Drawing on terminal evaluations submitted between September 2022 and December 2024, the analysis covers projects implemented under GEF-4 through GEF-7 across 27 countries - primarily in Africa and Asia - and reflects a total investment of $200.9 million in GEF financing and $1.6 billion in cofinancing. The report places particular focus on three cross-cutting dimensions: gender, scaling up, and adaptive management. Project outcomes were generally strong, but sustainability continues to be a core challenge. The report identifies key drivers of stronger performance and more durable results, including robust government ownership, active private-sector engagement, and deep community participation. Projects that were aligned with national policies and embedded in government systems demonstrated greater prospects for follow-up funding and long-term impact. Gender-responsive approaches were also consistently linked to better results - especially in agriculture and livelihoods - where women’s leadership played a vital role in advancing climate-resilient interventions.
Despite increased emphasis on scaling strategies, systemic obstacles remain. Projects frequently encountered administrative delays, financing constraints, political disruptions, and limited private-sector involvement. Those that succeeded in scaling impact often combined flexible implementation frameworks with strong institutional partnerships and multistakeholder coordination. Adaptive management emerged as both a challenge and a critical success factor. While some projects effectively adjusted to midterm recommendations and evolving contexts, more than half saw performance decline between midterm and final evaluations. Projects with built-in flexibility - such as contingency planning and iterative learning mechanisms - were more resilient and responsive to shocks.
Ultimately, AER 2025 highlights that transformative and sustainable climate adaptation outcomes depend not only on sound project design, but on high-quality implementation. 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.