IEU publications
To serve the needs of our stakeholders, the IEU issues a variety of publications related to our work, including in the context of evaluations and learning. Keep up with the IEU’s latest publications here.
Featured publications
Independent Evaluation of the GCF’s Gender Approach (GENDER2025)
The Gender Approach Evaluation began with a synthesis of existing evidence in 2025 to lay the groundwork for a more comprehensive evaluation of the GCF’s gender strategies in 2026.
Independent Evaluation of the Green Climate Fund’s Project Preparation Facility (PPF2026)
The evaluation of the Project Preparation Facility provides the GCF Board and Secretariat with an independent, evidence-based assessment of whether the PPF, as currently designed and implemented, is fit for purpose, coherent with the Fund’s broade
Independent evaluation of the GCF’s approach to and Portfolio of Climate Information and Early Warning System Interventions (CIEWS)
This evaluation report examines how the GCF has supported developing countries to strengthen resilience, preparedness, and response to climate change.
Executive Summary: Independent Evaluation of the GCF's Approach to and Portfolio of Climate Information and Early Warning Systems Interventions
March 2026
This document presents the Executive Summary of the Independent Evaluation of the GCF’s Approach to and Portfolio of Climate Information and Early Warning Systems (CIEWS), which assessed the Fund’s strategic positioning, partnerships, and use of programmatic modalities and funding windows, including readiness and project preparation support, to advance accessible, sustainable, and effective CIEWS interventions. The summary, in particular, outlines the key findings, conclusions, and...
Annexes to the Final Report: Independent Evaluation of the GCF's Approach to and Portfolio of Climate Information and Early Warning Systems Interventions
March 2026
This document presents the annexes to the Independent Evaluation of the GCF’s Approach to and Portfolio of Climate Information and Early Warning Systems (CIEWS). It provides detailed methodological information, supplementary analysis, and supporting evidence underpinning the evaluation’s findings, conclusions, and recommendations.
Progress Report on the Implementation of the Gender Action Plan
March 2026
This summary report outlines the principal findings of the IEU’s review of the implementation of the Gender Action Plan (GAP). The assessment was conducted to provide the Board and Secretariat with an evidence-based overview of progress against the GAP indicators. To the extent possible, the review reconstructs implementation progress through a structured desk analysis complemented by AI-supported examination of corporate reports and portfolio-level documentation.The analysis finds that the GAP...
Gender Synthesis: Benchmarking Exercise
February 2026
This study was conducted as a component of the Green Climate Fund’s (GCF) Gender Synthesis and as preparatory work for the Independent Evaluation Unit’s (IEU) evaluation of the GCF’s approach to gender. The study reviewed the gender frameworks of selected peer institutions, including their gender policies, action plans, and strategies for gender mainstreaming. By analysing comparative approaches, the study assessed the extent to which gender considerations are embedded in climate finance...
Independent evaluation of the GCF’s approach to and Portfolio of Climate Information and Early Warning System Interventions (CIEWS)
February 2026
This evaluation report examines how the GCF has supported developing countries to strengthen resilience, preparedness, and response to climate change. It assesses the Fund’s strategic positioning, partnerships, and use of programmatic modalities and funding windows, including readiness and project preparation support, to advance accessible, sustainable, and effective CIEWS interventions. Reviewing a portfolio of CIEWS-tagged projects that has grown over the past decade, the evaluation traces...
Approach Paper: Independent Evaluation of the Green Climate Fund’s Project Preparation Facility (PPF2026)
February 2026
This Approach Paper outlines the mandate, scope, and methodology for the evaluation of the Green Climate Fund's Project Preparation Facility. It presents the evaluation’s objectives, background, analytical framework, data sources, and timeline, alongside key deliverables and risk mitigation measures.
Impact evaluation endline report for FP026: Sustainable Landscapes in Eastern Madagascar
January 2026
This report presents the endline findings of an impact evaluation of the Sustainable Landscapes in Eastern Madagascar project, which aimed to reduce deforestation and strengthen climate resilience through sustainable forest management and climate-resilient agriculture. Using a rigorous difference-in-differences design and panel data from 1,603 households surveyed in 2019 and 2025, the evaluation finds reductions in deforestation, increased adoption of year-round farming systems, and higher...
The Fourth Evaluability Assessment of the Green Climate Fund's Funding Proposals
January 2026
This report presents the findings of an Independent Evaluation Unit (IEU) desk-based assessment of the Green Climate Fund (GCF) portfolio, examining the evaluability of funded activities. It builds on insights from three previous assessments conducted in 2019, 2022, and 2024, offering a longitudinal perspective on progress and persistent challenges. The assessment pursues two core objectives. First, it evaluates the quality of approved and ongoing funding proposals (FPs), with the aim of...
IEU's Foresight Study on Climate Finance: A Summary Report
December 2025
Through this study, the IEU examines how the global climate finance landscape may evolve through 2035 and what this could mean for the Fund’s strategic positioning. Using foresight methods to analyse emerging trends, structural drivers, and key uncertainties, the study explores a range of plausible future scenarios for climate finance. It highlights risks and opportunities in a complex, fragmented financing environment and offers forward-looking insights to support the GCF’s mission, operating...
IEU's Foresight Study on Climate Finance: Technical Discussion Paper
December 2025
Through this study, the IEU examines how the global climate finance landscape may evolve through 2035 and what this could mean for the Fund’s strategic positioning. Using foresight methods to analyse emerging trends, structural drivers, and key uncertainties, the study explores a range of plausible future scenarios for climate finance. It highlights risks and opportunities in a complex, fragmented financing environment and offers forward-looking insights to support the GCF’s mission, operating...
A Synthesis Study on the Green Climate Fund: An Interim Deliverable under the Third Performance Review
December 2025
Approved as part of the Independent Evaluation Unit’s 2025 workplan by the GCF Board, the Third Performance Review (TPR) will assess the Fund’s performance during GCF-2 and inform the third replenishment. This synthesis report serves as an early, substantive input into that process, guiding subsequent data collection and analysis. While it does not present final evaluative conclusions, it plays a critical role in sharpening the focus of the TPR by grounding the review in existing evidence and...
Impact Evaluation Midline Report for FP/SAP 087: Building Livelihood Resilience to Climate Change in the Upper Basin of Guatemala’s Highlands
December 2025
This report presents the midline findings of the project "Building Livelihood Resilience to Climate Change in the Upper Basins of Guatemala’s Highlands," implemented since 2021 to strengthen ecosystem and water management, diversify livelihoods, and enhance household resilience to climate-related shocks. The evaluation applies a quasi-experimental design and draws on data from 1,256 households across treatment and comparison micro-watersheds. Results show increased vulnerability to climate...
Impact evaluation report for FP101: Resilient Rural Belize – Backyard Gardens
December 2025
This impact evaluation, based on a phase-in randomized controlled trial, draws on baseline data collected in 2021 and endline data gathered in early 2024 from 1,350 households (representing 85 per cent coverage). It examines the programme’s effectiveness in improving household income and food security, as well as strengthening resilience to climate shocks. The findings show that the intervention increased incomes by an average of 1,371 BZD and strengthened resilience to climate shocks, with...
TPR: Approach Brief
October 2025
This two-page approach brief provides a concise overview of the approach paper for the Third Performance Review of the GCF, summarizing the context, purpose, objectives, scope, methodology, and timeline of the evaluation. It serves as a quick reference to the evaluation’s design and intended areas of analysis.
Approach Paper of the Third Performance Review
October 2025
The Third Performance Review of the Green Climate Fund will assess the Fund’s performance during the GCF-2 programming period (2024–2027) and inform the third replenishment and strategic planning for GCF-3. Guided by the Governing Instrument, the review will examine how effectively and efficiently the Fund has delivered on its mandate, its comparative advantages in an evolving climate finance landscape, and its progress toward promoting a paradigm shift to low-emission, climate-resilient...
Independent Evaluation of the GCF's Approach to Country Ownership (COA2025): Appendices
September 2025
This document contains the appendices of the 2025 Independent Evaluation of the GCF’s Approach to Country Ownership. The appendices provide in-depth analytical materials that complement the main evaluation report. It includes a theory of change analysis and a detailed country ownership framework, as well as analyses of the correlation between country ownership, stakeholder engagement, and sustainability. The appendices also provide an overview of the placement of National Designated Authorities...