A First-hand Account of Policy-driven and Evidence-based Climate Governance: Reflecting on my GCF IEU Internship

My internship at the Independent Evaluation Unit (IEU) of the Green Climate Fund allowed me to engage deeply in two core work areas of the Unit: policy and impact evaluations. These responsibilities not only strengthened my technical skills but also broadened my understanding of governance and climate finance.

Policy enables climate governance

As a policy intern of the IEU, I contributed to a wide range of tasks that required both analytical rigour and adaptability. I worked on updating the comprehensive database of GCF policies and strategies, ensuring accuracy and accessibility for future reference. One of my key assignments was completing the policy coding of UNFCCC COP guidance to the GCF, which involved interpreting complex international agreements and aligning them with the GCF’s operational framework.

I also conducted qualitative research on GCF Board decisions, documents, and other policy publications, and drafted memos to support the IEU policy team’s advisory work. These tasks taught me how these structured tools can help streamline decision-making and enhance transparency. During the 43rd GCF Board meeting (B.43) held in October 2025, I provided real-time support to the IEU by monitoring the livestream, helping summarise Board members’ questions and deliberations, and responding to urgent data and factchecking requests, such as clarifying the IEU’s reporting mandate in the GCF. This experience highlighted the fast-paced nature of governance and the importance of precision even when working under pressure.

Beyond the core policy work of the IEU, I supported a few learning and communications initiatives. For instance, I provided support for developing the IEU’s Evaluation Capacity Building training module on the GCF Evaluation Standards, a major project that involved creating course content slides, drafting scripts, and reviewing the final, edited videos. Being part of this project end-to-end showed me how knowledge-sharing tools are designed and produced for building the institutional and internal capacity.

Working on these diverse tasks deepened my understanding of how a strong policy foundation underpins every evaluation, whether independent corporate evaluations or impact evaluations. Policies provide a framework that ensures evaluations are credible, consistent, and aligned with the institutional goals and mandate. Moreover, I realised that policy is not just a technical requirement; it is the basis and foundation for effective communication with the GCF Board and stakeholders. This experience reinforced the idea that governance and evaluations are interconnected, and that clarity in policy enables transparency, trust, and well-informed decision-making across the organisation.

Impact evaluations: bridging theory and practice

Driven by my interest in real-world evaluations, I proactively sought opportunities to contribute to the IEU’s LORTA impact evaluation programme. I volunteered to draft an Impact Insights Brief based on the completed LORTA impact evaluations of relevant GCF projects, which is expected to be published soon. This task was particularly rewarding because it allowed me to understand the application of econometrics methods and a theory of change, concepts that I had learned in academia, in assessing the effectiveness of climate change mitigation and adaptation projects. Seeing these methods in action deepened my appreciation for evidence-based decision-making and the challenges of translating theory into practice.

Working across the multiple workstreams of the IEU gave me a holistic view of the evaluation process. Before joining the unit, evaluations seemed rather abstract. Now, after my six-month internship, I understand their critical role in ensuring accountability and facilitating learning within the climate finance space. I witnessed how complex and intertwined this work is, from scoping the policy foundations to selecting methodologies, analysing data, and disseminating the findings and lessons learned.

The GCF Board meetings that I observed during my internship period offered a unique perspective on climate governance. Observing intense discussions on GCF funding proposals underscored the complexity of tackling climate change and the need for diverse expertise, from economists and legal advisors to climate scientists and policy specialists. I learned that impactful climate action requires not only technical solutions but also robust governance structures that promote transparency, efficiency, and inclusiveness.

To summarise, this internship with the IEU has strengthened my analytical, communication, and problem-solving skills while reinforcing my commitment to evidence-based policy and evaluation. It has also deepened my understanding of how international organisations function and the critical role they play in addressing global challenges.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in blogs are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Independent Evaluation Unit of the Green Climate Fund.