Evaluation

LDFC/SCCF Annual Evaluation Report (AER) 2025

May 05, 2025

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Great white pelican flying over the landscape of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area with green vegetation in the foreground and mountains in the background

Gender, scaling, and adaptive management are cross-cutting factors that shape whether adaptation projects deliver results that last.

 

This report examines how these dimensions influence outcomes across the LDCF/SCCF portfolio. Institutional context, strategic partnerships, gender integration, and adaptive capacity are decisive factors shaping the long-term impact, sustainability, and scalability of the LDCF/SCCF portfolio.

Projects with built-in flexibility - such as contingency planning and iterative learning mechanisms - were more resilient and responsive to shocks.
Damaraland area in Namibia, a mountainous arid area formed from large boulders in Africa
african mother and two children walk alone in red clay road in village as a family in traditional dress

Evaluation overview

 

  • Sustainability remains a core challenge, constrained by financing gaps, political disruptions, administrative delays, and limited private-sector engagement, which weaken prospects for long-term results.
  • Stronger outcomes occur where projects align with national policies, embed in government systems, and foster deep community participation, with gender-responsive approaches consistently linked to climate-resilient interventions and improved livelihoods.
  • Recommendations emphasize strengthening country ownership, expanding private-sector involvement, and embedding flexibility and learning mechanisms so adaptive management becomes a consistent feature of implementation.

 

 

Methodology

 

The report reviewed terminal evaluations from September 2022 to December 2024, covering projects under GEF-4 through GEF-7 in 27 countries—primarily in Africa and Asia—representing $200.9 million in GEF financing and $1.6 billion in cofinancing.

Council Documents