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Module 2:
Climate change impact on a project level

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Content

• Project impact, indicators and their role

• Indicators for climate change mitigation and adaptation and key

impact measurement techniques

• Tools and resources for measuring climate change impact

• Key take-away messages

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Project impact, indicators and their role

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Project impact – concept and terminology

(Project) Impact: Positive and negative, primary and secondary long-term effects
produced by an intervention, directly or indirectly, intended or unintended.

MRV

STATUS QUO PROJECT PROJECT

(baseline) INTERVENTION IMPACT

M&E

Creating indicators to track progress on the achievement of the project objectives is a

key element of setting up Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E), respectively Monitoring,
Reporting and Verification (MRV) systems to measure climate change impact during
and after project implementation.

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General indicator classifications

• Quantitative indicators (e.g. percentage increase/decrease, ratios, absolute

numbers)

• Qualitative indicators (e.g. results of an open-structured interview, description of a

behavioral observation, narrative)

• Economic indicators (e.g. net present value, benefit-cost-ration, internal rate of

return)

• Behavioral indicators (e.g. modification in behavior of targeted population)

• Logical framework classification (output, outcome, process, impact)

For any project it is important to consider various forms of indicators to

capture project reality!
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The role of indicators – logical framework

Indicators are part of the results management framework (RMF) that intends to
measure the achievement of a project or programme against the goals defined
by the fund.

Indicators are defined for

• each level of the logical framework for mitigation and adaptation
Objectives
Outcomes
Outputs

Activities

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Selection of indicators – a challenging task

Selecting the appropriate indicators can be a challenging task and needs to
balance:

Need for
information

Resources
required to When formulating indicators,
generate the make sure to think of how to
information collect the necessary data to
measure it!

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Formulation of SMART indicators

S - Specific: they measure only the outcome or output they intend to measure, not
other elements of the project/programme

M - Measurable: there are practical ways to measure them, with results being clear and
unambiguous

A - Attributable: changes in the indicator can be clearly attributed to project/programme

activities

R - Realistic: data can be collected or measured with available resources at the

intervals required

T - Timebound: (a) defined time for collection; (b) timing of collection appropriate;
(c) time-lag between activities, outputs and outcomes must be reflected

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Information requirements for indicators

Element Description
Means of Verification Reports, surveys or tools used for verification of results.

Baseline Value of the indicator in the absence of the measure.

Target Estimated value of the indicator at the specified point in

time.
 As a minimum the final value must be provided,
for longer-term measures one or more intermediate
intervals may be useful.
Assumptions Key assumptions for the estimation of values.
 These should include estimated values of parameters for
the baseline and their expected change through the
project/programme.
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Overview of indicators for climate change mitigation and their measurement

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Mitigation indicators

Metrics overview:

• Absolute GHG or CO2 emissions;

• Relative GHG Emissions (e.g. emissions intensity);

• Indirect metrics
(e.g. MW of renewable energy capacity installed, m3 of forest stock, or
qualitative aspects such as mitigative capacity, co-benefits)

When choosing indirect metrics, consider whether it will be important to

„convert“ the outcomes into GHG reductions with emission factors!

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Focus of mitigation indicators

Indicators should reflect what the mitigation project seeks to achieve:

Direct emissions Indirect emissions

reductions reductions

Mitigative Sustainable
capacities to be development
developed co-benefits

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Focus of mitigation indicators – direct emissions reductions

Direct emissions
reductions

Direct emissions reductions refer to those GHG emissions which result directly
from the project activities and are emitted from sources that are owned or
controlled by the reporting entity.

Indicator example: CO2 emissions reduced for the public transport sector
through the introduction of low-carbon buses (hybrid, plug-in hybrid and electric
buses)
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Focus of mitigation indicators – indirect emissions reductions

Indirect emissions
reductions

Indirect emissions refer to those GHG emissions which are a consequence of the
activities of the reporting entity, but occur at sources owned or controlled by
another entity.
Indicator example:
Amount of investments in energy efficient buildings that will be made due to the
barrier removal and market creation by the project and that are not within the
direct control of the project.

Direct emissions reductions on project level are very rare. Most

mitigation projects achieve rather indirect emissions reductions!
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Focus of mitigation indicators – mitigative capacities to be developed

Mitigative
capacities to be
developed

Mitigative capacity describes a project’s contribution to increasing a country’s

capacity to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, or to protect or expand natural
(carbon) sinks.
This can be at the individual, organisational or societal level of the country.
Indicator example:
Share of national budget allocation towards renewable energy installations
(as a result of technical advisory of the relevant government agencies on developing a
national renewable energy policy)
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Focus of mitigation indicators – sustainable development co-benefits

Sustainable
development
co-benefits

Sustainable development co-benefits result from a project/programme in

addition to the GHG emissions reduction.
‘Co-benefits’ generally pertain to the substance of the initiative, such as energy
access, water conservation, improved traffic flows or more efficient farming
Indicator example:
Number of people with energy access
(as a result of a wind park installation supplying energy to remote towns and villages
without access to the national grid)
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Green Climate Fund: Initial performance indicators for mitigation

LEVEL INITIAL PERFORMANCE INDICATORS - examples

Fund level • Level of capacity (MW) from low emission sources
impacts • Emissions levels from Vehicles
• Annual energy savings (GWh)
• 4.1 tCO2eq reduced from forest/land use
Project / • Number of low-emission policies, laws, strategies and plans supported
programme by the Fund
outcomes • MW of capacity from low emission sources
• Energy savings (GWh)
• Number of passengers (disaggregated by gender where possible) using
low emission vehicles
• Modal share by transportation type
• Forest area under improved management and reduced carbon
emissions practices

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Indicators as part of Measuring, Reporting & Verification (MRV)

• MRV of actions is a concept to measure, report and verify the impacts of
mitigation policies and actions.

• Activities of the action are assigned their own indicators, whether they seek to
measure GHG reductions or other benefits

 Indicators determine what gets measured, reported and verified!

Measuring Reporting Verification

What gets measured? What gets reported? What gets verified?
• Emission reductions according to Data on emission savings and All quantitative and qualitative
emission baseline scenario methodologies/sustainability information reported for the
• Progress of achievement of objectives, coverage, mitigation action
sustainable development institutional arrangements and
goals/co-benefits activities

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Indicators as part of Measuring, Reporting & Verification (MRV)

Measurement should cover overall emissions and emission reductions of GHGs

1. Define a baseline: calculate the difference between the emissions projections

scenario with and without the project/programme, in order to obtain an estimation
of the emission mitigation impact of the project

2. Create indicators to track progress on:

• The achievement of the mitigation goal
• The achievement of sustainable development goals

3. Develop data management systems to identify and record measurable data from
different sources.

4. Define responsibilities to sectoral organizations, municipalities, companies and

other stakeholders.

5. Conduct measurement on a regular basis.

(Source: GIZ, 2014. MRV Tool)

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Impact measurement for mitigation – common terms

• Baseline
The baseline (or reference) is the state against which change is measured. It
might be a ‘current baseline’, in which case it represents observable, present-
day conditions. It might also be a ‘future baseline’, which is a projected future
set of conditions excluding the driving factor of interest..

• Business as Usual (BAU):

BAU refers to a baseline scenario which assumes that future development
trends follow those of the past and no changes in policies will take place.
(IPCC Glossary)

• Additionality:
Additionality is the effect of the project activity to reduce anthropogenic GHG
emissions or increase actual net GHG removals below the level that would
have occurred in the absence of the project.
(CDM Glossary)
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Impact measurement for mitigation – GHG Accounting

GHG Protocol for Project Accounting

Greenhouse Gas Protocol tools enable companies and cities to develop

comprehensive and reliable inventories of their GHG emissions, and help
countries and cities track progress toward their climate goals.
Calculating emissions is a multi-step process. An accurate and useful
inventory can only be developed after careful attention to quality control
issues and to the activity data required.
http://www.ghgprotocol.org/standards/project-protocol

The following notes set out a common approach of accounting for net
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of energy efficiency (EE) and renewable
energy (RE) projects in accordance with the International Financial
Institution (IFI) framework
• IFI approach to GHG accounting for energy efficiency projects
http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/893531467991051828/pdf/101531-WP-P143154-
PUBLIC-Box394816B-Joint-IFI-EE-GHG-Accounting-Approach-clean-final-11-30.pdf

• IFI approach to GHG accounting for renewable energy projects

http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/758831468197412195/pdf/101532-WP-P143154-
PUBLIC-Box394816B-Joint-IFI-RE-GHG-Accounting-Approach-clean-final-11-30.pdf
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Impact measurement for mitigation – GHG Accounting

There is a series of further approaches to GHG accounting, see selection
below:
• Clean Development Mechanism methodology
https://cdm.unfccc.int/methodologies/documentation/index.html

• Verified Carbon Standard

http://www.v-c-s.org/

• Gold Standard
https://www.goldstandard.org/

• EU Emissions Trading Scheme

https://ec.europa.eu/clima/policies/ets/monitoring_en

• ISO 14064 (Parts 1 and 2)

• https://www.iso.org/standard/38381.html (part 1)

• https://www.iso.org/standard/38382.html (part 2)

• Policy and Action Standard (refers to policies not projects!)

http://www.ghgprotocol.org/policy-and-action-standard

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Mitigation impact measurement in practice – GCF project example

Source: GCF approved project: SCF Capital Solutions, South Africa

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Mitigation impact measurement in practice – GCF project example

Source: GCF approved project: SCF Capital Solutions, South Africa

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Overview of indicators for climate change adaptation and their measurement

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Climate change adaptation project impact

DECREASED M&E
RAINFALL AND
DROUGHT
ADAPTATION PROJECT:
Introduction of drought PROJECT IMPACT:
CROP LOSSES
resistent crops, mini ponds Irrigation coverage and
for rain water harvesting, farming productivity
renewable energy increased resulting in
FOOD powered water pumps enhanced food security
INSECURITY etc.

Climate stimulus Project objective: Increasing climate

leads to impacts on Promoting Climate- resilience – vulnerability
community Resilient Water to climate change
livelihoods Management and
Agricultural Practices reduced

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Determining climate change vulnerabilities and the need for adaptation

Before preparing climate change adaptation projects, the anticipated impacts of climate
change and local vulnerabilities of the target region need to be determined!

Climate impact and risk analyses or identify regions, social groups or

vulnerability assessments economic activities that are at risk

Tools & Resources:

• GIZ 2014: The Vulnerability Sourcebook

• GIZ 2017: Risk Supplement to the Vulnerability Sourcebook
• UNFCCC: Handbook on Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessment

… for further resources see here:

http://www.adaptationcommunity.net/publications/?topic=vulnerability-risk-assessment
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Adaptation indicators as part of M&E on a project level

GIZ’s Adaptation made to measure:
Five-step model  The principal aim of M&E is to demonstrate
the benefits of adaptation.
1. Describe the adaptation context  M&E needs to be already considered during
the planning and design phase
 Adaptation M&E at the project level does
2. Identify the contribution to adaptation not require a completely different M&E
system
 Potential challenges for adaptation M&E at
3. Developing a results framework the project level:
 Designing meaningful adaptation
indicators beyond the output level.
4. Define indicators and set a baseline
 Dealing with the uncertainty in climate
and socio-economic development.
5. Operationalise the M&E system  Evaluating project results after the
project lifetime.
Source: www.adaptationcommunity.net
GIZ, 2011. Adaptation made to measure. A guidebook to the design and results-based monitoring of climate change adaptation projects
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Adaptation indicators – adaptation action

Adaptatio Focus of indicator:

n action Information to help track the implementation
of adaptation strategies

Indicator example: Percentage of population living in flood and/or drought-prone areas with
access to rainfall forecasts
• Unit of measurement: percentage
• Data needs: Information on designated drought- and flood-prone areas (e.g. hazard maps);
number of people living there and their access to different information channels (radio, extension
service etc.)
• Potential data sources: Ministry/ies responsible for climate change and/or disaster risk reduction;
Meteorological agency; Community surveys on climate information provision and access
• Potential limitations: This indicator could be completed with other indicators to assess the quality
of the forecast, if people actually acted upon them and who is benefiting from improved access to
rainfall forecasts.
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Adaptation indicators – adaptation results

Focus of indicator:
Information to help monitor and evaluate the outcomes of
Adaptation
adaptation strategies where outcomes are broadly
results
understood in terms of increased adaptive capacity (often
framed as development outcomes), decreased sensitivity
to climate stress, or some combination thereof.

Indicator example: Volume of water consumed by tourist facilities

• Unit of measurement: litre
• Data needs: Total quantity of drinking water consumed by tourist facilities
• Potential data sources: Utility provider
• Potential limitations: This indicator only includes the volume of water consumed in tourist
facilities for which tourist facilities are invoiced (drinking water) and does not take any other
supplies of water into account. It does not consider the amount of tourists (water use per head).
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Green Climate Fund: Initial performance indicators for adaptation

LEVEL INITIAL PERFORMANCE INDICATORS - examples

Fund level • Number (percentage) of households adopting a wider variety of
impacts livelihood strategies/coping mechanisms
• Area (ha) of agricultural land made more resilient to climate change
through agricultural practices (e.g. planting times, new and resilient
native varieties, efficient irrigation systems adopted) of livelihood
strategies/coping mechanisms
• Value of infrastructure made more resilient to rapid-onset events (e.g.
floods, storm surges, heat-waves) and slow onset-processes (e.g. sea-
level rise)
Project / • Evidence that climate data is collected, analysed and applied to
programme decision-making in climate-sensitive sectors at critical times by the
outcomes government, private sector and men/women. [Core indicator]
• Percent of target population aware of the potential impacts of climate
change and range of possible responses [Core indicator]

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Monitoring of adaptation indicators

Key questions for project implementation and management

• Should data collection for indicators be done in an inclusive manner? If so, are
data being collected inclusively and with the appropriate stakeholder groups?

• Are the data sources and collection methods for the indicators clear for
evaluators and participating stakeholders?

• Are the indicators (and associated terminology) clear so that evaluators and
participating stakeholders can easily interpret them?

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Impact measurement for adaptation – tools http://www.ipcc-data.org/

Baseline data can be derived from

the IPCC Data Distribution Centre
providing access to:

• observed data covering the

physical climate
(e.g. global distributions
temperature and rainfall)

• atmospheric composition,
socio-economic information
(e.g. national population and
income data), and

• impacts of climate change

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Impact measurement for adaptation – tools http://www.adaptationcommunity.net/

AdaptationCommunity.net

The platform captures knowledge and

experience of adaptation decision-
makers from around the world.

By providing an inventory of methods

for adaptation to climate change and
their practical application, the platform
can help with the formulation of
adaptation indicators and give guidance
on how to measure them.

For instance you will find training

materials, webinars and publications on
topics such as adaptation M&E or impact
evaluation of climate change adaptation
projects.

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Impact measurement for adaptation – tools

Repository of Adaptation Indicators

This repository of adaptation indicators,
which draws from some of the latest
experiences in adaptation M&E, is
intended to
• systematically present various
indicators from a range of sectors
that track different aspects of the
adaptation context, process and
results,

http://www.adaptationcommunity.net/?wpfb_dl=221/

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Adaptation impact measurement in practice – GCF project example

Source: GCF approved project: Strengthening the resilience of smallholder farmers in the Dry Zone to climate variability and extreme events through an integrated approach to water management, Sri Lanka

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Adaptation impact measurement in practice – GCF project example

Source: GCF approved project: Strengthening the resilience of smallholder farmers in the Dry Zone to climate variability and extreme events through an integrated approach to water management, Sri Lanka
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Summary and tools for measuring mitigation and adaptation impact

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Impact measurement for mitigation and adaptation - characteristics

MRV for Mitigation M&E for Adaptation
Measurement: define baseline, Monitoring: Gather data on
indicators, data management system progress and achievement

Reporting on quantitative Evaluation: Draw conclusions

and qualitatitve data to assess the impacts

 Establish a results-based monitoring

Verification of information provided system including a set of indicators to
by different organisations at domestic measure the impact
and international levels

Qualitative data is not only relevant for monitoring of adaptation

activities but also for measuring mitigation efforts!
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Impact measurement for mitigation and adaptation – tools

GCF indicative indicators

A list of indicative indicators for

all six GCF investment criteria has
been agreed upon by the GCF
Board in June 2016.

GCF applicants are requested to

respond to all six investment
criteria but only the applicable
and relevant sub-criteria and
indicative assessment factors.

Link Green Climate Fund

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Key take-aways

• Right balance of indicators: For both, mitigation and adaptation projects it is

vital to choose a good mix of indicators (qualitative, quantitaive, economic etc.)
to reflect reality.
• Resources and tools for support: A variety of resources exist to support the
development of indicators and the measurement of climate change impact
providing information such as data , sample indicators, measurement
methodologies etc.
• Indicators are crucial to measure project impact: Besides financial returns (in
the case of debt or equity-finances projects), impact is in the center of interest of
the fund or financial institution financing the project. It is therefore of vital
importance to develop credible indicators that help track project impact.

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Thank you for your attention!!!

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List of references and recommended readings:

Mitigation
• Clean Development Mechanism methodology
https://cdm.unfccc.int/methodologies/documentation/index.html
• EU Emissions Trading Scheme
https://ec.europa.eu/clima/policies/ets/monitoring_en
• GHG Protocol Source-specific Emissions Calculation Methods
http://ghgprotocol.org/calculation-tools
• GIZ 2014: MRV Tool: How To Set up National MRV Systems.
https://www.transparency-partnership.net/mrv-tool-how-set-national-mrv-systems
• Gold Standard
https://www.goldstandard.org/
• ISO 14064 (Parts 1 and 2)
https://www.iso.org/standard/38381.html (part 1)
https://www.iso.org/standard/38382.html (part 2)
• Policy and Action Standard
http://www.ghgprotocol.org/policy-and-action-standard
• Verified Carbon Standard
http://www.v-c-s.org/

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List of references and recommended readings:

Adaptation:
• ci:grasp 2.0: The Climate Impacts: Global and Regional Adaptation Support Platform
http://pik-potsdam.de/cigrasp-2/
• Climate-Eval Community of Practice 2015: Good practice study on Principles for Indicator Development,
Selection, and Use in Climate Change Adaptation Monitoring and Evaluation.
https://www.climate-eval.org/sites/default/files/studies/Good-Practice-Study.pdf
• GIZ 2011: Adaptation made to measure. A guidebook to the design and results-based monitoring of
climate change adaptation projects
https://gc21.giz.de/ibt/var/app/wp342deP/1443/wp-content/uploads/filebase/me/me-guides-manuals-reports/GIZ-
2013_Adaptation_made_to_measure_second_edition.pdf
• GIZ 2014: Repository of Adaptation Indicators.
http://www.adaptationcommunity.net/?wpfb_dl=221
• GIZ 2014: The Vulnerability Sourcebook
http://www.adaptationcommunity.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/giz_sbv_EN_suppl_v171019_screen_NEU-3.pdf
• GIZ 2017: Risk Supplement to the Vulnerability Sourcebook
http://www.adaptationcommunity.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/giz_sbv_EN_suppl_v171019_screen_NEU-3.pdf
• IPCC Data Distribution Centre http://www.ipcc-data.org/observ/index.html
• UNFCCC: Handbook on Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessment
http://unfccc.int/resource/cd_roms/na1/v_and_a/index.htm
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List of references and recommended readings:

Other sources:

• Fayolle, V. and Odianose, S. 2017: Green Climate Fund Proposal toolkit 2017. London: Acclimatise and
Climate and Development Knowledge Network.
• GCF 2014: Results Measurement Framework, from: Decisions of the Board – Eighth Meeting of the
Board, 14-17 October 2014.
http://www.greenclimate.fund/documents/20182/239759/5.3_-_Performance_Measurement_Frameworks__PMF_.pdf/60941cef-
7c87-475f-809e-4ebf1acbb3f4
• GIZ 2017: Guidebook: Writing a Green Climate Fund Funding Proposal

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