APR 2020 not only tracks the performance of completed GEF projects but also undertakes a detailed analysis of terminal evaluation reports, the primary evidence base for assessing results at project completion.

This report scrutinizes how well Agencies comply with evaluation standards and whether the quality of reporting is sufficient for learning and accountability. This matters because reliable evaluations are essential for judging outcomes and guiding future project design.

The overall quality of terminal evaluation reports improved substantially from 1997 to 2019, but the progress has slowed thereafter.

Evaluation overview

• Many terminal evaluations fall short of guidelines, especially on safeguards, theories of change, and information sources, limiting their reliability.
• Stronger reports show that consistent evidence on sustainability and M&E allows projects to demonstrate outcomes and recover from difficulties.
• The report recommends strengthening compliance with evaluation standards, improving reporting consistency, and embedding safeguards more systematically.

Methodology

The evaluation reviews 1,706 completed projects, including 134 in the 2020 cohort, using validated terminal evaluations, portfolio analysis, review of canceled projects, and the Management Action Record.