Turkey’s dual role as a major GEF recipient and EU candidate offers a unique lens for assessing how international finance drives environmental progress.

Turkey was selected for country portfolio evaluation because it has a large biodiversity- and climate-focused GEF portfolio and participates in major Black and Mediterranean Sea initiatives. The evaluation (October 2009–April 2010) reviewed 11 national projects plus two national components and the Small Grants Programme (totaling $36.33 million), and examined 11 regional projects, drawing on document review, field visits, ROtI studies, and stakeholder surveys.

GEF support aligned well with Turkey’s environmental priorities and sustainable development agenda, though gaps persist in land degradation. GEF interventions helped pave the way for implementing environmental aspects of the EU acquis; subsequent national initiatives strengthen the likelihood that early results will endure. However, monitoring and evaluation remained underused for management and efficiency, with limited information sharing across agencies and focal points.

The report recommends systematically involving and training national focal points in M&E, supporting portfolio-level M&E and timely information sharing, and encouraging Turkey to develop multifocal, ecosystem-based programs to address land degradation under GEF-5 and beyond.