This working paper from the Global Evaluation Initiative (GEI) explores how national monitoring and evaluation (M&E) systems can be strengthened to support more effective, inclusive and evidence-informed climate action.
It argues that robust M&E is not only essential for meeting global reporting obligations (such as the Paris Agreement and Sustainable Development Goals), but also for adaptive, learning-oriented governance that supports climate resilience and equity.
Key features
The paper positions national M&E systems as central to tracking and steering climate action progress across four interconnected climate domains: mitigation, adaptation, loss and damage, and enabling conditions (e.g. finance, governance, equity). It provides a comprehensive analysis of existing practices, common challenges, and emerging trends, drawing on global literature and case examples from low- and middle-income countries.
Particularly valuable are its clear identification of conceptual and methodological gaps, including the absence of standardised adaptation indicators and limited integration with national planning systems. The paper makes a number of recommendations across three levels of capacity: enabling environment, organisational capacity, and individual skills, offering a phased approach (quick wins, low-hanging fruit, long-term strategies).
Annexes include frameworks and tools for climate M&E, examples of country systems, and good practices that illustrate context-sensitive solutions.
This paper is an excellent starting point for anyone working at the intersection of climate policy, governance, and evaluation. It will be particularly helpful for government officials, evaluators, and development partners seeking to make M&E systems more integrated, inclusive, and aligned with climate and development priorities. Its emphasis on adaptive management, systems thinking and equity makes it highly relevant for those advancing transformative climate action.