GEF projects often serve as entry points for policy reform, raising the question of how far they influence the laws and institutions that sustain environmental outcomes.

This evaluation assesses how GEF-funded projects contribute to strengthening national legal and regulatory frameworks by examining experiences in six countries—Belarus, Brazil, Kazakhstan, Namibia, the Philippines, and Viet Nam—across biodiversity, climate change, land degradation, and multifocal areas. Using project reviews, field interviews, and secondary research, the study traces how selected initiatives influenced legislative processes, the content of laws, and their implementation over time.

Evidence shows that GEF support plays a catalytic role in advancing policy reform, most notably in biodiversity and climate change, where projects contributed to protected area legislation in Brazil, energy efficiency standards in the Philippines, and renewable energy directives in Namibia.

Broader gains include mainstreaming conservation into national policies and establishing enabling frameworks for private investment, though effectiveness depends on enforcement capacity, institutional stability, and sustained political support.

The report recommends that the Council strengthen the clarity and realism of legal reform plans, design projects that focus directly on advancing legislative change, and improve monitoring and follow-up to capture results and lessons.