This report presents key evaluation findings from 2022 to 2025, prepared by the Independent Evaluation Office (IEO) of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) to inform the first GEF-9 replenishment meeting. Drawing on 35 completed and ongoing evaluations, it highlights areas of strong performance and identifies opportunities for strategic improvement. Set against a backdrop of escalating global environmental crises—including biodiversity loss, climate extremes, and weakened multilateral cooperation, these findings underscore the urgent need for transformative, integrated, and inclusive action. With over three decades of catalytic funding and partnerships across sectors and regions, the GEF remains a vital actor in driving innovation, scaling solutions, and delivering measurable environmental and socioeconomic outcomes. This summary provides an evidence base to shape GEF-9 priorities and guide future environmental investments in a rapidly evolving global landscape.
This summary is the first stage in the preparation for the Eighth Comprehensive Evaluation of the GEF (OPS8).
Key Documents
Click here to display OPS8 Evaluation Reports
- Annual Performance Report (APR) 2023 - Behavioral Change
- Assessing Portfolio-Level Risk at the GEF
- Evaluation of Cofinancing in the GEF
- Evaluation of Community Based Approaches (CBA) at the GEF
- Evaluation of Components of the GEF’s Results-Based Management (RBM) System
- Evaluation of GEF Interventions in the Chemicals and Waste Focal Area
- Evaluation of GEF Programs in Pacific Small Island Developing States (SIDS)
- Evaluation of GEF Support to Climate Information and Early Warning Systems (CIEWS)
- Evaluation of GEF's Approach to Interventions in Water Security
- Evaluation of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on GEF activities (and the GEF response)
- Evaluation of the Global Wildlife Program
- GEF Support to Sustainable Forest Management (SFM)
- Learning from Challenges in GEF Projects
- Management Action Record (MAR) 2024
- Strategic Country Cluster Evaluation (SCCE): GEF support to Drylands Countries
- Strategic Country Cluster Evaluation (SCCE): Lower Mekong River Basin Ecosystem
🗓️ Timeline
- June 17, 2024: GEF Council Meeting 67 – Presentation of the OPS8 Approach Paper.
- April 2025: Highlights of evaluation findings 2022-2025
- October 2025: Eighth Comprehensive Evaluation of the GEF to be presented to the second replenishment meeting.
- December 2025: Final OPS8 Evaluation Report to be presented to the GEF Council.
