in 2025, increasing to 26 by 2027, while expanding strategic outreach and engagement. An external peer review will strengthen the unit’s evaluation function and ensure continuous learning.