Measuring GEF’s impact on biodiversity demands credible indicators that balance scientific rigor with feasibility across diverse projects.

The 2005 Biodiversity Indicators for Monitoring GEF Programme Implementation and Impacts report was prepared to develop a portfolio of indicators for tracking the scope and impact of GEF’s biodiversity activities. The study organizes indicators around coverage, pressures, biodiversity status, and broader context, with flexibility for different reporting purposes. Methods drew on GEF project data, existing monitoring frameworks, and international reporting systems. 

The evaluation notes key challenges: biodiversity is inherently complex to measure, changes occur over long timescales, and attribution to GEF interventions is difficult. It also emphasizes that indicators should complement, not replace, long-term monitoring, and that transparent, centralized data systems will be essential for credible reporting.

The evaluation concludes that a structured, phased indicator system—initially relying on existing data, later expanded with project-level reporting—can strengthen portfolio-wide assessments.