The overall purpose of the Sixth Comprehensive Evaluation of the GEF (also known as OPS6) is to provide solid evaluative evidence to inform the negotiations for the seventh replenishment of the GEF. Following the objectives of the previous overall performance studies, the objective is to assess the extent to which the GEF is achieving its objectives as laid down in the GEF Instrument and reviews by the Assembly, as developed and adopted by the GEF Council in operational policies and programs for GEF financed activities, and to identify potential improvements going forward. In addition, this evaluation will also assess the relevance of the GEF objectives in this changing external landscape.
The audience for the Sixth Comprehensive Evaluation comprises replenishment participants, the GEF Council, the GEF Assembly, members of the GEF and external stakeholders. Relevant findings will be presented to stakeholders and parties in the GEF, including the GEF Secretariat, GEF Agencies, STAP, the GEF CSO network, and project proponents ranging from different Civil Society groups that includes private and public sector entities as well as the academic community, through existing channels such as the Expanded Constituency Workshops and GEF CSO network meetings. In addition the evaluation will be distributed to the MEA secretariats and their conferences of the parties.
The Independent Evaluation Offices' four-year work program and budget which presents the strategy, programming and other work for the GEF6 period was discussed and approved by the GEF Council in June 2015. The work program was designed to provide evaluative evidence on the major strategies approved in the Sixth Replenishment of the GEF. As such, all evaluations that address trends in performance, achievements, results and impacts have been approved in the work program and will feed into the comprehensive evaluation; additional studies that address specific questions and issues relevant for the replenishment process will be carried out over the next fiscal year and are presented here for discussion and Council approval.
Five external quality assurance advisors from the developed, the newly emerging group of (BRICs) countries, and the developing nations have been appointed. The external review panel comprises of the following experts: Dr. Holly Dublin, Dr. Sunita Narain, Dr. Hans Bruyninckx, Prof. Osvaldo Feinstein, and Dr. Kazuhiko Takemoto
These recognized international development professionals in the fields of environment, development and evaluation would provide quality assurance through all stages of preparing the comprehensive evaluation. They will provide guidance throughout the evaluation process - including the conceptualization of the evaluation, the interpretation of findings and the framing of recommendations. Another key component of the quality assurance process is the review for individual evaluations and sub-studies. Reference groups and peer reviewers will provide quality feedback and inputs into the independent evaluations.