[NEWS RELEASE]: Adaptation Fund Evaluation Policy Launched at COP28

Dubai, United Arab Emirates (December 5, 2023) – The Evaluation Policy of the Adaptation Fund was adopted by the Adaptation Fund Board (via decision B.38/48) in April 2022 and came into force in October 2023. 

As the Evaluation Policy is a key Fund-wide policy, a special launching ceremony was organized in early December at the joint Climate Funds Pavilion at COP28 in Dubai. 

The event was opened by the Head of the Adaptation Fund, Mikko Ollikainen, who emphasized the importance of evaluations as a tool for learning and accountability and as a key factor for informed decision-making in future adaptation programming. 

The opening remarks were followed by a short presentation by the Chair of the Technical Evaluation Reference Group of the Adaptation Fund (AF-TERG), Debbie Menezes, who talked about the overall approach of the policy and its implications to implementing entities. She emphasized that the entry of the policy into force marks the transition from a compliance approach to evaluations to a ‘value-generation approach’. 

Menezes further explained that the policy implementation will be accompanied by trainings for implementing entities, as well as by a series of guidance notes, some of which are already available on the Adaptation Fund here. 

The presentations were followed by a Q&A session and a reception. It was attended by representatives of Adaptation Fund implementing entities and numerous other stakeholders, and was moderated by the AF-TERG Secretariat Coordinator, Vladislav Arnaoudov. 

ABOUT THE ADAPTATION FUND 

Since 2010, the Adaptation Fund has committed over US$ 1 billion for climate change adaptation and resilience projects and programmes, including 150 concrete, localized projects in the most vulnerable communities of developing countries around the world with over 40 million total beneficiaries. It also pioneered Direct Access and Enhanced Direct Access, empowering countries to access funding and develop local projects directly through accredited national implementing entities. 

Communications: Matthew Pueschel, mpueschel@adaptation-fund.org or +1-202-473-6743 

In case of any questions on the evaluation policy, please contact the AF-TERG at af-terg-sec@adaptation-fund.org. 

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