For the world’s least developed countries, reliable adaptation finance can mean the difference between building resilience and remaining exposed to climate risks.

 

The Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF) is the GEF’s dedicated vehicle for this support, yet its long-term performance and sustainability remain under scrutiny. In 2016, the IEO conducted a program evaluation using portfolio analysis, field visits, and stakeholder interviews.

The review finds that LDCF activities align closely with United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change guidance and national priorities, and most projects are expected to deliver tangible benefits. Several completed projects introduced new technologies and built national capacity, creating catalytic effects, but scaling-up has been limited without additional financing.

Efficiency is also constrained by unpredictable donor contributions, which create uncertainty for governments and agencies and delay implementation.

On gender, the evaluation notes progress but continuing ambiguity about what constitutes full mainstreaming. Weaknesses in project data systems further reduce the reliability of portfolio-level reporting.

The report recommends ensuring predictable and sustainable financing, clarifying and consistently applying gender policy, and strengthening the accuracy of project data systems.

Disclaimer: Country borders or names do not necessarily reflect the GEF/IEO official position. This map is for illustrative purposes and does not imply the expression of any opinion on the part of the GEF/IEO, concerning the legal status of any country or territory or concerning the delimitation of frontiers or boundaries

In its evaluation of the LDCF, the Independent Evaluation Office of the GEF reached the following 8 conclusions:

1. LDCF supported activities, for the most part, have been highly relevant to COP guidance, and countries' development priorities.
2. LDCF supported interventions show clear potential in reaching the GEF's three adaptation strategic objectives.
3. Contributions of LDCF supported interventions to focal areas other than climate change are potentially significant.
4. The efficiency of the LDCF has been negatively impacted by the unpredictability of available resources.
5. LDCF support to NAPA implementation projects has resulted in catalytic effects in completed projects, though extensive replication and upscaling generally demands further financing beyond the projects' timeframe.
6. There is a clear intent to mainstream adaptation into countries' environmental and sustainable development policies, plans and associated processes.
7. The gender performance of the LDCF portfolio has improved considerably in response to enhanced requirements from the GEF, though there seems to be confusion as to what it means to be ‘gender mainstreamed'.
8. There are significant discrepancies in project data from the GEF Secretariat's Project Management Information System (PMIS).

In its evaluation of the LDCF, the Independent Evaluation Office of the GEF reached the following 3 recommendations:

1. The GEF Secretariat should explore and develop mechanisms that ensure the predictable, adequate and sustainable financing of the Fund.
2. The GEF Secretariat should make efforts to improve consistency regarding their understanding and application of the GEF gender mainstreaming policy and the Gender Equality Action Plan (GEAP) to the LDCF.
3. The GEF Secretariat should ensure that the data in the Project Management Information System is up to date and accurate.