OPS4 Study: Assessing GEF Performance for Improvements

1. Fourth Overall Performance Study (OPS4) Consultation with GEF Focal Points Nairobi, Kenya May 2009

2. OPS4: overview • Objective • Key questions: 5 clusters • Scope and Methodology • Timeframe • Implementation • Interaction

3. Objective of OPS4 To assess the extent to which the GEF is achieving its objectives and to identify potential improvements. OPS4 will report on portfolio outcomes, the sustainability and catalytic effect of those outcomes and the impacts that were achieved in the GEF focal areas.

4. 5 clusters (focus) • Role and added value of the GEF • international situation • Results of the GEF • current results and achievements • Relevance of the GEF • Since OPS3, all conventions, GEF mandate and countries • Performance issues affecting results • Based on APR methodology • Resource mobilization & financial management • historical perspective of replenishment and current situation management

5. Methodology • Mixed methods and theory-based approach • Literature and document reviews • Desk studies • Field visits and verifications • Interviews, surveys • Portfolio analysis • Project reviews • Stakeholder consultations • Country Case studies • Comparison studies

6. Process and Timeframe Key milestones: • Terms of Reference approved by Council: • September 5, 2008 • Interagency meeting to discuss TORs: • September 12, 2008 • Interagency meeting to discuss methodology: • January 27, 2009 • Interagency meeting to discuss preliminary findings: • May 12, 2009 • OPS4 Interim Report to Council and Replenishment • June 23 and June 26, 2009 • End of data collection: • June 30, 2009 • Interagency meeting to discuss draft OPS4: • August 25, 2009 • Final OPS 4 report to replenishment meeting: • September/October, 2009

7. Implementation of OPS 4 • Overall responsibility: GEF Evaluation Office • Focal area perspective: theory of change developed at project and program levels • Methodology development • Portfolio data and documents • Country, agency, and field visits • All GEF Agencies • All “GEF conventions” • 10 countries visited • Evaluative evidence from more than 50 countries will be included • Analysis and writing

8. Conflict of Interest Issues The GEF Evaluation Office will ensure that independent experts evaluate the following aspects within OPS4: • The evaluation function in the GEF: professional peer review panel • Governance in the GEF: especially the role of the Council • Role and functioning (and support for) the GEF focal points • Management of the GEF Trust Fund and role of the GEF Trustee

9. Progress (1) • Stakeholder consultations carried out jointly with sub-regional meetings: • New Zealand • Mexico • Croatia • Morocco • Thailand • Kenya • Barbados (June 2009) • Meetings with the civil society also occurred at the time of the sub regionals

10. Progress (2) • Methodology development: concluded • Desk review of existing evaluations: almost finished • Portfolio and data analysis: has been brought up-to-date to March 31, 2009 • In final OPS4 report the closing date of portfolio and data analysis will be June 30, 2009 • Update of RAF analysis: will be done in coming months • General stakeholder survey: sent out in April • Other surveys: • Governance of the GEF : to Council and Focal Points • M&E in the GEF: to GEF Agencies, their evaluation offices, Focal Points, task managers.

11. Progress (3) • OPS4 will contain country evidence of 57 countries--more than 30% of countries that receive GEF support. • Country Portfolio Evaluations • Local Benefits Study • MTR RAF • Impact evaluations • Evidence has been gathered through a total of 97 visits over the past three years • Field verifications (APR) • CPEs( Costa Rica, The Philippines, Samoa, Benin, Cameroon, Madagascar, South Africa) • Impact evaluations • MTR RAF • Evidence from 210 finished projects and programs will be analyzed in OPS4 • Good representation of 3 Implementing Agencies; experience with the 7 new Agencies is still relatively low • Country case studies: 6 (Belize, Bhutan, Chile, Mexico, Seychelles, Uruguay, have been done and 3 (China, Ethiopia, Iran) take place in May-June

12. Progress (4) • Governance sub-study is in full swing and many Focal Points have already been interviewed by Mr. Carlos Perez del Castillo • Peer Review of the Evaluation Function of the GEF is in draft and will be presented to Council in June • A separate survey on M&E issues will be sent out in May to GEF Agencies, their evaluation offices, task managers, Focal Points • On-going evaluations that will be integrated into OPS4: • Ozone Depleting Substances, • Annual Performance Report and • Country Portfolio Evaluations in Egypt and Syria

13. Issues for discussion (1) • Role of the GEF: • What do you perceive to be the role and added value of the GEF in tackling major global environmental problems? • How do you perceive your role as partner in the GEF? • Do you see changes over time in the GEF partnership? Any recommendations? • Results and impact: • Examples: • Results and impact that the World Bank has achieved through GEF funding, per country and focal area; • Catalytic effect of GEF • Global environmental benefits achieved? • How have these results been achieved, and are they sustainable?

14. Issues for discussion (2) • Relevance of GEF support: • to the guidance of the conventions and to national sustainable development priorities? • To what extent do you feel that the GEF portfolio in your agency is country driven, compared to other activities in your portfolio? • To what extent have there been trade-offs between local development needs and global environmental benefits? • Performance: • Governance of the GEF • How does the GEF compare with core World Bank activities and with other co-funding possibilities in terms of the efforts and costs to prepare and implement projects? • Project cycle issues • Other major issues (e.g., learning, S&T)

15. Thank you We are open to receive more information, concerns, opinions, suggestions at OPS4@thegef.org