Climate Change Adaptation

This evaluation aims to provide a synthesis of findings from the modular adaptation evaluation and to answer development evaluation questions relating to:

• The systematic consideration of climate risks (“adaptation mainstreaming”) in German DC;
• The contributions of German DC towards adapting to climate change and strengthening climate resilience;
• The promotion of transformative and conflict-sensitive adaptation interventions.

The purpose of the evaluation is to support the future alignment and impact-oriented further development of the German DC adaptation portfolio. The conclusions and recommendations of the evaluation are aimed at the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the Funding Programme of the International Climate Initiative (IKI), which the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) has been implementing since 2022 in close cooperation with the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV) and the Federal Foreign Office (AA). They are also aimed at the governmental implementing organisations KfW Development Bank (KfW) and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ).

German development cooperation aims to strengthen climate resilience by adapting to climate change. The German Federal Government is financially committed to this objective, as well. Between 2011 and 2020, Germany’s climate-related official development assistance (ODA) amounted to USD 45.4 billion, approximately a quarter of all German ODA. Of that amount, over USD 17.5 billion were committed for climate change adaptation interventions.

But to what extent did the Federal Government set relevant priorities for adaptation-related ODA? To what extent do adaptation interventions achieve their objectives? And to what extent does German development cooperation contribute towards strengthening climate resilience in developing and emerging countries? DEval sought to answer these questions in a modular evaluation of climate change adaptation interventions.

The modular adaptation evaluation comprises a method-integrated design with many different sequential and parallel, cross-case and within-case, qualitative and quantitative methodological components. This method-integrated design serves to increase both the methodological rigor of the evaluation (evaluation quality) and its policy-relevance (usefulness).