IEU publications
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
Executive Summary of the Independent Evaluation of the Green Climate Fund’s Approach to and Protection of Whistleblowers and Witnesses (PPWW2024)
Read moreSpecial Study on REDD+ Results-Based Payment Projects in the Latin America and Caribbean Region
The Special Study on REDD+ Results-Based Payment Projects in the Latin America and Caribbean Region report was prepared to assess the relevance, effectiveness, and efficiency of GCF’s investments in REDD+ projects in the region.
Approach paper: Independent Evaluation of the GCF's 'Health and Well-being, and Food and Water Security' Result Area (HWFW2024)
This approach paper lays the groundwork for the Independent Evaluation of the GCF's investments in the 'Health and Well-being, and Food and Water Security' result area.
IEU deliverable at B.36 under the RPSP evaluation
July 2023
The Board-approved workplan of the IEU (document GCF/B.34/28) commissioned the independent evaluation of the GCF’s Readiness and Preparatory Support Programme (RPSP) to assess the progress, results and outcomes, effectiveness, and efficiency of its operational processes. This additional deliverable of the evaluation was submitted at B.36 originally as an annex to IEU’s Activity Report (GCF/B.36/Inf.09), and this standalone version was created to enable stakeholders’ direct and easy access to...
Considerations for integrating behavioural science in Green Climate Fund projects
June 2023
To encourage GCF staff and project developers to identify potential behavioural opportunities, the IEU presents a short list of considerations to highlight which elements of GCF projects may benefit from the application of behavioural science. These are all elements where groups of people must adopt a new behaviour, make a complex decision or execute a complex task. The list of considerations can be utilized during the review and appraisal of project proposals. If deemed relevant, project...
[Approach paper] Independent evaluation of the Readiness and Preparatory Support Programme
June 2023
As part of its Board-approved 2023 workplan, the Independent Evaluation Unit (IEU) is undertaking the Independent Evaluation of GCF’s Readiness and Preparatory Support Programme. The aim of the evaluation is to assess the Readiness programme against key evaluation criteria such as effectiveness and efficiency, relevance, impact, sustainability, complementarity and coherence and other criteria. The evaluation addresses key questions as follows: Assess progress and gains made in the...
Impact evaluation baseline report for FP069: Enhancing adaptive capacities of coastal communities, especially women, to cope with climate change induced salinity
March 2023
This report presents the baseline data for “Enhancing adaptive capacities of coastal communities, especially women, to cope with climate change induced salinity”, a project funded by the Green Climate Fund and implemented by the United Nations Development Programme in Bangladesh. This baseline report provides insights and summary statistics about the socioeconomic situation of project households before project implementation.
Synthesis Note: An IEU deliverable for the Independent Evaluation of the Green Climate Fund's Readiness and Preparatory Support Program
March 2023
This synthesis document offers an overview of existing evaluative evidence on various dimensions of importance to RPSP based on the findings of previous IEU evaluations, including repeating selected findings from the first RPSP evaluation. It will provide preliminary lessons that can feed into the ongoing drafting of a new RPSP Strategy. It will also serve as a basis for the 2023 IEU’s evaluation of the RPSP, which aims to update the GCF Secretariat and the Board on the effectiveness and...
Final Report of the Independent Evaluation of the Relevance and Effectiveness of the Green Climate Fund's Investments in the African States
February 2023
This independent evaluation assesses whether the GCF’s approach and investments in the African States have been effective in promoting a paradigm shift towards low-emission and climate-resilient development pathways. It examines how the GCF’s approach and investments in the African states are relevant to meet the continent’s needs, whether they have been effective in reducing the vulnerability of local communities and their livelihoods and whether these impacts are likely to be sustained.
Final report of the Independent Synthesis of Direct Access in the Green Climate Fund
February 2023
The synthesis of Direct Access in the Green Climate Fund was conducted to assess and provide learning on the Fund’s implementation of the direct access concept and approach and to improve the relevance and performance of the GCF’s direct access modality as a way of accessing financing from the Fund. This independent synthesis used a utilization-focused framework, with the objective of being beneficial to its intended users in terms of providing learning, informing decision-making, and assessing...
Final report of the Second Performance Review of the Green Climate Fund
February 2023
The Second Performance Review of the Green Climate Fund covers the GCF-1 period and seeks to inform, among other things, the next update to the strategic plan (USP-2), currently being discussed for the GCF-2 period (2024–2027). The scope of the SPR includes (1) evaluating the GCF’s progress in delivering on its mandate as set out in the GI and its strategic and operational priorities and actions as outlined in the USP, and (2) the performance of the GCF in promoting a paradigm shift towards low...
Evaluability assessment of the Green Climate Fund funding proposals
December 2022
This paper continues IEU’s effort to assess the tools and frameworks within funding proposals that enable robust monitoring and measurement of results during project implementation. The series began in 2019 with “Becoming bigger, better, smarter: A summary of the evaluability of Green Climate Fund proposals”. This paper presents the progress in the ability of projects to deliver a cost-effective impact on climate adaptation and mitigation during the GCF-1 period.
Systematic review: Behavioural science interventions within the development and environmental fields in developing countries
December 2022
This paper presents a systematic review on behavioural science interventions in the human development and environmental/climate fields in developing countries. The review synthesizes evidence on five specific behavioural interventions – feedback, reminders, salience (communication), salience (experience design), and goal setting – and how these influence development and environmental/climate outcomes. It aims to facilitate the use of evidence in informing policy and practice decisions within...
Evidence gap map: Behavioural science interventions within the development and environmental fields in developing countries
December 2022
The evidence gap map (EGM) presents a report and online resource depicting the landscape of studies on the effectiveness of behavioural science interventions. It finds the most commonly evaluated interventions are reminders and feedback. Most studies are from the WASH, financial, energy/extractives, and agricultural sector. Studies report adaptation outcomes more frequently than on mitigation, especially regarding knowledge, uptake and use.
Evidence gap map: Interventions for women's empowerment in developing countries
December 2022
This evidence gap map plots studies on the effectiveness of interventions for women’s empowerment in developing countries. The evidence gap map shows most evidence is from Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, especially on economic interventions and capacity-building interventions. It serves as a useful visual resource to understand the areas where research on the effectiveness of interventions for women’s empowerment is concentrated and where it is lacking.
Systematic review: Effectiveness of life skills training interventions for the empowerment of women in developing countries
December 2022
The systematic review evaluates the ability of life skills interventions to promote the empowerment of women of all ages. Overall, life skills positively affect a range of self, social and economic empowerment outcomes. Small but significant positive changes were detected for a range of outcome areas including leadership, attitudes to gender issues, sexual and reproductive health and rights, employment and life skills themselves.