In climate change science, adaptation means preparing for and adjusting to climate change's current and future effects. This evaluation of the GCF’s adaptation portfolio and approach assesses what it takes for the GCF to contribute to adaptation interventions with greater scale, depth and duration in developing countries. It highlights how the GCF can facilitate scaling and growth through its unique ability to finance projects at scale. The evaluation shows how the GCF:

• Can apply its convening power to increase coherence and complementarity with other climate funds and adaptation actors
• Can use its readiness programme for adaptation planning to offer support and guidance to meet country needs
• Needs a strategy for encouraging the private sector’s adaptation role
• Requires a wider range of financial instruments with higher co-finance ratios to help close the adaptation finance gap
• The evaluation’s recommendations will support the GCF’s mandate to facilitate a paradigm shift in adaptation.