From Climate Finance to Impact Evaluation: The IEU at COP29

Under the COP29 theme of "In Solidarity for a Green World”, the Green Climate Fund’s Independent Evaluation Unit (IEU) organized and participated in several events at COP29, held from 11 to 22 November in Azerbaijan.  

Amongst wider pavilion sessions, the IEU took part in an Official Side Event on “The Role of Indigenous and Local Knowledge Systems in Climate Action” organised by the Commonwealth Secretariat in collaboration with the Governments of Namibia and Seychelles. Further, the IEU contributed to a number of panels at the Korean Pavilion including on REDD+ and the importance of carbon markets.  

The IEU contributed to two panels at the Climate Funds pavilion. The first focused on “Accessing Funds and Ensuring Accountability” alongside the GCF’s Independent Integrity Unit (IIU) and Independent Redress Mechanism (IRM). For the second event, the IEU took part in a panel discussion on the potential uses and opportunities of AI in evaluation, with representatives of the evaluation functions of other multilateral climate funds: the Adaptation Fund, Global Environment Facility and Climate Investment Funds.  

The IEU hosted an event at the Namibia Pavilion centered on lessons from the Learning-Oriented Real-Time Impact Assessment (LORTA) programme. The event showcased causal evidence and lessons from impact evaluations in Bangladesh, Madagascar, Rwanda, Malawi and Tanzania.  

As stated in the GCF Governing Instrument, reports of the IEU are to be provided to the COP. To this end, the IEU’s engagements at COP29 were focused on its 2024 outputs, and covered themes like access to climate finance, vulnerable countries, and accountability. Ultimately, the IEU participation was aimed at supporting the uptake of reports in the UNFCCC discourse, and serving the three functions of evaluations: learning, accountability, and dialogue.