Evaluating the environment as a global public good

Abstract

Global public goods are defined as non-excludable and non-rivalrous. Global environmental challenges, such as biodiversity conservation or climate change mitigation, fall squarely into this category. This contribution focuses on the specific dimensions of evaluating the provision of global public goods in light of experiences from the Global Environment Facility. As global environmental problems persist, it is important that evaluations focus on the results and impact of our actions beyond the immediate outputs and outcomes of individual projects and programs. It is essential to be able to assess whether these actions are making a difference on the health of the global environment and in the lives of people depending on it. Multiple methods ranging from quantitative to qualitative, and innovations, such as the use of remote sensing and GIS, are needed and have been utilized by the GEF independent evaluation office. The contribution also discusses ways of making global environmental evaluations more influential amongst stakeholders.