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Assessing Progress towards Results in International Waters. Aaron Zazueta GEF Evaluation Office. Key Conclusions of OPS 4 on International Waters Focal Area. Rising challenges make GEFs IW work highly relevant.
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Assessing Progress towards Results in International Waters Aaron Zazueta GEF Evaluation Office
Key Conclusions of OPS 4 on International Waters Focal Area • Rising challenges make GEFs IW work highly relevant. • GEF has provided important support to new and existing international agreements for the protection of International Waters • Helped set the stage for national policies that reduce environmental stress. • GEF is contributing towards the reduction of pollution and other stresses (such as overfishing) in international water bodies.
Three important OPS 4 Recommendations on International Waters Focal Area • IW impact analysis need to be done at the water body or catchment level • Need to examine combined effects of phased and concurrent projects • Focus on involving ALL countries in a catchment area before investment stage, while continuing to support all participating countries • Other Focal Areas should consider IWs Phased Approach (Foundation, Demonstration, Investment) when appropriate
GEF EO will undertake an IW Impact Evaluation in 2010-11 • The objective of the evaluation will be to: • More fully gauge impacts or progress towards impacts, • More fully assess the factors that contribute or hinder progress towards impact • Derive lessons for the improvement of GEF IW projects, tools and ways to measure results and impact. • Evaluation will be at the catchment or water body level • Current project oriented ROtI methodology does not fully capture the combines results of phased and concurrent IW projects. • Criteria for selection of catchment: • High levels of GEF funding at the catchment/basin level. • Long-term GEF involvement in the area.
IW specific considerations • Long-term objectives of GEF support to IW: • Foster international, multi-state cooperation on priority transboundary water concerns through more comprehensive, ecosystem-based approaches to management. • Play a catalytic role in addressing transboundary water concerns by assisting countries to utilize the full range of technical assistance, economic, financial, regulatory and institutional reforms that are needed. • Assessment of results and accomplishment of phased and concurrent interventions over a long period of time • Examination of the actions multiple actors involved: • Governments of participating countries including country mechanisms in place • Other donors, civil society, etc • Agency interactions
Tentative Questions for the IW Evaluation • To what extent has the campaigns identified the critical transboundary concerns and their root causes? • To what extent has the GEF catalyzed agreements among riparian countries to address the critical tansboundary concerns and their root causes? • What have been the accomplishments of the campaign so far? • Better understanding of issues, capacities strengthened, laws and regulations adopted and enforced, demonstrations, etc. • To what extent do accomplishments signify progress towards impact? • Reduction of transboundary environmental stressed • Improvement on the ecological status and human populations • What are the factors that contribute or hinder progress towards impacts? • Lessons and recommendations
OPS 4 identified some factors that affect progress towards impact • Relevance to national priorities (sustainable financial support) • Engagement with industrial and agricultural interests • Robust understanding of Ecosystem Services (scientifically sound TDAs) • Extent of participation of all important catchment countries • Absence of baselines and weak monitoring makes it more difficult to determine long-term impacts
Tentative timeline of the evaluation GEF EO is looking to partner with the Evaluation Offices of other Agencies. • March 2010 -- Approach Paper • Selection of catchment • Gathering of background information • Identification of partner institutions • June 2010 – Methodological adjustments to ROtI • May 2011 – Data gathering • September 2011– Analysis and report writing • November 2011 – Presentation to GEF Council
THANK YOU azazueta@theGEF.org