The main purpose of this study was to provide insight and lessons for GEF's climate change support moving forward, by assessing the relevance, results, effectiveness, and lessons learned through GEF support to the issues of climate change mitigation and adaptation. The findings of this study and other complementary GEF Independent Evaluation Office (IEO) evaluations will feed into the Sixth Comprehensive Evaluation of the GEF. This report specifically provides:
- An analysis of the relevance of GEF climate change strategies and investments in the light of guidance and decisions from the UNFCCC;
- An assessment of the GEF's comparative advantages as a climate change finance mechanism, within the changing climate finance landscape;
- A synthesis of climate change results and effectiveness in progress towards impact;
- An assessment of the approaches and mechanisms through which results have been achieved;
- An assessment of challenges that have been faced in taking programs to scale;
- An identification of lessons learned, informing opportunities for GEF-7.
Because the GEF IEO has recently evaluated the LDCF and SCCF, this study focuses its assessment primarily on the GEF's climate change mitigation focal area and draws on evidence from the 2016 LDCF and 2017 SCCF evaluations to provide a synthesis of GEF support for adaptation.